Asia Times Online

“A key belief in the Judeo-Christian tradition is “love your neighbor as yourself” and “love the stranger as yourself”. Love is more than tolerance – it requires respect and acceptance of the “other”. If your neighbor or the stranger sees God’s face differently, then do you still have to love him? If her model of the good life differs from yours, do you still have to love her? Clearly so! If you cannot love your neighbor, Rabbi Hillel suggested another version, which he claimed was the essence of Judaism: “Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you.” If you cannot love, at least do not harm.”

Ironically, religion is often (ab)used as an excuse to hate or even harm others.