Holy question

[Gatac]

My take on it is basically "Believe what you want, but let us believe what we want". I don't mean this in a bad way, but it seems religion goes wrong when the believers try to muscle in on "heathen" territory.

Which is why I think religious education needs to be more widespread, but cover the world's major religions in greater variety. The ethical rules a society depends on for existence aren't unique to any one creed; agree on them, the rest is your business.

Yes, this has several funky spots (What happens to your children? What if your beliefs are harmful to yourself?), but I think that can be worked out. I dread the alternative where everything I do that doesn't follow the one true religion is automatically suspect; there is no morality without choice.

I know, I'm exagerating, but let me dig out one of the great debates of our time: stem-cell research. It is my opinion that if everyone directly involved in the process - donors, scientists, medical professionals and patients - are okay with it, the greater population is free to not accept these methods, but not in trying to keep it out of everyone's hands. I do know that many religious orientations feature a strong "save the unbelievers from themselves" theme, but this is where the fun stops for me; it's not religious tolerance to let somebody harass and decry other beliefs.

To wrap this up, here's a quote from Boondock Saints, where a handful of heavily-armed sociopaths make my point.

Murphy: Do not kill. Do not rape. Do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace.
Connor: These are not polite suggestions, these are codes of behavior, and those of you that ignore them will pay the dearest cost.
Murphy: There are varying degrees of evil. We urge you lesser forms of filth, not to push the bounds and cross over, into true corruption, into our domain.
Connor: For if you do, one day you will look behind you and you will see we three, and on that day you will reap it.
Murphy: And we will send you to whatever god you wish.

Gatac