Religion

[kerry]

Sorry girls I'm gunna buck the bull here and say that I don't think Patch is in the wrong place at all. This thread isn't about a group of people who believe in god comparing beliefs or re-affirming their own surely. I was under the impression that we wanted to explore how others expressed or felt their own spirituality. Patch just doesn't believe there is any g-d, there's nothing wrong with that, its her choice and what works for her. Just because she doesn't believe in g-d/s doesn't mean any of us have the right to tell her she is in the wrong place. She has raised some good questions that are interesting to explore. Athough in the same regard Sarah is also right, we can all comment without degressing into nasty snide remarks about anyones personal beliefs.

While I enjoy debating creationalism and evolution (personally I believe in both, go figure, never said I wasn't scizophrenic) and depending on my mood can spring to the defence of either argument I'll be honest in saying that the practices, traditions and histories of different religions was what drew me to this thread in the first place.

Just to address some points Patch has raised... Muslims, Jews and Christians all have the same G-d, just different practices/dogma and approaches to how the go about worshipping him. There are such things as Islamic, Judaic, Hindi Values to name a few. The non-denominational words to describe them are social conciense and courtesy, I don't think any religion has and particular claim over these values.. its just they sit nicely within the teachings of the 'church' but they are not explusive to believers, anyone can be courteous and have a social conciense. I was lucky growing up, my parish priest were always somewhat liberal and one of them taught us that "if being a member of a religion makes you a better member of your bigger society/community (not just the church one) then that religion is what is right for you. No religion is right or wrong persay, it is all an individual perspective". I have always liked this annalogy. So for me I don't think by being Catholic I am right and someone who is a muslim is wrong, I don't think about it like that. I do however thing that when someone uses their beliefs to defend murder, genocide, rape, brutality, suppression or abuse then they are wrong!... if we can live in harmony with many different beliefs and religions then that's a 'value' we should all strive for.

I'm struggling to understand why we can accept each others different religious beliefs and discuss them calmly and with coureosity and respect but are struggling to accept someone who doesn't believe there is any higher being. Doesn't make ehr any less of a person than the rest of us. However I do think that some of Patch's comments are aimed to insight dissent. Jst as we should respect her right to believe there is nothing, I think also she should respect our right to believe there is something, even if it is a purple teapot orbiting Pluto.

Come on... say what you need to without being snide or rude... all of us... or we are just going to make a mockery of the 14 pages of thread we have behind us.