There are over 4,000 distinct religions all over the world, according to CBNC, which are practiced by people across the globe. Now, judgment on people who practice these by people who practice others is not a new concept,  not in the slightest. However, it seems that recently, religious intolerance has been at an all-time high.

     Frankly, it’s quite disturbing.

     Religious intolerance is defined as the inability to accept others’ religious beliefs as valid, or “looking down on or disparaging a person or group because of their religion,” according to a report released by Montclair State University. 

     Again, this is not a new thing – there are countless examples of religious and non-religious people fighting each other for this reason. For example, in 1492, Spanish monarchs signed an edict expelling Jewish people from Spain. In the midst of World War I, over one million Christian Armenians were wiped out during the Armenian Genocide. And, of course, there was the Holocaust, where over six million Jewish people were killed by the Nazi party. 

     But, those are historical examples of religious intolerance. Unfortunately, there are still countless other examples – both historical and modern. It is not uncommon for religious people to be deemed “delusional” for believing in a higher power, or are made fun of for being in a “cult.” Recently, Instagram blogger Becky McCann (@catholica.pandam) was told by someone that they “hoped she could escape” from the “cult” of the Catholic church. Similarly, Jewish content creator Miriam Ezagui (@miriam.ezagui) answered a comment which directed a slur at her. 

    Unfortunately, there can be more violent versions of religious intolerance offline. Recently, a six-year-old Muslim boy was stabbed to death in Illinois, according to NBC, just because he was a Palestinian Muslim. According to the site, the perpetrator, who was the landlord of the boy’s home, shouted, “You Muslims must die,” before stabbing the boy 26 times, and stabbing his mother more than a dozen times.

     Let’s just set the record straight; there is absolutely nothing wrong with believing in a higher power, and nothing wrong with not believing in one. There are many benefits to being religious, such as bringing a sense of structure and belonging into your life, according to the National Alliance of Mental Illness; and, yes, there can be negative effects, like personal guilt or a reliance on rules. It doesn’t matter. If someone’s religion brings them joy, or a sense of relief, you should not take it upon yourself to call them ‘delusional’ based on your own personal beliefs.

     Practicing one religion is not an excuse to discriminate against others, either. It doesn’t matter if their beliefs don’t align perfectly with yours. So what if someone believes in more than one higher power, or does a tradition a little differently? That’s not an excuse to be hateful, and it certainly is not an excuse to turn to verbal harassment or physical violence. 

     To discriminate against someone so openly because they might believe in a certain religion is to openly express the kind of person you are: horrible. Hiding behind your hatred does not make you ‘cool’ or ‘edgy’ in any way; it makes you a coward, and it goes to show how close-minded some people are to other ideas besides their own.

     It’s time to stop mindless religious intolerance; if we don’t cease now, when will it ever stop?