Which is the most tolerant religion?

[Ulaven_Demorte]

Yep. I grew up one.

Hey, I grew up "Fire and Brimstone Southern Baptist", in Indiana of all places. But I don't think I've set foot inside of a church in over 20 years.

I think the breaking point was when it was found out that the youth pastor (a young man of around 21 or so) was molesting several of the underage boys in the church's youth program. The incidents were promptly hushed up and the young minister moved to California.

I prefer to seek my own way. I lost faith in organized religions a long time ago.

 

[Weird Harold]

I agree, most (not all) Christian religions seem to be very intolerant in practice. ...

Just from my own personal experience:

The three most "Christian" people I've known in 50+ years -- defined as people who lived their lives the way Christ taught -- were a Mormon, a Budhist and a self-described Atheist (more agnostic in practice, though)

The least "Christian" I know OF -- are all highly visible ordained ministers who loudly proclaim their "Christianity" in every forum they can weasel their way into.

It seems to me that those who most publicly observe their religion -- front pew in church every Sunday, got fish decals and hink if you love Jesus bumper stickers, etc -- are the ones who actually follow the teachings of the religion in their daily lives.

Also, the Religions with the most organization/ritual are the religions seem to be the ones most favored by the "conspicously religious" types.

 

[coastal-boy]

tolerant and religion...kinda an oxymoron I think

 

[sweet_escape]

I don't know of any religion tolerant and open-minded to the beliefs of others. I would think to acknowledge someone else's beliefs would be to accept there might be some truth to them.

 

[bronzeage]

tolerant and religion...kinda an oxymoron I think

I was just thinking that as I read the thread title. What is the point of knowing the secret of life, the universe and everything if everyone else has a different, yet perfectly valid secret?

 

[Peregrinator]

There is such a thing as a "tolerant religion?"

Unitarian universalist?

"We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote

* The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
* Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
* Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
* A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
* The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
* The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all;
* Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part."[7]

(wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarian_Universalism)

 

[smartandsexy]

I'll second Unitarian and also add Quaker into the mix.

 

[Peregrinator]

I'll second Unitarian and also add Quaker into the mix.

That's a good call. The Quakers and the Shakers (I have extensive experience with Shakers) are both extraordinarily "live and let live" groups.

 

[smartandsexy]

That's a good call. The Quakers and the Shakers (I have extensive experience with Shakers) are both extraordinarily "live and let live" groups.

Interesting, I have no experience with Shakers at all (other than furniture!), so I'll have to look into that. At this stage in my life, I feel like a Unitarian Buddhist Quaker.

 

[smartandsexy]

There are only 4 shakers left?!?!

Their strict celibacy rules and lack of belief in procreation might have played a small part in that. So I'm not sure they'd qualify under Ulaven's sexuality criterion, but it seems like they'd score highly on the gender equality front.

 

[Peregrinator]

There are only 4 shakers left?!?!

Their strict celibacy rules and lack of belief in procreation might have played a small part in that. So I'm not sure they'd qualify under Ulaven's sexuality criterion, but it seems like they'd score highly on the gender equality front.

There's a fair amount of politics involved; the lead ministry closed the order in the seventies. A small splinter group kept accepting new members after that in Maine. It's a little controversial. The celibacy thing isn't really seen as the reason for their diminishing numbers by most students; they always had tons of kids running around the villages.

I need to sleep now, but I'll check in here later.

 

[John Doe]

You mean least intolerant?

 

[Ulaven_Demorte]

You mean least intolerant?

Not all religions are intolerant. this has been made clear.

So no, most tolerant is the apt wording.

 

[MechaBlade]

There are some spiritual religions that don't hate anyone and like to think they are compatible with other religions.

 

[John Doe]

Not all religions are intolerant. this has been made clear.

So no, most tolerant is the apt wording.

I disagree.

 

[basic_desires]

...tolerant religion?....talk about contradiction in terms...

 

[Ulaven_Demorte]

I disagree.

elaborate?

 

[basic_desires]

elaborate?

Every religion seeks to perpetrate itself under exclusion of any other belief, and that in itself is intolerant.

 

[breakwall]

Every religion seeks to perpetrate itself under exclusion of any other belief, and that in itself is intolerant.

Not true. True Hinduism teaches that there are "many paths to the mountain", and Buddhism states that the tenets of its teaching can be incorporated into the beliefs of other religions without diluting the message.

 

[basic_desires]

Not true. True Hinduism teaches that there are "many paths to the mountain", and Buddhism states that the tenets of its teaching can be incorporated into the beliefs of other religions without diluting the message.

...by diluting the other religion...

and many paths to the mountain simply refers to many ways to the true belief which is of course that religion itself

 

[Ulaven_Demorte]

Every religion seeks to perpetrate itself under exclusion of any other belief, and that in itself is intolerant.

Some, not all.

Not true. True Hinduism teaches that there are "many paths to the mountain", and Buddhism states that the tenets of its teaching can be incorporated into the beliefs of other religions without diluting the message.

I couldn't have answered better myself except to add that there are a few others that practice their religion the same way.

 

[Ulaven_Demorte]

...by diluting the other religion...

and many paths to the mountain simply refers to many ways to the true belief which is of course that religion itself

Not really, some can co-exist and many share many of the same core beliefs. The devil, as they say, is in the details.

It's the other religion that insists on it's own "rightness" that sees an issue with adding other beliefs to it's own I would think.

 

[breakwall]

...by diluting the other religion...

and many paths to the mountain simply refers to many ways to the true belief which is of course that religion itself

I think you're more projecting your personal bias on how you "feel" religions act rather than how they actually do.

 

[Recidiva]

My vote's for Buddhism.

Everyone's welcome, everyone's part of the whole, everyone's a potential Buddha.

And the Dalai Lama is one of the greatest living spiritual teachers I've heard speak, if not the greatest.

 

[Ulaven_Demorte]

My vote's for Buddhism.

Everyone's welcome, everyone's part of the whole, everyone's a potential Buddha.

And the Dalai Lama is one of the greatest living spiritual teachers I've heard speak, if not the greatest.

OOoooooooommmm..