Religion

cbayer

(146,218 posts) Sat Dec 1, 2012, 01:13 PM Dec 2012

Our History of Religious Intolerance Must Come to an End

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-gary-r-hall/our-history-of-religious-intolerance-must-come-to-an-end_b_2218220.html

Rev. Gary R. Hall, Amb. Thomas R. Pickering and Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf
Our History of Religious Intolerance Must Come to an End
Posted: 11/30/2012 11:54 am

Although religious freedom is enshrined in the Bill of Rights, religious intolerance still exists in this country. Thanksgiving reminds us that the Pilgrims came to America to escape religious persecution. But the Puritans did not welcome other religions into their colony. All through American history, most religions arriving on our shores have had to fight suspicion and intolerance.

Look at Catholic and Jewish Americans. They faced widespread discrimination and demands that the doors to America be closed to them. Even so, some anti-Semitism and anti-Catholic sentiment persists, but both communities are thriving today. Now it's Muslim Americans who grapple with persistent challenges to their loyalty as Americans.

Since 9/11, bias toward American Muslims has been fueled by fear of terrorism and ignorance about Islam as a religion and tradition. Well-funded individuals and groups fan this intolerance by spreading distortions and sowing distrust. They aim to exclude Muslims from American civic life.

Lost in all of this are the contributions Muslims have made, from our intellectual life to military service and -- more importantly -- the loyalty and support that America's 7 million Muslims have shown since 9/11 to help build and defend the United States.

more at link

13 replies

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Highlight:

Our History of Religious Intolerance Must Come to an End (Original Post) cbayer Dec 2012 OP

Pilgrims came to America so they could persecute Confusious Dec 2012 #1

I think it's important to distinguish between the puritans and pilgrims, even cbayer Dec 2012 #2

The pilgrims and the puritans were the one and same Confusious Dec 2012 #4

They started out the same but had diverged pretty radically by the time they got here. cbayer Dec 2012 #6

The puritans were prosecuted by Elizabeth I Confusious Dec 2012 #9

We are going to have to agree to disagree here. I see them as two distinct groups, cbayer Dec 2012 #10

dont forget they persecuted native americans as well Phillip McCleod Dec 2012 #12

some people on this board should read this article dlwickham Dec 2012 #3

Agree. Religious bigotry is religious bigotry and has no place in our party, imo. cbayer Dec 2012 #7

Agree but intolerance is often two-way. I know of several groups that are so intolerant they jody Dec 2012 #5

No doubt it is often a two way street. And, imo, intolerance and bigotry can lead cbayer Dec 2012 #8

We should keep the history, because it reminds us where we've been. Religion, OTOH, can go. n/t dimbear Dec 2012 #11

The author carefully and dishonestly avoids mentioning skepticscott Dec 2012 #13

Confusious

(8,317 posts)

1. Pilgrims came to America so they could persecute

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 01:15 PM

Dec 2012

Everyone in England was fed up with them.

Read up on Cromwell and the puritans. It's an eye opener.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

2. I think it's important to distinguish between the puritans and pilgrims, even

Reply to Confusious (Reply #1)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 01:25 PM

Dec 2012

though there was some overlap.

Not sure what you mean about the pilgrims coming to america to persecute. Persecute who?

Confusious

(8,317 posts)

4. The pilgrims and the puritans were the one and same

Reply to cbayer (Reply #2)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 01:34 PM

Dec 2012

We call them pilgrims because they got on a boat.

Since they had no one else to persecute, they persecuted each other.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

6. They started out the same but had diverged pretty radically by the time they got here.

Reply to Confusious (Reply #4)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 01:42 PM

Dec 2012

The pilgrims were indeed persecuted by the puritans. Their relationships with the COE were quite different.

Confusious

(8,317 posts)

9. The puritans were prosecuted by Elizabeth I

Reply to cbayer (Reply #6)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 01:51 PM

Dec 2012

Then they got power under cromwell and prosecuted everyone.

They may not have been In the same geographical area, but they were the same group.

Puritan/pilgrim is synonymous.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

10. We are going to have to agree to disagree here. I see them as two distinct groups,

Reply to Confusious (Reply #9)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 01:57 PM

Dec 2012

particularly after their arrival in North America. They took different approaches to the COE and developed different social systems here.

But in looking around the web, I can see that there are those that agree with you and those that agree with me, so I suspect neither of us is wrong and both of us are right to some degree.

Phillip McCleod

(1,837 posts)

12. dont forget they persecuted native americans as well

Reply to Confusious (Reply #4)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 11:20 PM

Dec 2012

if by 'persecution' we mean 'committed genocide'.

dlwickham

(3,316 posts)

3. some people on this board should read this article

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 01:34 PM

Dec 2012

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

7. Agree. Religious bigotry is religious bigotry and has no place in our party, imo.

Reply to dlwickham (Reply #3)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 01:43 PM

Dec 2012

jody

(26,624 posts)

5. Agree but intolerance is often two-way. I know of several groups that are so intolerant they

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 01:35 PM

Dec 2012

reluctantly associate with others and spout their belief they are the chosen ones, they and they alone.

Such beliefs make it difficult to find common ground in a government that began by declaring "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights".

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

8. No doubt it is often a two way street. And, imo, intolerance and bigotry can lead

Reply to jody (Reply #5)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 01:47 PM

Dec 2012

to further isolation and breed more intolerance and bigotry.

*One wayers*, both inside and outside religion, are very difficult to form alliances with.

dimbear

(6,271 posts)

11. We should keep the history, because it reminds us where we've been. Religion, OTOH, can go. n/t

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 08:29 PM

Dec 2012

skepticscott

(13,029 posts)

13. The author carefully and dishonestly avoids mentioning

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Sat Dec 1, 2012, 11:47 PM

Dec 2012

that religious intolerance in US history has been propagated ENTIRELY by the religious. Everyone desires the social and political hegemony of their own narrow god concept, and the suppression of all others. He should point the finger squarely where it belongs, rather than dancing around the fact that religion alone is the source of the religious intolerance that he whines about.

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