The essence of faith, or a religion, is truth, which has to englobe love and tolerance. It is the white light consisting of all the colours of the rainbow. This is also why a primary colour, which might be thought appropriate for a political party, for example, can never reflect the truth. Secondary colours or colour derivations such as pink, even less so..
If nature herself did not advocate love, respect, diversity and tolerance, all animal forms would be constantly at war with each other in order that their species be the unique and globally dominant survivor. Earthly paradise would thus become earthly hell. Universal nature is obviously an inexhaustible source of instruction. Similarly the history of humanity is a rich source of study and reference.
But as recorded facts of history often render ideologies incoherent, the ideologue either tries to negate history, or is very selective about historical facts.
Most philosophers would agree that once an ideology is firmly established, it is no longer necessary for the ideologue to even think. For the ideologue, intellectual evolution is pointless, if not impossible.
To believe in an almighty creator of the universe is one thing, but to persuade oneself that one has the right to wield an unforgiving, hateful sword in His name, is diabolical. It has nothing to do with religion. To pretend that one has God's blessing to perpetrate evil, or that one will be rewarded with immortal paradise for contributing to create mortal hell, is the worst possible of all profanities.
The educated, those who are fully aware of the immutable, obsolete laws and values of such a so called religion, or rather a sectarian cult that they adhere to, have no excuse. They cannot sincerely pretend to respect the essential principles of laic democracy without being dangerously deceitful. Either one defends the relative freedom, reciprocal respect and tolerance advocated by democracy, or the constraints dictated by an intolerant cult. The impossibility of sincerely defending one, whilst unremittingly adhering to the other, would underline Machiavellian treachery in blood red.
By always having to bow in principle to the majority, democracy seems destined to become its own enemy. But the world is gradually waking up to the dangerous consequences of tolerating the intolerant. Intolerance naturally negates tolerance, therefore it negates everything. In the unlikely case of intolerance ever becoming the global victor, it would ultimately end up by negating itself.
The history of humanity has often proved this to be so. Most veritable religions would prophesy this ultimate auto-destruction of intolerance, but nature constantly underlines this universal truth herself. Intolerance is colourless death.
Text and images © Mirino, May, 2016
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