Who am I to Judge?

“Who am I to judge?”  Pope Francis uttered those simple, yet powerful words back in 2013.  Pope Francis has re-energized the Catholic Church with his simple, logical, and compassionate heart.  He has inspired the religious and non-religious alike.  Pope Francis spoke those words in regards to homosexuality; however, I think we can apply those words to many different lifestyles, philosophies and ideologies.  For this discussion, “Who am I to judge,” will be the question and answer that could help us solve the issues of polarization and help lessen the bad blood that flows between the religious and non-religious populations of our society.

This topic is important because we are seeing a great divide between people of faith and people who believe in secular principles.   People of faith, like former-Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR), believe that God is being slowly removed from society.  Prayer and faith in the public square are being diminished by politically correct progressives who want to squash religion for good.  This removal of God in society is starting to make America (and the rest of the world) weak.  On the other side, people who believe in secular principles, like the late author and activist Christopher Hitchens, believe that God (or religion) is what poisons the world.  People who believe in secular principles believe that human progress has been delayed because religions cause more harm than good.  That is quite the divide!  The examples I just gave are the extreme.  I do believe that divisions between faith and secularism can vary.  Not everyone is 100% anti-faith or 100% anti-secularism.  The world is not black and white.  The world is a murky gray where perceptions differ between people.  This divide between faith and secularism is causing grief between citizens of this country and throughout the world.  So, how do we close up that divide and co-exist peacefully with one another?  That is the question that hopefully can be answered.

Before our discussion can move forward, I would ask that you watch these two videos.  The first video will showcase a faithful Mormon family while the second video will showcase an ex-Mormon:

Which point of view is correct?  The first video shows a happy family who believes that they have found the right path in the form of Mormonism.  The second video shows a woman who had doubts and questions that led her to the conclusion that religion is cruel.  Does someone have to be wrong?  Even though everyone involved in these videos seem sincere and happy with their choices, there has to be a wrong path, right?  False.  Neither of the videos shows a wrong viewpoint.  These viewpoints are correct for the people that are following them.  You may disagree with one of them but it does not make them any less right or wrong.  That is because you cannot debate faith or the lack of faith.  That’s not to say that people do not question their faith or lack of faith.  The point is that you can debate someone until you are blue in the face, but at the end of the day, (especially when it comes to religion) people will not change their point of view.  Faith goes beyond scientific fact or reason.  Faith cannot be proven or disproven.  That is why it is called “faith.”  You have to have “faith” that God exists or that religion brings about happiness or vice-versa.  It does not do any good to tell the staunch Catholic that God doesn't exist and that their church is evil.  It also does not do any good to tell the atheist that they are lacking happiness because they do not have God in their life.  All that does is upset people.  It drives people away.  It causes harsh feelings.  This is an extremely difficult topic.  I know people want their loved ones to follow the same path that they do because they feel like they are on the right path.  They feel that if their loved one does not follow their path then they will not be able to be with them in the after-life.  That is a very difficult proposition to overcome.  However, there’s no choice in the matter.  Live and let live.  Either you accept that person for who they are or you push them away.  Life is short.  I, personally, opt for the first choice.

Allowing people to live their own lives is not any easy prospect.  This is because, and we all must admit this, we are human beings.  We will be condescending and hypocritical.  Each and every one of us has talked down to someone we do not agree with personally.  We also are hypocritical and will do things in contrast to what we preach.  As an example, I am an agnostic.  I believe in a higher power.  I do not necessarily believe in one almighty power that created this entire universe.  I do believe that there are many things to this universe that humans do not understand or comprehend.  However, personally I cannot believe in an organized religion because religions package their beliefs and doctrines too neatly.  Explanations are too easy in religions.  I believe there is some organization to the universe, but I believe it is organized chaos.  There are too many unknowns to say that humanity has all the answers or the religion has all the answers.  With that being said, there are days where I pity people that are religious.  I feel like logic is staring them right in their face but they do not see it.  I pity them because I see them shackled to an ideology created by men that just want to have power over everyone else.  That is pretty harsh.  I hate having these feelings, but I am a human, and I will always have feelings and thoughts like that.  How should someone try to move past these hypocritical and condescending thoughts and attitudes?  You get over hypocrisy and condescension by realizing that people will think the same things about you.  A religious person will look at me as being a gay agnostic who has turned their back on God and has succumbed to sin by falling in love with another man.  A religious person will pity me because if I do not change I will be going to Hell.   Imagine that.  People are going to see what they want.  That does not mean they are right or wrong.  That is just their point of view.  I do not have to agree with their point of view, but I will respect their beliefs.

That is the answer to co-existence (which is easier said than done).  Why can’t we accept people for who they are?  Allow people to make their own choices and live their own lives.  Allow people to be different.  Differences and diversity make this world an exciting, interesting place.  I know I do not want to live in a homogeneous society where everyone believes in the same things.  I want the beautiful differences in society to stand out.  I want to know all about the differences in each of us and discover the beauty in all things.  I believe we need each other.  We need religious and non-religious people.  We need each other so we can tackle problems together.

In conclusion, take note that I did not use the words “tolerate” or “tolerance,” I used the words “respect” and “accept.”  I actually hate the word “tolerance” because I feel that tolerance is just the nice way of holding your nose at someone who you disagree with.   I want people to accept me.  I want people to accept one another.  I want people to accept Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Mormons, Episcopalians, Atheists, Agnostics, etc.  You do not have to agree with their beliefs, but accept them as human beings.  Accept their path to happiness.  Love them for being different.  Do not just tolerate them because that is the politically correct thing to do.  Learn about their philosophy to life.  Bask in the beauty and richness of our diversity in this world.  Just realize that as long as they are not putting your rights and physical safety at risk then, “who am I to judge?”

Next week:  Using this theory of co-existence in the real world through policy-making.