Teaching Tolerance

While listening to the song Empire by Qeensryche this morning it hit me. What are we teaching our children? Even as those of a very peaceful Wiccan path, what are we teaching our children? Are we teaching them tolerance and love for their fellow man regardless of race, creed or religion? If we aren't then we should be!
I don't know how many of you that are reading this, have listened to this same song, but have you really LISTENED to this song? The words are eery really. Our civilization is out of control in some areas yet we think we are doing so well at just modifying our behavior as it relates to mother nature. Have we thought about mother nature being here after we are gone?
It is highly possible that our civilization could disappear or fall into absolute chaos if we don't change the course of our behavior. Not only is our Nation, as well as others, embroiled in controversial wars and conflicts, we have wars happening on our streets and in our schools right here at home.
This article is NOT an instruction booklet on how to parent. It does not strictly adhere to people of the same faith that I am. The time has come for us to stop teaching our children to hate. Stop teaching them that the world will meet them half way. Stop teaching them learned helplessness.
We need to return to the days when schools did not require armed guards and the biggest threat was a bully or the occasional fight on the playground, and that is even more aggression than our schools should ever have. I have been in law enforcement and currently work in corrections at a very rough prison. I can tell you that the number of inmates is not declining.
Many of those inmates are claiming to be of a pagan religious path. I have to wonder then, how did they commit their crime and still be in adherance with the Wiccan Rede? The answer is they didn't. It is not for me to judge though, and they receive the same treatment as any other inmate.......religious similarity aside. This does, however, tell me that we need to concentrate our teachings on our youth and change the way of thinking and in turn the behavior.
My ending plea is that we are setting the example by adhering to the Rede or whatever scripture our faiths teach us. If we are not adhering to what we believe then why should our children? They learn from us and those around us! Let us be who the lord and the lady intended. Regardless of your faith, I invite you to join me in this challenge. This is a challenge without boundaries of locale or time.
I wish you the best and please let me know if there is ever any way that I may be of help to you....again, let us put aside our differences and start to see people instead of Wiccan, Catholic, Protestant, Mormon.......let us keep our labels to ourselves and begin working as a collective human society as we are intended to and straighten out this mess we have GOTTEN OURSELVES INTO!

Brightest blessings one and all,

Nathan Jeffery )0(



Author, Business and Religious Leader, Nathan Jeffery has been Wiccan for 19 years and remains outspoken about bringing this faith into the public awareness. Not for ridicule or degredation, but for the proud people who also just happen to practice this faith as he does, without secrecy or shame.

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