She is lovely and caring but she also talks an awful lot and doesn't like to think about things too much. And before I get any funny comments about how we should get along perfectly then (you can't make them, I have preempted you!) I actually find this way of looking at the world quite a challenge.
For example:
This lady found out that I had studied theology and exclaimed that all she wanted was for all the religions of the world to realise that they all worship one 'Supreme Being' and then we could all get along.
I have to say that this stumped me for quite a while. Though I knew some people in the world thought like this I have never encountered one myself and wasn't entirely sure how to engage in this conversation. Half of me wanted to laugh, the other half wanted to cry.
Why do I find this such a difficult subject to talk about you ask?
It is because there is no answer apart from agreeing with the statement that is not going to offend or anger. Unless I say 'yes, of course we all worship the same God' then I am going to tell her that something she believes in is simply wrong.
And no one likes hearing that.
Because the truth is, no one who takes their religion seriously agrees with this statement.
We would fight, argue and die for our beliefs because we believe them to be true.
We are making a truth statement every time we say 'Jesus is the only way to God' that immediately rules out, disagrees with, and calls every other religion, in short, a liar.
And that is why religions will never get along.
Every religion on the planet believes that the others are heresy. We want to save and convert and enlighten all those that do not believe our faith because we believe it to be true.
If what you believe in, what shapes and guides your life, is challenged and called heresy by someone else you aren't going to take to kindly to them are you?
She laughed and went on to teach me about my star sign....
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