Hate Breeds Hate; it will never change the world

One of the biggest things that I've had to learn in my adult years is that before I assume something based on limited information, I should research all sides of it.  It has led me to learn more about other cultures, religions, and people, in general.  I don't want to just assume because of what someone has told me.  I don't just want to form an opinion to be part of a crowd.  I want to learn about the differences that people have so that I can also find the things that we share.  Why is this so important to me?  Because.....

Hate will NEVER create more love; it only creates more hate.

In the vast majority of cases, hatred is caused by ignorance.  People don't care to educate themselves on something so they just choose to dislike it instead.  It's the adult equivalent of kids not wanting to eat their veggies: it's different and they assume they won't like it so they won't touch it.  We tend, as adults, to sometimes decide that we don't like something without even having all of the information.  We don't want to take the time to learn about it.  We feel like different is hard, different is bad.  We preach about changing the world but we forget that changing the world would require changes in ourselves and in our lives.....differences.

One of the biggest clashes of late seems to be religion (though this argument has been around since the dawn of time) or lack thereof.  It exists in all religions, to some extent.  After all religion is based on faith.  In short, you believe that what/who you worship will bring good things into your life.  You also believe, though, that every other religion has it wrong.  Some religions believe that all other religions are below them.  Some religions believe that we are all equal.  Some believe only believers will get into Heaven, some believe in only chosen people getting there, some believe that you have to earn your way there and some believe that there isn't an afterlife because of reincarnation. Every religion believes that they are the only one that is right.  Atheists believe there is no god.  Agnostics are unsure of the existence of God.

Then there are those of us that exist without specific religion.  I am a Christian and, yet, I don't particularly like the idea of organized religion because of how corrupt it has become.  I don't expect everyone to believe as I believe.  In fact, I believe that God speaks to different people in very different ways.  Why would he do that?  Simple...God created us to be such extraordinarily different people that he needs to speak to us in extraordinarily different ways.  I believe that it is much the same as how parents of multiple children have to encourage and discipline different kids.  You see, we all feel and express love a little bit differently.

Religious people can often have a tendency to be judgmental.  They blame it on a book or their belief system. If you do this, you're not a good enough (fill in the blank with the religion).  If you don't do that, you're not a good enough (fill in the blank with the religion).  Then, add in atheists and agnostics who love to sound off on whether or not you're a good enough Christian (for example) because you do or don't do this or that.  And what it all comes down to is ignorance.  None of us know enough to truly make a solid judgment.  We just don't.   All we are doing by spreading this judgement on whether a person or a religion is right or wrong is spreading hatred....making a bigger precipice to fall into.

What if we all just took the time to learn?  Instead of assuming that all Christians are this or all Muslims are that or all Buddhists are this way or all Jewish people are that way, what if we truly took the time to learn?  What if we immersed ourselves in learning?  What if we read what they read without assumptions?  What if we TALKED to people of that faith and learned about what they believe and what they practice?  What if we learned about their holidays and customs?  What if we learned about their stances on the very issues that we make assumptions on now?  What if we battled intolerance with education?  What if we stopped being ignorant and started being intelligent?

You see, we will never change the world by hiding in a hole, believing that we already have all of the information that we will ever need by the time we are adults. We will only change the world when we change ourselves and dedicate our lives to learning.

The Orlando Tragedy

The Orlando mass shooting happened yesterday.  A devastating event that will forever be remembered.  It's turned into a political debate.  It's turned into a conversation about the gunman.  I am choosing not to do that.  I'm choosing not to make this a post of hate.  I'm choosing not to make this a post of judgement.  I want to go a different route.

I also don't want to focus on the LGBT aspect of this.  I am devastated that this crime was committed in hatred of who someone chooses to love.  The fact remains, though, that these individuals were so much more than sexual orientation.  They had families and friends.  Some of them had children. They had careers.  They had accomplishments.  They weren't just one small piece of the puzzle.  They were people. During their lives, they didn't want to be judged by who they loved. Their lives matter not just because of one aspect but because of every aspect of who they were.

I don't want to place the focus on the firearm.  Politicians are attacking from every angle on this but, in the end, it's not the gun that took these precious lives.  It's not about gun control or gun laws or anything else.  It's about something bigger....respect for human life. It's not whether or not he could access a gun; it's whether or not he chose to use that gun for the purpose that he did.  He had no regard for their lives and it nauseates me to my core.

I don't want to focus on the ideology.  This individual pledged allegiance to a terrorist group.  For me, it's not about his religion.  It never has been for me.  Again, for me, this comes down to respect for human life.  This man was born in our country, where we are blessed with the freedom to choose whatever religion we desire.  We are blessed with the freedom to speak freely.  We are blessed with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  I'm just devastated that this man chose to end others' lives when exercising his freedom (in the most illegal way possible).

My desire, in all of this, is to remember the victims and to honor them.  To each of the friends and families of those lives taken, I send my thoughts and prayers.  To the LGBT community and the community around the venue, I am so sorry for your losses.  To our country and those that fight for he freedom of choice, this is a terrible loss but we must keep up this fight.

Do not let your hearts be hardened by this.  Do not allow this individual to spread his hatred.  Do not allow his cause to shine through in this.  Remember these individuals and honor them.  Honor them with your own good deeds.  Honor them as you pay it forward.  Honor them as you fight for the freedom of every citizen of our country.  Honor them as you walk about your daily life and debate but accept other's different opinions.  Honor them as you do what this individual didn't do....respect life and celebrate individuality.

My condolences go out to these families.  I'm so sorry for your loss.