Religion: The Us versus Them Approach

Religion is yet another thing that divides us even further as a people.

Yes I said it.

The need to forcefully shove down people's throat reasons as to why your religion is better than theirs makes you no better than any renowned radicalist.

Yes I said it.

The good thing about living in a country like the United States is that it BROADENS your mind.... if you let it.

You get accustomed to seeing people from various backgrounds, things no longer seem/sound as strange or as terrible to you as they would to someone who lives in a country that is not as diverse.

And even if you still find "them" strange/terrible, you subconsciously train yourself to become desensitized to it because ...... well, you have no choice. 

You either get with the program or you get the fuck out.

Now where am I headed with this?

I wasn't going to write about this initially because really at this point, it is like beating a dead pig.

.....But then I came across a picture today.

This ridiculously graphic/mind boggling photo had images of people of a certain religious background who were burnt to ashes by people of another religious background.

Now I am unsure as to how accurate this is but ladies and gentlemen, I just need you to wrap your head around the fact that this is still very much happening in 2011.

A couple of weeks back, I left a comment on Linda Ikeji's blog under Steve Jobs' post.

Steve Jobs majority of you may or may not know, was a Buddhist and like I had written in my comment, I am yet to understand why and how that is anybody's business.

But as usual, the ever sanctimonious Nigerians,

 The oh so righteous ones who shuttle between heaven, hell and earth,  determining who God condemns to hell and who he doesn't, felt the need to go on about the man's religion and what-not.

My comment read somewhere along these lines...

We as a people, need to be understanding and accepting of the fact that not everyone practices Christianity or Islam.

I guess what I had thought was an innocent comment ruffled some feathers 'cos a lady by the name 'Chiamaka' felt the need to preach to me.

I chuckled.

I chuckled not because I felt she was rambling but because it is expected that a CHIAMAKA would be of christian background.

Dear Chiamaka, 

This is a little late but I have just one question for you.

Do you HONESTLY believe you would have been saying the same if for instance you were born an Halima??

Our cultural background, upbringing, and life experiences, 9.5 times outta 10 play a VITAL role in determining our beliefs.

You are probably a christian today because that is all YOU know and see as the "truth" but UNDERSTAND that IT WAS NOT Mr. Jobs' or everyone in the world's truth.

Deal-With-It.

We need to OPEN OUR EYES to the world around us.

Poke that bubble around us that hinder us from thinking logically.

We do not have to agree, accept or even understand each other's beliefs but we must learn to

We need to recognize our prejudices and KNOW when to keep them in check (Trust me! I am still guilty of this and will probably always be but I am learning).

We need to understand that the only "salvation" we are preaching when we forcefully tell someone that the religion they hold onto dearly is a lie is WAR.

You only do a good job at pushing people further away from you when you take the Us versus Them Approach.

Last but not least, always remember,

 YOU ARE NOT GOD!

P.s- Someone whose neurons are transmitting the right signals to his/her brain can easily understand where my Al-qaeda and Boko Haram comparison came from. 

Which is why this Dith of a "blogger" as you put it, chose to ignore you.
Whoever/whatever you are, you know yourself.