Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You.

As we approach the Christian celebration of Easter, our thoughts again turn to our faith or spirituality and the part it plays in our lives.

Sadly, there are those in our society who campaign against the public celebration of religious festivals. There are even calls to stop singing Christmas carols in schools and public places.

We live in a country where we are free to practice our faith openly and that's something we should celebrate. And regardless of your personal faith, and wether you consider Jesus to be the son of God or just another prophet, what can be wrong with celebrating the life of someone who taught love, forgiveness and tolerance and was even put to death for what he believed in?

I am at odds with the late John Lennon as I firmly believe religion makes the world a better place. Anyone who has done business with people of different countries can tell you that it's much easier to deal with those who have a code of ethics to live by. If we believe that there's more to life than just our physical presence on Earth, we have a reason to treat other people with more consideration.

Sadly the behaviour of some religious leaders and clergy in the past has been at odds with what they represent, even to the point of turning people away from their faith. But nobody, regardless of who they claim to be, has the right to disrupt the relationship we have with our creator. It is ours and ours alone.

And consider this piece of advice: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It is thousands of years old and has been incorporated in the teachings of virtually every religion known to man. Imagine if everybody on this planet reflected on that saying, every morning.

What a different world it would be!