Don’t worry. I already found it. It’s not in the practice of religion, it’s in the study…
Let me go on…

A year ago, my cousin asked me, “What do you think of going to church?” My answer was, “I think going to church is great for some people… I”m not one of those people, but, I respect their decision to go.”

I should qualify that answer with the information that as a child, I was in church every Sunday and some days of the week during the Summer. My father was a Deacon. Christian. Southern Baptist to be specific.

Then when I went to college, my roommate was Catholic. I went to church on campus with him weekly sometimes and with his family when we visited his hometown. Was a really enlightening experience.

I even took him to church with me when we visited my hometown so he could see the difference too. Also enlightening.

After those experiences, I found myself interested in learning about all of those other religions out there. We tend to get mired in the rituals of our chosen religion to the detriment of all others. But who’s rituals are right and who’s are not?

Asked and answered.

Church and religion are the perfect opportunities to exercise tolerance and provide education.

Even within Christianity, there are so many different faiths: Catholicism, Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist, Methodist, Lutheran, Protestant, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Pentecostal, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox…

And let’s not forget the Mennonites, Amish and Quakers…

And while there are many, many other faiths and branches of Christianity, the above represent the highest worldwide populations of Christianity.

Then where are we outside of Christianity?

Judaism, Muslim, Shinto, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism.

I’m tired…

People are afraid of what they don’t know. So I began asking people what they know about any other religions. Crickets…

It’s similar to the reception I get when I ask people how much exposure they have to people of other walks of life… Be it race, ethnicity, nationality… The diversity question.

White people who bear little to no exposure to people of color are uncomfortable…
Straight people who have little to no exposure to gay people are afraid…
Americans who visit other countries don’t attempt to learn the culture… instead expect the host people to accommodate them on their terms. Ignorance and arrogance…
Religion bears the same burdens… Fear, ignorance, arrogance.

Unless…

The conversations becomes a study of other religions. There is no judgement in learning. When we choose education, we are open to ideas and discussion and difference. It ends in a comfort level with the subject matter.

So pick a religion. Go get a book. Read up on their rituals and see where it takes you. My guess is that it might take you to the next religion…

Find it. Knowledge is power…