My Truth is BETTER than your Truth

        In all the years I have been a resident of planet Earth, I have learned that no matter what I do in life, others will always …. ALWAYS have something to say. Some of it may be good, and some of it may be bad, but opinions will always be voiced. I used to take other’s opinions to heart, but as the years have gone by I have realized that I too am an individual and have my own thoughts and feelings. It is not fair to me if I live my life according to what other people think and feel. I do listen to what others have to say in a respectful way, but I expect the same courtesy back when I am speaking. You learn a lot about people when they are sharing their thoughts and beliefs, the trick is to make sure you are learning from them and not judging. You never know what value those beliefs hold.

        Recently, a good friend of mine, posted to social media about how someone intentionally tried to break her spirit. My friend enjoys listening to her gospel music loudly in her car. She was getting ready to head into her place of work, when a woman walked up to her car and said to her, “You know God doesn’t exist right? He’s just a made up myth. Don’t believe that nonsense.” Before I continue with this story, what did this woman think she was doing? What went through her head that made her come to the conclusion that this was the right thing to do? My friend took the high road and did not sink to the other woman’s level, but my friend simply expressed all of the hardships she had been going through. She has been living through Hell the past few months and I truly admire her for her strength. It takes one strong person to still be standing. My friend knows that she is still standing because her God is what has made it possible for her. Her faith in a higher power is what has given her that strength! I am not saying that the woman who approached her was wrong in her belief, I feel that everyone has the right to find their own truth and live how they see fit. However, I do believe that we should all respect other’s outlooks, even if we do not agree. We do not know what walks of life people have gone through to get to where they are and how they cope with different situations is a direct result of their life experiences.

        A few years back, I was walking my dog and these 2 gentlemen approached me and said, “Do you believe in Jesus?” Now being raised in the Sikh faith my answer was, “Why wouldn’t I?” Ok, let me explain myself a bit. I was not raised in any of the christian religions, but I was raised to be respectful and to live with an open heart and mind. God is one, but we just have different names. If all of the people in my faith are real, then why not Jesus? One of the gentlemen then proceeded to tell me about how Jesus is the ultimate truth, and how he has saved us all. I respectfully listened to what he had to say, then when it was my turn to talk I expected the same, however, he wasn’t happy with what I had to say. I then asked him about Buddha (I was taking lots of Buddhists study classes at the time) and I pointed out to him that if I believed in Buddha, and Buddha was MY TRUTH, why was it wrong? Why was it that Jesus was above all else? Essentially what I was getting at was why is it that many people feel that they need to put one religion above the next? He never spoke ill about any other religion but he was only pushing Jesus. When it comes to religion and beliefs I feel that you should never attack others for what they believe in, instead we need to understand why it works for them and what need it fills. Why can’t all religions and non-religions be “the TRUTH?” At this point the second gentleman stepped in because he saw the struggle on the first guy’s face. He cut me off mid sentence and offered me a “book” that would give me all the answers I was looking for, The Mormon Bible. I took this “book” and I have even read a page or two out of it! I like to learn as much as I can about other’s faith, because it offers great insight as to who they are.

        This concept doesn't only apply to religion but to beliefs in general. When I was in college I recall having a friend who had recently decided to go vegan. Veganism was the cool new thing on the block and I personally didn't care much for it at the time. I along with my peers had to attend a leadership retreat and this newly found vegan attended also. At this retreat they provided us with food, and on this particular night it was taco night. My vegan friend had her plate of whatever was within her dietary restrictions. Once she was finished she came over and joined me and another friend. The vegan friend decided to talk to us about how bad the meat industry is and began to preach to us about why becoming vegan was the better option… WHILE we were enjoying our meaty tacos. As a child I remember my parents would always tell my siblings and I that we should never attack someone's food choices especially as they are eating. As I recall, one of the things we learned while on this retreat was to never attack anyone PERIOD. What my vegan friend had to say about her choice of diet may have been valuable information, but because I felt she was attacking my choice of food I completely tuned her out and turned to talk to another friend while the others had it out. Becoming vegan, vegetarian, or following a Paleo diet, is always a personal choice and what works for one person is not always going to work for the next.

        Since the 70’s the debate of same sex marriage has been a hot topic. Long before that, there have been debates on interracial marriages. Why is it that we allow laws to dictate who we are allowed to marry? I cannot find a religious scripture that says, “Thou shalt not marry someone a different complexion than ye.” Or “Thou shalt marry one of the opposite gender.” In the ancient world everyone was mixing and no one cared! The ancient Greeks were friendly with both man and woman and it was ok! Why have we grown so butt hurt now? Worry less about other people and their lives, spend more time and energy on your own.

        When you come across someone who is different don’t judge them, take the time out to learn about them. If they are blasting gospel music in their car, find out how you may be able to help them and make their day better. Small gestures go a long way. Sometimes all it takes is a smile, not a personal attack on their beliefs. If someone wants to talk to you about Jesus, listen and you may learn that we are not so different from one another. Perhaps Buddha and Jesus were brothers or the same person! If someone is with a partner who is not socially “normal,” find out what attracted them in the first place! You may learn that love is way more than physical attraction. If people believe in fairies, unicorns, elves, and leprechauns let them! Are their beliefs hurting you? Who in their right mind would say no to a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? At the end of the day in order to spread love and support to those around us, we must begin by accepting them the way they are!