Actually, Dianavan, I am one of the people who fights against those who wish to dictate to women and abuse children and conquer aboriginal people. Not all Christians, and not all Christian men do those awful things. In fact, Christians like that are and were a minority and don't really fit the usual definitions of "Christian." The things you describe are aberrations - they are not and never have been central aspects of Christian thinking. I am appalled by the fact that they certainly did exist within Christian churches - but I certainly have never approved of them, and a majority of modern-day Christians do not approve.

And yes, if a group has held something sacred, then it is sacred to them and should be respected as such - within reason. I respect Islam and Buddhism and Native American beliefs - why shouldn't they respect mine? As for who decides whether something is sacred - much of what decides is time. Beliefs that are truly sacred are not imposed. They are held by a people for their history, and generally deemed to be sacred. And yes, I think that many of those beliefs have the profound wisdom that comes from generations of reflection.

To compare on a smaller scale, we might look at how we value our ancestors, and how they are sacred to us. I'm sure my grandparents had faults, but I hold them sacred in my memory because of who they were to me when I was a child. To me, they were wise; and to me, they are sacred.

I do have a question about people of European ancestry who espouse Eastern or Native American or Sufi Islamic beliefs. I find wisdom and sacredness in all of those belief systems and traditions, and I look on those beliefs with awe and respect, and I try hard to learn from them - but I know that I will always be an outsider, that those beliefs and practices can never truly be part of me because they are not who I am. If I were to try to expouse those practices, I would forever be playing a masquerade, playing the wannabe eastern mystic, or whatever.

So, yeah, I don't think we should be so quick to condemn, to be so quick to see others as demons. There have been many wise people in this world, now and in the past, from all cultures and belief systems - and we need to learn from all of them while remaining true to ourselves and who we are. I'm a Catholic Christian, but I'm open to the beliefs and traditions of all. How about you?

-Joe Offer-