Hello Darwin,
I thought your article was interesting, even though it wasn't what I
was
looking for, and it is not going to help me complete my
assignment!
I agree with some of your assessment about religion. Believe me, I
have
shared your frustration with the damage that religion can do.
However,
I do not equate religion with spirituality; they are diametrically
opposed. I think spiritually is real, and I think what
spiritually
represents is the common element in all of us that enables us to work
together to build communities instead of destroying them. I think
the
concept of acceptance is what is at the heart of spirituality. We
are
all bundles of energy; I don't think it is hard to image the
commonality
we have with everything that exists around us. Most religions
have
nothing to do with this concept. Most religions are just man made
rules
to keep people, especially women, in their "place".
Does anyone know the answer to creation or what exactly happens after
we
die? I don't think so. Anyone who does I think is just
plain
arrogant. I like to believe that there is a part of us that
lives
forever, but at any rate, it is not part of the reality we are
currently
in. I don't think that humans have the capacity to know whether we do
or
do not live forever. Besides, part of what makes life so special
is
that it is a mystery. Life is a gift, and I accept it
wholeheartedly.
There are people I have met in my life who have read the Bible in a
figurative, not literal way. Those "Believers" do not fall in
the
category of irrational "Belivers" that you talk about. Why?
Because
they understand that the Bible is full of parables, things people can
learn from, similar to reading a historical novel, for example. I
find
the attitudes of both athiests and your definition of "Belivers" to be
a
huge turn-off. Why? Because both are extreme views; they miss the
forest
for the trees. I tend to listen to people who are little more middle
of
the road, because they tend to not have a hidden agenda in what they
are
saying. In fact, people who are athiests and people who are
"Believers"
have more in common with each other than people who are "middle of
the
road"- people who don't feel that they have something to prove or
that
they have to be right.
Now, I wonder if you will publish this?
To: T****
From: David Bedford <Owner@DomainBaron.com>
Subject: Re: Feedback Regarding
Hi T****,
Yes, I agree whole heartily with your comments regarding spirituality. I've been toying with the idea of turning Jesus into an "ideal" for living but
na, the book is too old. There have been too many paradigm shifts since the Bible was written.
Dave Bedford
www.atheists.net