Weather and Religion

The sky had a lot of clouds this morning at sunrise, but they have broken up and are moving southward at a swift pace in the upper winds.  It's bright and sunny outside, and the snow glare is already painful.There was about 3 inches of slush under the snow yesterday, along the roads and sidewalks.  That has turned into treacherous ice, with the snow on top.  Rosie's owners declined a walk for her today, so I'll be working on genealogy most of the day.  The weather guys say that we'll be in the 40s today, and the 50s through Friday, with more snow on both weekend days...
  And today is Fat Tuesday!  Lent begins tomorrow.  It's weird that I have no specific religion, but that I know most holidays for our many different religions.  I am still upset by the religious turmoil in our world.  I'm very happy with what I believe, but I see no reason to try to convince, or force, others to my beliefs.  I understand that in the tenets of multiple religions, a member is urged to go forth and spread "the word."  -  "The word" being whatever beliefs that religion holds dearest. - My parents exposed me to many different religions; from Catholicism, to Buddhism, to the Jewish synagogue, to almost all of the Protestant sects available where we lived.  I have to admit that I have not been inside a mosque, but I read the Koran in college.  My parents wanted me to be comfortable in my belief, and with my belief, in a higher power.  It took many years, but I found my niche, and I am at peace.  But I cannot see why I should try to convince others to believe as I do.
   Each person is an individual.  Each and every person tastes things differently, hears things differently, sees things differently, touches things differently, smells things differently, because each person is a single entity.  If one has a shared language, one can communicate how one experiences varied sensations; but those sensations will always be unique to that one individual, because he or she is an individual.  Every person's brain is unique and it interprets experienced sensations in it's own unique way.  We are taught, as children, the names of colors, animals, numbers, things, and music.  But every single one of us has had a unique vision, taste, hearing, smell, and emotional experience of all of the sensations we have experienced.  People have different numbers of taste buds, in different groupings, on their tongues.  A sweet taste to some people is overly sweet to another, and barely sweet to yet another person.  We experience things uniquely, as we can only experience life from within our own bodies.
   I guess all this rambling about uniqueness and individuality is meant to explain my feeling that we, human beings, need to take a "live and let live" stance regarding race, religion, and politics.  I think that every being should be allowed to follow their own feelings regarding religious practices, and that no one should try to impose a religious belief on others.  And I feel that attacking, and killing, people for having another religion is one of the most sorrowful things on this earth.

Thoughts

The fine drizzle of yesterday morning cleared and we had bright sunshine in the afternoon.  A light rain is currently falling, but the weather folks say it will, again, clear by noon, and be sunny.  But then a cold front is coming in, and we are expecting a rain and snow mix around midnight - we'll see if the weather gurus are correct....   - The kits let me sleep until 7:45 this morning, and, after caring for them, I started for the bakery and a fresh bagel for breakfast.  I ran into a neighbor at the building door; she was wearing a T-shirt, a sweatshirt, and a hoodie sweatshirt over all, jeans and boots, I was wearing a T-shirt, jeans and sneakers.  Meredith informed me that I needed to go back and get a coat or jacket because it was "freezing out there!"  I went on out and opened my umbrella as I stepped out the door - it was a trifle chilly (45 degrees), but it was nowhere near freezing. I felt chilled, but not cold, on the walk to and from the store - of course, I had the brolly, while she was getting rained on...
  I didn't go to the bank or the library yesterday - I just lounged with the kits and did a little bit of research - so I'll need to go to both places today.  A big "Thank you" is owed to Hillbillygator for suggesting a new series of mysteries and two other books by different authors - I'll try to get them today, and/or will request them.  I owe you!
   So, yesterday, today and tomorrow are first anniversary of the three worst days of flooding from the "Thousand Year Rain" that Colorado experienced.  The newspapers, magazines, and local news stations are giving remembrance stories and then-and-now stories a flogging.  And, of course, today is September 11th, so there is also the usual out-pouring of grief and patriotism on this day.  Last night, the President talked about ridding the world of ISIL/ISIS with the assistance of other countries.  I honestly don't know how I feel.  A huge number of people were impacted strongly, and are not yet recovered, from last year's flooding.  The world will never be the same again, and hasn't been, since the destruction of the World Trade Towers and the crashed hijacked jets in 2001.  Now it seems that our nation will be at war again in the Middle East....   I know that the President said air raids only, with no US soldier setting foot in the affected countries - but, to me, air strikes equal war.
   I am in no way a complete and total pacifist.  I also know that I don't have all the information and (hopefully) facts, that the President and his advisers have.  But I feel despair that killing and maiming people seem to be the only way that human beings can make any kind of statement.
   Most folks would truly be appalled if I set out exactly what I believe and don't believe in the religion arena.  I believe in a Live And Let Live society - I am happy for you to believe in whatever you wish, as long as you don't try to make me believe as you do.  Why is one person's belief better than another's?  I realize that religion and resources are the only reasons that we human beings resort to war.  It's a very sad thing.  None of us is God, or anywhere near God-like.

   Why can't we just live peaceably together, and allow each person their own belief?