I saw an article this evening about a group in Texas being upset with the fact that police cars say, "In God We Trust" on the back of them. It really got me thinking. I've had these thoughts for some time but I think it's time I put my thought to words.
We live in an amazing country. Seriously folks. Even with all the problems we face and all the slights we observe, we still have so much freedom. I think freedom has become something we take for granted too often in this country.
The great thing about having rights here is just that. We ALL have them. You can believe/subscribe/preach/embrace any old thing you want as long as it doesn't infringe on the basic human rights of others.
So, if this is true.....or rather, since this is true....why do we feel the need to force our opinions and views on others? If you don't believe in God, that's great. You're allowed that difference of opinion here. But why can't people just embrace and be happy with that belief instead of trying to rob others of what they believe?
The second greatest thing about America is our diversity....and again here, our rights to have that diversity come into play. Why do people feel the need to make others change to suit them instead of embracing and respecting their differences and again, our wonderful, God-(and country)given rights to have them?
Inequality does not equal variation. Those two words are so completely different. Our lives are all full of variations. This is what makes us great. Tolerance and respect have been lost somewhere in our need to not be offended. Taking offense, however, is a choice. You can also choose to see something you don't agree with like a saying on the back of a police car and say...."Awesome, they believe in God. I don't, but that's okay. It's not hurting me or them to be different from one another."
All of the attempts to take away others belief systems are taking away freedoms. It's taking away tolerance and variation. When you do that you are changing our great country, and not in a good way. People not being accepting of others differences is what makes up the root of almost every war that has ever been fought.
So, the next time you get offended over someone else's rights, please remember how blessed you are to have them. Please remember that you can love a person without being exactly the same as them or they, you. Remember how great it is to be in a land that allows you and the person next to, across the street, or across the country from you to have differences of opinion.
We don't need to be the same. We only need to love the same. And that's okay and frankly, VERY refreshing.
We live in an amazing country. Seriously folks. Even with all the problems we face and all the slights we observe, we still have so much freedom. I think freedom has become something we take for granted too often in this country.
The great thing about having rights here is just that. We ALL have them. You can believe/subscribe/preach/embrace any old thing you want as long as it doesn't infringe on the basic human rights of others.
So, if this is true.....or rather, since this is true....why do we feel the need to force our opinions and views on others? If you don't believe in God, that's great. You're allowed that difference of opinion here. But why can't people just embrace and be happy with that belief instead of trying to rob others of what they believe?
The second greatest thing about America is our diversity....and again here, our rights to have that diversity come into play. Why do people feel the need to make others change to suit them instead of embracing and respecting their differences and again, our wonderful, God-(and country)given rights to have them?
Inequality does not equal variation. Those two words are so completely different. Our lives are all full of variations. This is what makes us great. Tolerance and respect have been lost somewhere in our need to not be offended. Taking offense, however, is a choice. You can also choose to see something you don't agree with like a saying on the back of a police car and say...."Awesome, they believe in God. I don't, but that's okay. It's not hurting me or them to be different from one another."
All of the attempts to take away others belief systems are taking away freedoms. It's taking away tolerance and variation. When you do that you are changing our great country, and not in a good way. People not being accepting of others differences is what makes up the root of almost every war that has ever been fought.
So, the next time you get offended over someone else's rights, please remember how blessed you are to have them. Please remember that you can love a person without being exactly the same as them or they, you. Remember how great it is to be in a land that allows you and the person next to, across the street, or across the country from you to have differences of opinion.
We don't need to be the same. We only need to love the same. And that's okay and frankly, VERY refreshing.
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