A worthy point, Don. However, I think that the misery caused in this world by aggressive multi-national military industrial forces of one sort or another leaves the misery caused by bigotry totally in the dust. The pursuit of money and empire is the primary engine which creates human misery on a really vast scale.

Not that that has anything to do with this discussion.....but I couldn't help mentioning it in passing.

One of the most vital teachings in all the great faiths is this one:

"Thou shalt not judge (others)."

And another is:

"Do not inflict upon others that which you would not want inflicted upon yourself." (attack, condemnation, abuse, violence, robbery, slander, bullying, etc...) We know that one as "The Golden Rule".

It's in all the great faiths, but it's an aspect people tend to quickly and conveniently forget in the heat of fear or passion.

Another teaching of Jesus is to turn the other cheek (meaning, I think, to return good feeling and intention for hostile feeling and intention). Most people find that almost impossible to do because of two things: Their fear and their pride. Fear and pride produce quick and aggressive reactions in people.

The authoritative people of Jesus' day seem to have gotten so upset over those kindly teachings he gave that some of them decided to kill him. That doesn't surprise me. ;-) He was undercutting some of their most cherished and jealously guarded emotional crap. It must have just put them in a killing fury, I would think.

And that is why in another place in the Bible people are warned not to "cast their pearls before swine"...lest they turn and rend you.

All of those teachings can be well borne in mind whenever anyone is posting on an internet forum. It behooves the poster to be as gentle as a dove and as wise as a serpent...or to pay the nasty consequences. It is not so? ;-)