A very good article, Bebe. I think some of the commenters need to take a deep breath and think a bit more about what you’ve said. You didn’t claim that Christians are without blemish, and did acknowledge that some people have suffered abuse at the hands of Christians and their churches. Obviously your focus was primarily on opposition to Christianity because you are writing from a Christian perspective, but you didn’t exclude other religions in your discussion. You were even open to atheism having some good representatives.

I’m a Baha’i, not a Christian. I was raised in a Methodist family, and my decision to follow a different religious path has drawn some comment from some members of my family, but although there was obvious disagreement, I never felt persecuted, rejected, or belittled because of it. Most people —regardless of their beliefs— tend to become at least a little defensive when their beliefs are challenged. But hatred is another matter entirely, and whenever it appears, even if it arises with some justification, such as abuse, needs to be countered. And how does one counter hatred?

With love.

Love your enemies. Bless those that curse you. Forgive. Love is the core of the Christian message, of all true religion in fact. It is up to those of us who follow a religion to live that message.

Love doesn’t mean agreeing with everyone. It doesn’t mean accepting every social movement or fad that comes along. It doesn’t mean agreeing with behavior our religions teach is wrong. But it does mean overlooking, forgiving, and guiding by example. A principle from my own religion: “Let deeds, not words, be your adorning.”

I believe you understand this and have expressed it in your article. Not everyone, apparently, gets it. But then, not everyone will. There is a lot of anger, a lot of hurt, a lot of pride, and a lot of hatred out there. It can’t be healed overnight.

Someone here said religion would be dead by the end of the century. My view is rather different. Again, from the Baha’i Scriptures: “The vitality of men’s belief in God is dying out in every land. Only His wholesome medicine can restore it.” I believe it will be restored, but not overnight and not without a lot of suffering. Unfortunately, we inflict that suffering on ourselves by not being willing to take the medicine He has offered. But eventually we’ll figure it out, some generations down the road.

In the meantime, all we — any of us, regardless of our religious persuasion — can do is do our best to love and forgive.