Our generation in life is in the unique position of seeing many examples of humanity’s expressing hatred. Several generations before us witnessed slavery. The immediate generation before us witnessed the Holocaust in Europe. And today’s generation witnesses terrorism in the world.

In each of these examples, someone can easily say that religion or a particular religion is at the center of these horrors or has brought them about. But this belief is equal to saying that the world is black and white. The world is not black and white.

When slavery existed, Christianity and the Bible were used by many to justify slavery. When Hitler came to power, he said the problem with Germany, Europe and the world was with the Jews. And today, people say the cause of problems is with Islam.

But, hatred and the spreading of that hatred was at the heart of these acts of horror inflicted upon human beings. Religion was an easy target to blame, an easy cloak to hide behind, and an easy tool to usurp to justify and rationalize hatred and the spreading of this hatred.

People who have always used religion in these ways, seek to demonstrate and bring forth their hatred to incite more hatred, so that hatred will grow in the world. As human beings we have the choice of whether we will create hatred inside our hearts and minds first and foremost. After it exists in the heart is when we, as individuals, look for what will justify and rationalize it. Those that choose to hate, then, will join together with others that choose to hate.

The world is not black and white. It is also the billions of colors in between black and white. Christianity did not create slavery, but the tenets of Christianity were manipulated by many to justify the agenda of slavery. The Jewish race was not the problem in Germany, Europe or the world. But, beliefs about the Jewish people were manipulated by many to justify their agenda. Islam is not a religion of hatred, but those that hate have manipulated its tenets – as other religions have been manipulated – to serve and spread the agenda of hatred – calling to others who also hate to join in hatred.

Bringing more hate into the world, by choosing to hate any group will not heal the world of hatred. Changing what is in our own hearts and minds will – because brotherhood, compassion and recognizing Oneness of Life can also spread from person to person in the same way that hatred might. It will always depend on what we – as individuals – choose to bring forth into the world each day we’re here.

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“God will never take away our freewill to choose our own path through life, even if it’s a horrible path.”  (The Rainbow Cards, ©, 2015, Jodie Senkyrik)

“God is not going to hate the people we hate and be bitter towards the people we’re bitter towards.  If we choose hatred and bitterness, we do so without God being with us.” (The Rainbow Cards, ©, 1999-2015, Jodie Senkyrik)

“For others, pray not against others’ freewill, against others’ right to choose for their own lives. Instead, pray that God’s presence, love, and energy, be with them, surround them and bless them, more and more every day, so they might draw from God when the time comes that they decide their own life.” (The Rainbow Cards, ©, 1999-2015, Jodie Senkyrik)