Response to a friend's Facebook post.
SO much (self-destructive) division in America. Eerie. I didn't realize this until I lived here (yup, I wasn't “born and bred” in these parts). No wonder the US isn't as powerful anymore as it was. "Divided we fall." The perfect alibi is Donald Trump. His 4 years didn't see taxpayer money tossed to wars and he had a better handle of the economy.
Mr Trump's crass personality is the ideal excuse for the wide crack in US society, not the mirror in front of us. I came from a country which is almost 90 percent Catholic though there are dozens of Christian denominations with diverse, even contrary practices. A major island is Muslim.
Yet I didn't experience this kind of American animosity between/among creeds. It is VERY offensive and disrespectful to slur any religion. In my band our lead vocalist was Muslim (who wore the burqa, dad is an Imam). We had Jehovah's and Mormons in a Catholic school where they are allowed to observe their Faith (like no attendance in flag ceremonies, no ROTC, served their choice of food in the school cantina etc). No argument.
I also lived in Japan where Shinto is the majority. The friendliest people. My devout Catholic aunt (actually 3 aunts and 5 cousins) are married to Shinto. No problem. They observe their religions or interface them inside the house. Home.
My cousin works/lives in Qatar. Arab Muslim yet majority of the people are expatriates or non-Qatari; they coexist and work together to make Qatar the richest or 2nd richest nation (behind Luxembourg) per capita.
America is obviously rich as evidenced not just by many benefits and relatively better way of life but as proven by billions$ spent in wars and bailouts to giant corporations etc.
REASON why we fight or slur Christians in our midst? We are so bored in comfort we implode in hate? So America popped pills with alcohol to sustain the anger till it explodes out there in deadly hate?
I used to organize many fun events to gather a diversity of people in music, dancing, and food. Not anymore. I am afraid that the convergence that I create may be used as a platform of hate and with 120.5 ownership of guns per 100 Americans? Nope.
I ENJOY America for its joy, privileges and beauty. Mere fact that my two (women) BFFs are both Conservatives yet who practice diverse Christian rituals and way of life--while I am a longtime Leftist with strong political beliefs and a Margii who prays and meditates with a Bible in my room (my huge family here and back home and elsewhere are Church going Catholics)--means peace is possible in friendships and family with diverse gods or goddesses.
How would I fall into boredom and start slurring people with contrary thoughts and views when there's much to enjoy? Streaming TV, land for gardening, dogs and cats, nonstop Bee Gees. I eat dinner with my housemates twice a week and pray before eating. I mean 15 seconds of praying when I used to pray a much longer and redundant Rosary with grandma twice a day and I used to group meditate with Margiis in India thrice a day (before we mass-fed in poor villages of Hindus and Muslims).
Cool or peace or the freedom to attain them is indeed a huge political caterwaul in America. 🏛🗽🏛
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