Agree to Disagree? Nah decapitation. Kayla Gill

So, let's just be honest. Locke managed to roast almost every modern aspect of the church in about twenty-nine pages. One comment that I particularly took notice of was his comment about force and torture. Now, I am going to take this in a different direction than just the idea of church. Locke tries to convey to us that torturing someone does nothing but gain a confession that is not sincere, but one of fear. He says on page four, "The only way to change men's opinions is through light, and you can't produce light in someone's mind by torturing them." Well, doesn't this just hit close to home? The church has a really bad problem with persecuting anyone whose beliefs differ from theirs. This doesn't even have to be between believer and non-believer. This can simply be between denominations. While this persecution is not so drastic as it was during Locke's lifetime and even before, torture is executed with words and Locke's idea of "excommunication." When a member of the church's beliefs differs from the pastor or the decons, they tend to find some way to have that member removed, whether it is by force or by them giving up. This is also carried out outside of the church. Take the disagreement between Christians and non-believers. When a Christian feels as if someone is doing something they don't agree with, there is a line of segregation that is drawn between the two. This "torture" that Locke speaks of is being made an outcast in modern times. Do not get me wrong, this is not something only held to the Christians. Those with different beliefs are just as, and sometimes more, guilty that the Christians. They draw their line of segregation by claiming acts of discrimination and hate when it is simply a disagreement. There is no more an idea of "agree to disagree". There is only hate in the eyes of today. Tolerance has turned to force. "You will not only accept what I believe, but you will agree with it." Locke is showing, even long before our time, that this is not the way to not only hold a church but to have a life. He says you can not force what you believe on everyone else and expect to live in peace. Compromise will have to be made for there to be unity. Compromise does not mean disregarding scripture. But, be mindful of the fact that you might be misinterpreting as much as someone you disagree with could be.

PS: I commented on Gray and Mackenzie's posts!