Toleration, respect and religion in modern day society

Doing the rounds on social media nowadays is the blunt riposte of Stephen Fry to Gay Byrne questioning what he would say to God if he was confronted with him at the 'pearly gates of heaven.' On a series of questions surrounding similar questions about the 'meaning of life', including guests such as Bono, Richard Branson, Noel Gallagher as well as multitudes of other famous celebrities, Stephen Fry's response has been put into the spotlight for many reasons. For one, Fry doesn't hold back on his ability to unravel the string that so many people nowadays get so caught up in trying to gain an understanding behind what life is about and what will happen in the afterlife, if there is one, and how our lives will be judged by this 'ultimate being' as foretold in biblical scripts of old. He does not hold back on his protestations against the Catholic Church or against Religion as a whole. Yet he does not direct his anger at Christians believing in Christianity, more at the overwhelming distaste and despair he feels towards an apparent 'God' that allows for horrendous issues to engulf the lives of those who have done nothing to seemingly 'deserve' such hard luck. Fry focuses in on the issues of bone cancer in children and the notion of insects gauging their way through the eyes of children. Obviously, there are many more atrocious things that are happening to children worldwide but Fry uses these examples to form a basis for his argument against an all-loving, all-powerful 'God'.

For those who have not seen his statement regarding God, here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-suvkwNYSQo

I must admit that when I watched this video through for the very first time, I felt myself siding with Stephen Fry. Not because of the fact I am, at this moment in time, going through a rocky patch in my religious beliefs, but because he spoke the truth. It wasn't him sparking on about gay rights or some unworldly problem that could not be resolved, he focused on an issue close to all of our hearts, an issue that we could all relate to in one form or another. No doubt Fry has not done this for any notion of personal gain or a rise or decline in popular likability, so, in turn, so far as I can see, Fry is saying it as it is. The knowledge that a religion bases itself on understanding their God is all powerful, all loving and all understanding, leads to questions being raised by Atheists, pagans, non-believers, or believers in other faiths. Christians seem to rebuff these concerns about their God by showing that to have a 'force of good' in the world, there must be a 'force of bad' in the world also. The Isaac Newton stance of religious beliefs - for every good deed in the world, there must be an equal and opposite negative action to unfold. So in turn, one can say that to believe there is a God, one must believe that there is a Devil also.

I am not saying either one of these statements is true, as I go by the belief that you should treat others with kindness, compassion and hold the belief that any person can become someone with these traits, no matter how stone faced or negative they seem from the outside. The way you treat people should not be through necessity because your religion states you to act in such a way, but through common courtesy, respect and as second nature. In my eyes, everyone should be treated in the same way, no matter their background. Tolerance is a strange word to use, it makes it seem that you are 'forced' into doing something against your will. No one must ever be forced into doing something they do not want to do, but we must try and venture into the unknown as much as we can, understand more than we do now, and have the ability to welcome and befriend those you meet on your path through life.

In recent research I did for PGCE interviews, I read an article regarding the notion of Growth Mindset, in which it specified the notion that with a bit of nurturing and self belief, every person, no matter their background, financial standing, gender or religious belief, could become someone greater than they are at that moment in time with regard to education. In my opinion, this way of thinking could be used in an even broader aspect rather than just towards education. We are at a time in our lives where technology is such a part of our lives, that we have somewhat forgotten what life was like before. We get so caught up in the ways of others, what they post online or how other people go about their daily lives that we forget to live our own lives to the full. We live in a world where comparing one another's lives has almost become second nature. A life where rich people become every increasingly richer and those below the bread line continue to struggle. We live in a world where disease, cancer and death are still common place. We spend our lives worrying about what the future will bring and forget to live in the here and now. If we were to, like Fry states in his interview, spend our life on our knees, thanking God for what he has done for us, we would be forever, on the outside, in a life of seeming contentment and gratitude, but on the inside forever craving a greater sense of being here and now rather than on 'judgement day'.

There will always be troubled and unforgiving times ahead of us, but at the end of the day, our life is what we make it. Judgement should not be clouded by issues of religion, race, gender or any other seemingly powerful themes. Everyone has the inherent right to be treated in an equal light. The homeless person you pass every day to work, through to children in war zones sorting through the wreckage of what used to be their homes - we all need to take a sharp look at ourselves in the mirror, know what we want to achieve, know that if we were to continuously complain about life then we will live in a life full of 'what ifs' and 'what could have been's'.

So, in short, live each day out as if it were your last, show compassion, friendship and respect towards everyone you meet, for you do not know what they are going through in their personal lives. A simple smile, a comforting hug, or a friendly face can go a long way in modern society. I was thinking the other day, as I drove past droves of cars with miserable people in, life is too short to have a grudge on your back, to fear the worst out of every situation, and to be unhappy for no reason. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect, dignity and with a happy attitude. A smile does rub off on people, even the grumpiest of sorts. Be that person to change someone's attitude, put all those grudges and feelings of distaste aside and live your lives to the full.

Smile :)

Jonathan Whitehead