I know it’s a hard concept for you to grasp.
I am a Catholic, a Republican, a female, and a college student- a breed that seems to be on the verge of extinction. People question my beliefs and political stance all the time. Some even shame me. We live in a world where people choose their friends based on common ideologies and shun those with opposing ones.
One of the coolest things about college, in my opinion, is being surrounded by a sea of people with different views than my own. Growing up, I went to catholic school and was exposed to very little diversity. I had never even met an atheist before coming to college, and now I live with one. My roommate and I may have different views on religion, but we respect each other’s beliefs and are curious to learn more about them. The things she sees as proof that God does not exist are the same things I see as proof that He does. Her beliefs challenge mine, and mine hers. That’s completely okay and a natural part of human interaction.
I have an issue comprehending the amount of hate that is being spread around our world. Maybe that’s because I’m intrigued and eager to learn about other people’s views or maybe that’s because the hate is irrational. How can we discriminate against other religions, ideologies, or political parties when the only difference is our perspective?
Racism is a reoccurring topic in the media, but what about the prejudice against those who view things differently than ourselves? Race is genetic, ideology is thought up. Just like racism is immoral, so is prejudice against opposing beliefs. No one’s truths are superior to another.
Rick Warren, a Christian pastor and author, sums up my point perfectly, “Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.”
With that being said, I want to challenge you. I want to challenge you to start spreading interest instead of hate. Start asking “why” rather than dismissing the idea all together. Force yourself to start looking at things from a different perspective. I say spread interest instead of the typical “spread love” because you do not need to love someone else’s perspective, but you should respect it. Only after we spread interest and gain respect can we start to spread love and coexist.
Are you up for the challenge?