One More Opinion (And It Won’t Be My Last)
We must not fear challenge, and just because someone told us a story so very long ago doesn’t necessarily make it true. Time moves on, the world changes and we must evolve.
As for communication, I hope many will reclaim their brain, communicating as effectively as you can if you truly want to be heard, understood and, above all else, respected.
I’m not talking about education, but common sense. Facts are important if you want to understand ideas and concepts, aiding in your ability to form a solid philosophy. All will bolster your confidence and self-esteem.
As I always like to say, we all have a point of view to express, and let’s share it with the understanding of agreeing to disagree. I might not consent to your politics, but that will never stop us from being friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc. Never allow one single topic to define your human spirit, but be open to all possibilities. Let’s grow together as friends. Here’s to the rest of your week. Enjoy! – paerki
My Response To The Video:
"People will come to their own conclusion?!" – This is fear and ignorance. Many are misinterpreting this video. I don’t necessarily believe religion is evil, but the level of ignorance among the religious is astounding. A better word… Frightening! If you think the Earth is less than 10,000 years old, you probably do think North America is only 80 yards wide. The reference was priceless. If you don’t believe in love and equality, your religious beliefs are meaningless. At the end of the day, each person will make a choice to believe what he/she wants to believe. Facts are important. Humans are made up of the same exact cosmic dust/star carbon that makes up all of the stars, planets, etc (Carl Sagan called it star stuff). Until we can experience a state of not being human, we cannot be specific about the parameters of what we call God.
I read the following in an article not too long ago, and I appreciate what’s being said, and I hope you do too… "The moment I stopped trying to find God, God found me. God is not difficult to find; God is impossible to ignore. There is nothing you need to do to know God. You know God already. The mistake that virtually all religions make, including Christianity, is to confuse beliefs for faith and, as a consequence, condition people to think that there are things that they must do, duties that they must perform, etc., for God to be pleased."
My words from last year, and my stance remains the same: I have my moments when heaven and hell become a tossup for afterlife possibilities. It’s anyone’s guess, really, what happens after that last heartbeat, but we must never forget the moment we are born, we begin to die, thus stands reason to make each second count. If heaven is the ultimate goal, and it’s the God so many have created in their minds and manipulated in their hearts – I say, no thank you. I have no interests in a narcissistic, hubristic God, whose only mission is greed and innuendo.
I think we all get caught up in the misgivings of others, becoming voyeurs to those with grave challenges to justify our own inadequacies and weaknesses. That’s where fear lives and breeds, and keeps us bound. We don’t grow, and if you aren’t growing you can fall prey to those manipulating forces that can make you believe all things foolish, while committing acts that undermine your unique value and that of others. It’s at the point we judge and ultimately hate (some quietly, others passionately).
I’ve run so far from religion to become an atheist at one point and now rest comfortably as an agnostic. I’ve allowed religious opportunists to speak for me far too long. I’ve come a long way, and it’s people like Terry Jones (Westboro Baptist Church), Harold Camping, various politicians and other leaders, and family, and certain friends with egregious hate that have made me stronger and given me reason to believe in something greater than myself, perhaps a divine deity, but I still believe what I’ve written many times before… "I don’t believe in God in the traditional sense, but believe in a universal life force that resides in each of us, which links us all… Thus all paths leading to God, which is nothing more than enlightenment." – paerki
