Free Religion

Whining about creation's diversity,

as it is expressed in both culture and religion,

convinces us that any restraint

required is actually oppression

or even attack on our own religion.

In fact, forbearance is the necessary expression

of a society that values religious freedom.

What would it be like to live in circumstances

where our religion was a small minority,

and religious freedom wasn't supported?

Myopic tendencies convince us

that freedom and intolerance can coexist,

but  being called to exercise religious restraint

in order that others may experience religious freedom,

reminds us that many of our European forebears

left their homelands to settle here

for this, among other reasons.

When tempted to believe

that one religion – ours, of course –

is the only one that government

needs to tolerate, we need reminding

that culture and society will thrive

with a shared vision of hope and love

much better than it will by

the forced practice of a single religion.

 

Photo by Lee Lindsey McKinney

© 2015 Todd Jenkins