I have encountered many people who get very defensive if you don't believe in their beliefs and spend a lot of time attempting to convert me to their way of thinking and believing.
I must admit, I used to be this person. And every now and again, my know-it-all person still tries to raise its little head and I have to bite my tongue. This happens when I am too attached to my beliefs and/or I am not sure about my beliefs and I am in fear that I will lose something of value to me.
Today, I believe it is quite arrogant for me to say or try to enforce my beliefs on anyone. For me, this is saying I am better, bigger, and wiser than you and even God, for that matter. It has become my spiritual practice to allow others to live and believe what feels good to them. This has alleviated a lot of arguments and unnecessary pain to myself and others.
When I allow you to be and believe as you want, then I have the freedom to be and believe as I want. This is freedom.
Try it, the next time you want to impose your belief system onto someone, stop and say, "you know what, you may be right." Just allow them the freedom to be, feel the tension in the room disapate. You may realize that there are many highways that lead to the same place.
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