DeLani
Ellie79 - while you are right that every person believes their own opinion is "right," not everyone necessarily believes that the opposite is "evil." Just read through this thread; how many here have said about one belief or another, "it's not what I believe, but I respect your belief in it." ?
While you can say that religion has made some very good people, I do believe that humans are by nature spiritual beings. We don't necessarily need organized religion to fill that need for spirituality, but we usually do. What is the problem, is monotheistic religions that indoctrinate (not educate - to educate is to open the mind and encourage thought) their followers that all other religions, gods, and practices are EVIL. And must be destroyed.
While it is very enlightened to respect other religions, and even small-minded ones, as just where each person is at their stage of evolution, you have to take into account the amount of political/social power these small minded cultists (I do call them a cult) have in American society (Southerners, back me up on this one). Every candidate for American president has to go on and on about how Christian he is, what church he goes to, etc. All the way down the governmental heirarchy to the school boards, which in most mid- to small-sized towns are almost totally filled with the Christian right. They crush dissent, they violate non-Christian's rights with impunity (how many jobs have I lost because I'm not a Christian?), and they work hard to put their religious beliefs into law, so that all must obey them.
So, in some instances, you can't just dismiss them as the fruitcakes that they are. Next thing you know, DHS will be knocking on your door to take your kids away, because some "neighbor" accused you of performing obscene Satanic rituals. It happens all the time. If you are going to be an out Tarot reader (at least in the Southern US), you are going to have to expect a lot of this kind of thing. Especially if you have kids.
While you can say that religion has made some very good people, I do believe that humans are by nature spiritual beings. We don't necessarily need organized religion to fill that need for spirituality, but we usually do. What is the problem, is monotheistic religions that indoctrinate (not educate - to educate is to open the mind and encourage thought) their followers that all other religions, gods, and practices are EVIL. And must be destroyed.
While it is very enlightened to respect other religions, and even small-minded ones, as just where each person is at their stage of evolution, you have to take into account the amount of political/social power these small minded cultists (I do call them a cult) have in American society (Southerners, back me up on this one). Every candidate for American president has to go on and on about how Christian he is, what church he goes to, etc. All the way down the governmental heirarchy to the school boards, which in most mid- to small-sized towns are almost totally filled with the Christian right. They crush dissent, they violate non-Christian's rights with impunity (how many jobs have I lost because I'm not a Christian?), and they work hard to put their religious beliefs into law, so that all must obey them.
So, in some instances, you can't just dismiss them as the fruitcakes that they are. Next thing you know, DHS will be knocking on your door to take your kids away, because some "neighbor" accused you of performing obscene Satanic rituals. It happens all the time. If you are going to be an out Tarot reader (at least in the Southern US), you are going to have to expect a lot of this kind of thing. Especially if you have kids.