From rules to radical.

In the 1990s I read a book by someone in Quebec the title of the book was Quebec is killing me. This book had a professional and impact on my life, it was during the surge of separatists in Quebec wanting a referendum in order to separate from Canada. At that time in history Canada almost demanded that Quebec remain a part of it's own country. The referendum showed that just over half of the people in Quebec wanted to remain part of Canada and half of the other people in Quebec wanted Quebec to be it's own country. By a very small percentage Quebec at that time stayed in Canada. I think the author in the book that I read, couldn't understand how a government wanted so much more than what they had already been given. Even though this person writing this book was very independent, she had a clear grasp on the politics of her day. The reason why Quebec was killing her, was because they were taking a very big issue and making it small. When we take a big issue like a referendum to separate from the rest of the country, and use it for our own political game, we become no better than the oppressors who are oppressing us. Quebec didn't need a referendum to determine that they were under the pressure of a larger power, they needed individuals like this woman who wrote this book, to produce change in a way that would be lasting. This was the point of her book.

I recently made a donation to an environmental organization, I did it because I feel that there are many issues like the environment that are being unrecognized in today's society. I am no longer an environmentalist, but I believe in supporting the underdog. Enter religion.  In order to live in a free society one must have freedom of speech and freedom of conscience and freedom of association also freedom of religion. But what happens when our freedom of religion is used in a way that brings shame to the society that we live in? We must conform to the society that we live in order to have freedom of religion. We cannot be truly free unless we abide by the laws of our country! In order to be Christian in order to be Jewish in order to be Muslum in order to be Hindu, one must submit to the rules and the laws of the country in which they live. The deconstruction of society will not enhance one's own religion, that is why the greatest religionists in the 21st-century must produce peace in outward forms never deceiving the public in their intents but truly denouncing any form of violence against one's own fellow human being and one's own religion, even going against their own religion when the religion tells them to do things which are against the laws of the country in which they live.

When a faith tradition or religion can coexist in a peaceful law-abiding society, we can have freedom of speech and we can have civil rights and we can have social justice all these things will come to a society that not only promotes freedom of religion but also freedom from lawlessness. Whatever religion you come from why don't you make it a practice to pray for the leaders in your country. Do good to your fellow man and if the religion that you were practicing tells you not to do good  be someone who can change those aspects in your own religion for the freedom of yourself and for the freedom of others this is Mike.