Most of us who are religious believe that our core values and principles apply to all.
The first commandment of the ten commandments is "Thou shalt have no other gods before me". The Jew or Christian believes this (and the other commandments) came directly from God.
So, lets examine this declarative further. First, it is based on a belief in God. Then, it is based on direct instructions from God. Then, implicitly, it says that if you believe in any other God, or do not believe in God at all, you are wrong.
From such an imperious starting point, good intentions would lead one to attempt to convert the heathens (for their own good, of course), and might even justify forcing obedience on others.
Most, if not all, religions start from this point, where a Supreme Being has revealed the light to the chosen few, and, over the centuries, millions have suffered and died at the hands of those whose religious zeal overwhelmed their humanity.
Religious proclamations should be read with an implicit "If". For example, the first commandment would be approached as IF you wish to be Jewish or Christian, THEN "Thou shalt have no other gods before me".
This may seem to be nothing more than semantics, but it leaves the choice to believe or not with the individual. It changes the situation from one where God commands obedience from all, to a situation where God commands obedience from His believers.
The implicit "If" could lead to a world where religions live in harmony. For centuries, true believers from various religions have battled to impose their beliefs on others. It is time for all religions to accept that the individual has the right to decide for himself.
If one starts from the concept that each individual has free choice to believe in religion, or God, or not, then one must reject the concept that any religion has the right to force its belief on others, or to force obedience to its precepts on others.
Religions are free to attempt to convince individuals that the individual's life would be enhanced by joining the religion. Religions should not be free to use the "God told me I can force you to do this" pretense.
View religion as a spiritual advisor. Never allow religion to become a spiritual oppressor.
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