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What if?!?!?!

Reader comment on item: From Beirut to Jerusalem

Submitted by Craig Lee (United States), Nov 28, 2012 at 12:19

I grew up in the 50s and early 60s in a neighborhood of Compton California where you couldn't name an ethnic or religious group that wasn't represented. I was one of the neighborhood's "Three Musketeers." A, Jew, a Presbyterian and a Catholic. There were also, Hindus', Muslims', Greek Orthodox, Buddhists', Shinto's, other Protestants and even a fellow who's father was the minister of the local Church of the Nazarene. The three of us took a great deal of pride in our backgrounds, but also took time to understand and respect each other. Of course there were arguments and differences of opinions on issues, but we also took the time to investigate each other's religion. Being the Presbyterian in the group, I often found myself the mediator. When Rick (the Jew) had his Barmitzvah, (pardon the spelling) I saw to it that everybody attended including parents. Even today, some 50 plus years later, it was a childhood highlight that we all remember in detail. We played together in sports, we worked together on neighborhood projects, and helped each other out on our paper routs. Religion was a personal thing and not an everyday demand on our life.

What if tomorrow, an extra terrestrial landed at the UN building and presented to this world historical and irrefutable evidence that we had preexisted on another planet and were transplanted here and simply allowed to evolve and change based on our climate locations. That religion didn't exist anywhere else in the universe and that religion, in actuality, was the sole root of all of our inability to coexist as a species?

The three of us, long ago, came to the conclusion, that all of the world's trouble could/should be laid at the feet of religion. And those leaders of religions should be held accountable by all for the lack of understanding between their factions and that the only religious ideas put forth would/should be one of "tolerance of all and malice towards none." The only intolerant behavior would be reserved for those "of intolerance" and that would be handled with a "velvet glove."

Submitting....

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Reader comments (12) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1What if?!?!?! [349 words]Craig LeeNov 28, 2012 12:19201020
Thomas Friedman [15 words]Lindy SniderAug 2, 2012 22:29197641
NYT Journalists [36 words]Stanley BJan 21, 2012 16:35192721
Friedman and American Jews [57 words]sandraJan 16, 2012 20:04192635
1Friedman's point [11 words]ibuzoneDec 28, 2011 01:37192088
1I too was bemused [34 words]yuval Brandstetter MDDec 22, 2011 11:17191961
2Just Don't Slur A Protected Class [19 words]DaveDec 21, 2011 21:13191950
Who would read it then? [72 words]saraJan 21, 2012 16:38191950
1Toms OZ [82 words]Jay1Dec 21, 2011 18:41191940
? [31 words]anonymousSep 27, 2006 09:4257854
interesting [89 words]Odil MalazgirtMay 11, 2006 14:0045346
Good Review [34 words]Joseph MaldonadoSep 3, 2002 07:042256

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