The Polarization of America

I'm getting so tired of people that think that their political, social or religious ideology is the only one and if you don't believe the way they do, you are absolutely crazy or stupid or both. I don't have a problem with taking ownership of your ideals, just realize that not everyone has had the same experiences that you have and doesn't see everything the way you do. You might very well be correct in your opinion but telling someone else that they are idiots for not seeing things your way is not going to get you any converts. All that anyone can do is to say that whatever they're into works for them. I personally don't understand how some people can read the Bible, for instance, and not get it the way I do but I'm not going to tell them they're imbeciles. Evangelization, whether it be political, social or religious, has to come from being genuinely concerned about the other person's well being and convincing them with logic and kindness that there might be a better path (not necessarily yours). If they are honest with themselves, they'll find the path on their own. People who are given the opportunity to learn everything (and I mean everything) about a given subject and are able to speak their minds without recriminations, will make an intelligent, informed decision that they can defend. It's the ones that are regurgitating what they've been told without examining for themselves and have emotional attachments to the issues that make me want to shake them. Are people afraid to think for themselves? I feel a lot of people are comfortable with being told how to think, dress, act, etc because it's just too hard to do it themselves.