Listen up fellow humans: We've been arguing with and killing each other over who's got this God thing figured out since the beginning of time. And, apparently, after many thousands of years, we still haven't learned our lesson, we still haven't figured out if any one religion is more on target than any other religion, neither have we figured out how to live and let live. Surely, by now, you'd think we would have at least realized we all pretty much want and need the same things and that, really, religion is just our best guess about what's happening beyond our consciousness. If nothing else, you'd think we would respect each other's First Amendment rights to believe whatever it is we're compelled to believe since it's one of the basic tenets our society was built upon.

In extremely good news: You can "be the change that you want to see in the world," as Mohandas Gandhi once said.

Instead of bad mouthing people who believe something different from what you believe, try this: Tolerance. It's easier, that's for sure, and a heckuva lot less expensive. Oh, and it's simple to get started: Try listening, uninterrupted and with a clear mind, while someone else talks about what they believe, then it's your turn to share what you believe. I'll bet you'll find miles of common ground. You may even find that the people you thought held the same beliefs as you don't. But you'll never know for sure until you close your mouth, open your mind and tune your ears into their frequency.

Here's why I bring this up: The non-sense in New York City over a Muslim community center, Park 51, is out of hand. Did you hear, yesterday, a taxi driver was sliced up in his own car by someone who had just finished quizzing him about his religion? We can't stand for that, my fellow citizens. We cannot. That's the opposite of what America is about.

I've spent a large part of my life studying different religions, and I'm happy to say my circle of friends includes people from all sorts of backgrounds. (That really makes parties fun.) No, I'm no expert and, no, I haven't studied every religion (there are a lot of them), but I do have a pretty good feel for what many religions are all about ... and the words peace and love immediately come to mind. That's why it's so confusing that we fight, murder, mutilate, maim, steal, rape and more just because we've decided we're right and they're wrong.

C'mon folks. We can do better than this. Open your mind. Seek out someone who follows a different path and share a coffee break. Encourage others to do the same. Maybe we can spark a religiously tolerant revolution where peace reigns supreme, not violence and hate, and maybe we'll even discover that love is the byproduct of our efforts.

Wouldn't that be wonderful? Wouldn't that be a lovely legacy to hand off to today's children?

Or, you could go all cynical on everyone like George Carlin. Let your guard down for a few minutes and get prepared to laugh as the now-deceased comedian explains his views on religion. Face it: No one can cover topics like religion quite like a funny man.

Personally, in case you're curious, I currently identify as a Humanist, though that's apt to change as my ongoing self-education in religious studies continues.