Turn the Other Cheek, Don't Bare 'Em Both.

Today, and for many days past, I have been thinking about all the negative angst out there over religion.
I have always believed myself to be tolerant and open minded, but lately I have found myself caught up feeling angry and defensive. I'm trying to get over that.
What makes it really hard for me to understand is the bashing that goes on. Everyone is always pointing fingers and calling each other names, as if believing differently than them makes the other people bad. Where does that come from?
In my church "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men he same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." (Article of Faith #11)
I only wish that others would allow me the same privilege.
Let me put it this way. If you don't believe in Christ or Buddha or Mohammad or whoever, and you think that they never really existed or that they were just men who fooled everyone, then how can you get so bent out of shape at those who do? I don't believe in Santa Clause or Harry Potter or Doctor Who, but if you want to believe that they are real, that's no skin off my nose.
It would not offend me if you put a statue of Harry Potter on your lawn, or a TARDIS on your roof  for the Holidays (might actually think the last was funny). So why would it offend you if I put a manger scene on my lawn, or a cross on my roof? After all, to you it is only a symbol of a mythical story about a person who never really existed. It does not offend me to see a Menorah in a window or a statue of the Virgin Mary in someones front yard. But it would offend me to see those things being belittled, even though they are not a part of my own religion. It is their inalienable right to believe how they may. That is what this country used to be based on; freedom of religion, freedom of speech. That is why the pilgrims came here in the first place.
There are people who believe in Christ and people who don't, so get over it. Oh dear, I used the 'C word', how crass of me. We are not allowed to use that word because, good grief, it may offend someone.
But hey, when you cross out Christ and call it Xmas, DUH, you don't think that offends anyone? There are still a whole lot of Christians out there and as one of them I'm here to tell you that that offends ME. So while you are screaming about being politically correct you may consider practicing what you preach.
Well, I've ranted long enough. So to end I will just say, "So what if the other guy bares both cheeks instead of turning the other? It's not my problem, it's theirs."