I grew up with a religion that told me exactly that: I am a sinning piece of dirt in constant need of God's forgiveness. This is why Catholics go to confession.

Quite a while ago I realised that thinking this way was damaging to my health. Being a human being is a special and empowering thing. And while it's important to acknowledge and learn from mistakes, I don't believe it is necessary to tell yourself what a piece of filth you are. I got constant criticism from my own parents who seemed to think I could never do anything right and I certainly didn't need it reinforced by the church. This is what I meant a while back when I said I was a humanist, in the more traditional sense of the word. I believe that humans are neither innately good or bad, but amazing beings capable of great things.

BTW when I think of Jesus' message to love your neighbour, I think of the kind of love called agape. It doesn't mean you condone everything everybody does, it doesn't mean you have to agree with them. What it means to me is that you learn how to respect people despite these things because that is what they are, fellow human beings.

Maybe you're right in saying that I am intolerant in some ways. I am intolerant of people who think it's OK to spread hatred and bigotry, in the name of religion or anything else. That kind of agape is admittedly hard to dig out of my spirit but maybe I should try a little harder.