Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and crimes
By vanny
@vandana7 (102699)
India
February 25, 2016 10:35pm CST
Every once in a while, people convert.
Be it because they are disillusioned with their gods, or other members of their religion.
Or perhaps they are impressed with others religion. Note that it is a rational choice, often as a grown up harming nobody unless others use their feelings as spokes to prevent that choice of an adult effectively infringing rights elsewhere in constitutions.
But the constitutions and laws, which recognize freedom to speech do not recognize freedom to religion, at least in many countries.
Iran today has put death penalty for conversion from Islam.
But India, supposedly more religiously tolerant India, supposedly more educated India, has firm laws against such conversions.
Oh they won't kill people for conversion. They will just confiscate the inheritance.
Now me wonders if conversion is a graver sin than rapes, acid throwing, terrorism, human trafficking, corruption, and what have you.
Surely, similar confiscation of properties for those crimes would have curtailed them some.
My views on conversion
I am not sure. There are somethings good in every religion, and somethings very bad in every religion. As adults we may feel that "familiarity breeds contempt" but when we become familiar with another religion, would we be spared that contempt? Fear lurks. I believe in god, and goddesses. Supreme power, angels, and just about everything right about gods from all religions. Unfortunately, I can't get assorted religion.
12 people like this
11 responses
@Daljinder (23193)
• Bangalore, India
26 Feb 16
I have already shared my views on religion many times with you... I believe in only one religion that is of humanity and respect others. Be they be Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain, etc.. are all same to me.
Follow yours and respect others kind of thinking should be taken on. Conversion or not... every one has a right to believe in what they want as much as they have rights to their thoughts and views...
3 people like this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
27 Feb 16
Well, somewhere, I loved a dialogue from that movie - My Name is Khan - there are only two kinds of people - good or bad. That is all. But then, as I said on another discussion of yours (and others too) - this is subjective too.
Unfortunately, today, religion has become more political a thing. But my opinion is that religion is nothing more than some set of rules/guidelines of what and how we should be in a society. All religions almost preach the same/similar things.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
26 Feb 16
Islam is the most intolerant of conversion it is ridiculous, people must follow their conscience.
2 people like this
@Daljinder (23193)
• Bangalore, India
26 Feb 16
@vandana7 Sikhism is too....!! They are tolerant of you respecting other religions, bowing before another religions holy shrines BUT conversions is a strict no no... well for most of them..
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (102699)
• India
26 Feb 16
@Daljinder ...Ah well, no religion is a virgin anymore.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (53005)
• Mojave, California
26 Feb 16
Assorted religion, you mean take the best part of each one?
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (102699)
• India
26 Feb 16
@crossbones27 ...Yeah..it is fine to choose or follow one, but why curse? That possibly forces others to focus on our negatives and highlight them, creating permanent impasse. Thank you. :)
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (53005)
• Mojave, California
26 Feb 16
@vandana7 Why not? I have been saying people should do that with economic philosophies. People always choose one they like best and curse the rest. Religion does that also. I like your thinking.
2 people like this
@dazzledlady (1618)
• Philippines
26 Feb 16
Well, people change their religion because of the experiences they went through. Whatever religion they sought to , I think its where they find meaning of their existence
2 people like this
@vandana7 (102699)
• India
26 Feb 16
Yes. That is so true. However, there is always something that may seem good for now, but not later. Likewise, somethings that we may come to know later. We grow up in our religion so we obviously know it better than other religions. To believe in any god is not wrong. But to want to confine the belief to one is. Any confinement is wrong..
@dazzledlady (1618)
• Philippines
26 Feb 16
Nothing is constant in this world except change, if you are on the right age then you must have an open mind to hear what other religions has to offer and if that conforms to your own beliefs then you have found your religion.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (102699)
• India
26 Feb 16
@dazzledlady ..exactly. And be accepting to the fact that there will be adulterants in every religion so choose, but be prepared that it may not be 100 percent pure.
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
26 Feb 16
Do you have religious restrictions there vandy?
There is freedom of religion here, but as we know, freedom is relative.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (102699)
• India
26 Feb 16
@TiarasOceanView ...Even my retirement savings are at risk in the process. lol
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
26 Feb 16
@vandana7 This is total rubbish vandy..you must get your inheritance then get out of there lolz
of course not that i wish you too have to get inheritance god forbid.
of course not that i wish you too have to get inheritance god forbid.1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
26 Feb 16
As I always mention, I have only faith in one thing - Humanity and that is all. I do not get into these religious things any seriously. These texts that they say which make up the Religion are all the sources of Misinterpretations. If you read the same Holy Text in a different language, you would realize how these misinterpretations happen.
Also, in Indian context (because I am an Indian) I can also say with confidence, that today, the preachers and others who matter (to the society) have a different agenda. Consider this - the Ayodhya Masjid issue. It had co-existed since ages and probably that was why it was done ages back. But then, some morons misinterpreted the entire thing, spend years in spreading hate, and misleading millions and we know what happened.
Even recently, the Shirdi Sai Baba Issue. For decades, there was no issue with his being a Hindu or a Muslim and now, some Shankarachrya said that Shirdi Sai Baba was a non-Hindu. I wonder how does that affect the deeds that he did back when he was alive.
What about Sant Kabeer?
Coming to the topic of discussion - well, I have no interest in property or anything materialistic. So I am not going to be bogged down if there is no inheritance in case I convert.
But wait. What if I convert after the inheritance was done with and there was no other rightful claimer?
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32760)
• Calgary, Alberta
6 Mar 16
We have freedom of religion here but the Catholic church is so powerful that we still dont have divorce.
1 person likes this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
6 Mar 16
To my mind their are too many people infected by the plague of religion. I am fourth generation atheist and proud of that fact. I believe no child should should be indoctrinated with religion and that religion should not be taught in school. A person should be free to select their religion after 18 years of age and anyone should be free to change religion any time they wish.
Remember the three largest religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all believe in the same god and together make up about 35 to 40% of the world population. I have also read that Guru Nanak's cloak Islamic verses were sewn into the inner lining. Sadly there are some in this world that are convinced their path is the only true path and have little patience for the needs of others.
@Drosophila (16568)
• Ireland
26 Feb 16
My take on this is simple, God gave man the choice to believe what he/she wanted.
It's not man's right to deny another man what God has permitted.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (102699)
• India
26 Feb 16
@Drosophila ..You know what, I feel like telling god to do his duty for a change. lol
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16568)
• Ireland
26 Feb 16
@vandana7 that's what happens when you don't enforce god's law..
everything is then theoretical and not practical.
but then enforcing itself can be wrong too.
hahah what can I say, such is the way things are in the life we've chosen
1 person likes this
@Shayani (250)
• Pune, India
26 Feb 16
I was expecting some Indian to raise this issue sooner or later and I am glad that Vandana you have done that. Well since I belong to the same nation like you, may be I can have a share of the same wave length like yours.We are currently a part of " Intolerant " India ,so it is very difficult to raise one's opinion towards this kind of familiarity with other religion and how much we have the space to contempt.
1 person likes this
