I received a lesson on religious tolerance

from a Hindu liquor store owner. On Sunday I walked around the corner to the store to buy soda. The store owner asked me if I had been to church.

"No," I said. "I am not religious, I don't believe in God."

"You don't believe in God?" he asked disbelievingly. "So you are an athiest!"

"Pretty much," I replied.

"Did your mother never read you the bible?" he asked.

"Sure she did, but I thought it was silly." "Don't you think that Noah's ark stuff is silly?" I blabbered, running off at the mouth as usual "I mean, Adam and Eve and all that mumbo jumbo, it's just silly!"

He ducked his head and blushed. "I don't know if it's silly," he said shyly. Clearly he did not think it was at all silly. Looking very uncomfortable he asked "Would you like to come to temple with my wife and daughter and me?"

"No thank you, " I said and went home, feeling very foolish and yes, silly. I guess I thought he would agree with me about the bible, he being a Hindu. Instead I felt I had been very rude to denigrate the bible in his presence.

Yesterday I processed a book on Hinduism, it stated that Hindus have a profound respect for other religions and believe in one supreme God. They believe that everyone should follow their own path to God, even if that means practicing a religion other than Hinduism.

Of course the Hindus kill a hell of a lot of Muslims, but then Muslims can be very provoking!