*nod*
I've noticed... in the past year... that I have come upon many epiphanies on the way that my universe works. I say "my" because I don't know if it's the same for everyone else, how can any of us truly tell? Anyways, I don't know why... my brain has been more active... I come upon sudden realizations and logical patterns that make too much sense for me to dispute. Sometimes I forget them... I wish I wrote more of them down, because... generally, I approve of them. Sometimes I do... my hero post of a few days ago... a small version of this, I suppose. Tonight's... something about religion.
For those of you who DON'T know... my step-brother is very religious, as is his wife. They are due to have a child, and quite honestly, I am sad for the child. It will be raised to believe SO devoutly in their religion that I'm afraid it will be brainwashed. Either that, or it will go in another manner in it's teenage years and explore a bit, which I'm hoping it does. My brother and my sister-in-law have tried many times to convince me that their religion is correct... that they are right and I am wrong. They have provided factual information that can be interpretted to be places and things from the Bible. Here is my point...
Religion and spirituality is something that until recently, (and by recently I mean the past 40 years, I suppose) has been completely grounded in Faith and Belief. These two things are GENERALLY something that cannot be proven. The very concept of Faith and Belief... fact is not a part of them. They embody a feeling of truth in something that you can't prove... something that you cannot explain.
I don't mean to bash upon or denounce God or Christianity... I know a lot of very "good" Christians. I don't know... perhaps I do. Bringing logic and fact into that arena... it muddles things. Mixing logic with emotion and the things intangible... it's difficult to do. In my opinion, religion and spirituality is a personal voyage, and perhaps I do think, but am afraid to admit that organized religion isn't right. I think, unfortunately, that it hinders a persons spirtual development. Maybe not...
I DO know, that I think too many people use organized religion as an excuse... or a crutch. I think too many people don't focus upon who they are, or the way the world works, and expect religion to explain it for them. I think people are scared. Perhaps, that's smart... perhaps that makes sense. I don't blame them; this world is a very scary place and the hope of a "Heaven" after it all is very appealing. It is hard to say either way...
I'm sure I have grounding... but I'm sure they feel the same. Again... I believe... I have faith... in that this world is a personal journey. We must learn... and teach... and grow... it's all so complicated and I find so many loop holes and paradoxes when I try to apply logic to everything.
I think this world is losing it's center.
And if you take that literally, I will come to your house in the middle of the night... and tie your toes together with a wet noodle.
For those of you who DON'T know... my step-brother is very religious, as is his wife. They are due to have a child, and quite honestly, I am sad for the child. It will be raised to believe SO devoutly in their religion that I'm afraid it will be brainwashed. Either that, or it will go in another manner in it's teenage years and explore a bit, which I'm hoping it does. My brother and my sister-in-law have tried many times to convince me that their religion is correct... that they are right and I am wrong. They have provided factual information that can be interpretted to be places and things from the Bible. Here is my point...
Religion and spirituality is something that until recently, (and by recently I mean the past 40 years, I suppose) has been completely grounded in Faith and Belief. These two things are GENERALLY something that cannot be proven. The very concept of Faith and Belief... fact is not a part of them. They embody a feeling of truth in something that you can't prove... something that you cannot explain.
I don't mean to bash upon or denounce God or Christianity... I know a lot of very "good" Christians. I don't know... perhaps I do. Bringing logic and fact into that arena... it muddles things. Mixing logic with emotion and the things intangible... it's difficult to do. In my opinion, religion and spirituality is a personal voyage, and perhaps I do think, but am afraid to admit that organized religion isn't right. I think, unfortunately, that it hinders a persons spirtual development. Maybe not...
I DO know, that I think too many people use organized religion as an excuse... or a crutch. I think too many people don't focus upon who they are, or the way the world works, and expect religion to explain it for them. I think people are scared. Perhaps, that's smart... perhaps that makes sense. I don't blame them; this world is a very scary place and the hope of a "Heaven" after it all is very appealing. It is hard to say either way...
I'm sure I have grounding... but I'm sure they feel the same. Again... I believe... I have faith... in that this world is a personal journey. We must learn... and teach... and grow... it's all so complicated and I find so many loop holes and paradoxes when I try to apply logic to everything.
I think this world is losing it's center.
And if you take that literally, I will come to your house in the middle of the night... and tie your toes together with a wet noodle.