Plato stated that if men lived in a cave all of their life and one found himself outside of the cave, exposed to the light, when that man returned to the cave and told the others of the sun he would not only be disbelieved but also persecuted and eventually killed by those still in the cave.

In an attempt to prevent this happening, the United States early on in its history passed into law what we today know as the First Amendment which guarantees any person to walk whatever spiritual path they choose without the fear of reprisal or persecution. Those who drafted the First Amendment as well as those who lived under it in the new nation, understood this pertained not to just Christianity but to other faiths as well. 1776 and beyond was not that far removed from a Europe where nobility still answered to the pope and religious authority. England itself was still torn between Catholic and Protestant tensions which often left bloody legacies in their wake. All over Europe it was acceptable to engage in the active harassment of Jews and Islamic peoples, with the blessing of both Church and State who were one and the same.

The freedom of religious practice, whatever the spiritual path, for the United States became a source of great pride, and still is for the most part, for the American people. However, incongruencies still exist. In a nation that considers itself the melting pot of the world, there is still a very high level of intolerance. For instance, it wasn't until 1999, that Earth Centered religions were openly and formally welcomed into the United States Military as "acceptable" religious practice. This acceptance was confirmed at the highest levels of Government, President and Vice President both acknowledged and welcomed such an action, as well as the military Chaplains.

Law Enforcement has recognized the 'crusader' mentality as unwelcome, evident by the presence of hate crime laws which focus not just on racial intolerance, but religious intolerance as well. Another formal recognition that it is wrong to persecute, or harass either an individual or community because of their spiritual beliefs. Trainings are conducted, or should be, at Police Academies which educate officers, new and old alike, that Earth Centered, or Pagan, spirituality are valid expression of a spiritual community and not the ravings of religious bigots, or blood thirsty people.

The question arises than, in a society where spiritual experience is openly encouraged, why do metaphysical book stores receive on a daily basis religious hate mail stuffed through their mail slots or in their emails? Why are individuals who do not belong to the "Christian" path openly harassed, shot at and discriminated against by employers and service workers when they live in a community which encourages an open expression of faith, and guarantees protection at the highest levels?

The answer can be found at the origins of bigotry and can be summed up in one word, "Fear". At the root of hate lies fear as each study of bigotry has found. Studies also find bigotry, spiritual bigotry included, is something which not only has fear at its roots, but that fear is passed on generationally, is taught to individuals and community and encouraged openly to thrive. Fear is a psychological reaction to an event, or events, which we perceive as threatening. Fear is rooted in the fight or flight response of survival; we either run or attack. Spiritual bigotry, then, is rooted in the fear of other spiritual traditions. In a civilized nation, outright attack has consequences which are not pleasant so one will turn to more subtle methods. Hate mail, harassment at work, the removal of opportunities, denial of services. Behavior which normally would not be tolerated toward another individual becomes spirituality acceptable and takes on the taint of the crusades of the past.

"Death to the infidel!" underscores all those actions, witch trials spring up again, reminding us that the legacy of Salem was not resolved but simply shoved under the carpet.

The solution to religious bigotry is not a simple one, for it requires one to set aside their fear which means one must transcend an instinctual response. They way to do this is to open oneself to the experience and be willing to examine it. If one can educate oneself about what they fear, the fear will drop in strength. Ignorance has to be discouraged, and education fostered. With the right intent, Education will lower the level of fear. Part of spiritual experience means allowing oneself to be transcended, which means stepping out into the unknown and maybe changing the worldview which we hold. This in itself is a fearful event, for instinctually we will respond. Carl Jung's psychotherapy stated individuals must embrace their shadows or they will become ruled by them. They very act of denial gives those things we hate power. To face them, to educate ourselves removes the fear. If it does not, it is because we have not let go of it. In the act of embracing our shadows, we learn a fundamental truth not only about ourselves but of our society as well. There is more similarity than there is difference, and what difference remains is strength, not a weakness. Psychotherapeutically we need this realizations, but the negative part of ourselves we can't remove, and therefore must transform the negatives into a positive, turn a weakness into a strength.

At the heart of all spiritual traditions, this same principal can be found and therefore gives all spiritual traditions a common starting point. At the heart of all spiritual tradition sits the desire for us, as human beings, to engage in harmonious living. Whether we do it through the mass or celebration of the Solstice or through worship at a mosque is secondary. We live a paradox. All of us are right and yet at the same time all of us our wrong. To quote Cassius in the play "Julius Caesar:"

"The Fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves".