[url=http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=70050677&blogID=112762187&Mytoken=34028271-2C07-4665-8B7DC85222A414239973717]April 28, 2006[/url]

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Steve says my blogs are too long.... so I am attempting to write a shorter one (plus my lengthy first version was lost).

I believe that intolerance comes from many sources one big one is religon. Do I blame religon? That is to say, do I blame God? NO.

Do I blame people? YES.

People are not perfect and the most passionate people have a belief system one way or the other. I do - even when I was agnostic I had a belief system, granted it didn't revolve my world around God - it revolved around human decency something I believed all religious people seriously lacked. (Is Maggie Mormon mad???? Oh my....) Not to mention I felt women were seriously oppressed but that, alas, is for another blog. Maybe tomorrow.

Yes, LACKED They all lacked it ever single "belief system" person I had ever met. From my own conservative family (whom I love dearly and to this day disagree with their views on some issues) to my own husband. Yep - not a single belief based person I had ever met had ever changed my opinion: organized religon was the root of all evil.

But think about it - it's not God's fault, it is mens' faults because we are prone to the promptings of Satan - who can be quite convincing. He can mingle scripture with his own agendas. And since religon was upon the Earth his agenda is to divide from within and conquer. And I gotta say, he does a great job.

(It's not short is it? Sorry....)

I dated a born again who couldn't believe I refused to ban gay marriage, three of the best friends in my entire life were Scientologists and amazing people - wouldn't trade knowing them for anything, my best friend from highschool is gay and currently engaged (shout out to Cris!) and I love him for being him and being happy. I am pro-choice (don't get me wrong, I hate abortion but it's not my free will in question is it?).

Intolerance is evil. Regardless if you believe in God and Satan - it's plain evil. It doesn't help anything. My own husband was against organized religon because he was aethist and saw no good from it.

I have a testimony of the joy my churh and faith has brought me - but it's my life. Now, Jane, she thinks her faith and her lifestyle is the only way to heaven.... And that's her right as an individual. Although I hate her intolerance - it is her right and I can't be intolerant towards her for praticing it. I can only love her.

I have tried to look as God would look, and although I may be way outside the box (that's ok, that's who I am) I see my own babies times infinity. I feel love times eternity. And who am I to say that's wrong?

Love-

Amanda