Observations about Religious Groups

I have made some observations over the years of most(not all) of the people that I have met from the following two groups:

Atheists, Agnostics, Pagans, Buddhists’, The Moderately Religious
• More tolerant of people who differ in gender, ethnicity, sexual preference
• Seem to advocate more for Non-Violent solutions to conflict resolution
• More Humanistic about caring for people who are different than they
• More open to new ideas and knowledge that may conflict with long valued myths and traditions
• Less controlling of people who have life styles that differ from their own
• Are more willing to challenge long established institutions that do not seem to support the common good of the majority
• See the world more in terms of “Grey” rather than “Black and White”

Orthodox and Established Old World Religious Adherents
• Behave more judgmentally about people who differ from them(gays, women, non-whites, free thinkers)
• Have the attitude that “Might Makes Right” and “My Country Right or Wrong”
• Want to control the behavior of others through religious influence in government legislation even though US was founded on the “Separation of Church and State”
• Are threatened by new ideas and science
• Want to keep their flock cloistered in their own communities for fear that new more realistic ideas may permeate their minds
• Have unrealistic ideas and unrealistic views about sexuality
• Seem to want to keep women in their “Old World” roles
• Are more easily lead by leaders that are dogmatic and closed minded to new scientifically provable ideas

I have tried to be careful not to demonize or label any of these groups by using words like: Fascist, Bigot, Homophobe, Xenophobe, Communist, Socialist, Bleeding Heart Liberal, War Monger, Racist, Pinko, Narrow Minded Pig, Wimp, Pussy, Neanderthal, or whatever other subjective non-productive labels that are found in society.

I am very open to your observations and input on the above.