I generally distinguish between a person and his politics. To me, the human being in a person comes first. If someone fits my description of a genuinely warm, cultured and humble person, I can overlook a lot in his politics. There are quite a few among the political opponents of the government I am a part of whom I genuinely admire and share very decent relationship with. I do not know why my sister or my son can not hold political views different from mine and yet be loved by me. Sadly, I sometimes find this distinction missing in political discourses these days. A difference of opinion need not snatch away my right to love. Conversely, my love for someone need not mean that we must have the same political aligment.
The most important thing in life is not agreeing but loving. What applies to our political views unfortunately applies also to our religious beliefs. There is too much hatred in what passes for religious convictions. Words like dushat, kaafir, patit, apostate etc. reveal more hatred than religion. But unfortunately, these are the words that have come to dominate our religious discourses.
These thoughts sometimes hurt my lonely hours
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