I was specificly talking about things which are out of my control. I’m sorry if that was somehow unclear to you despite actually being the first sentance you quoted. Believe me, I know when I screw up. In fact, I think a lot of things are my fault that really aren’t. But sometimes bad things happen that are not my, or even anyones fault. This is about how I deal with those.
I wasn’t sure how far down I’d get in this thread before someone straight out called me irresponsible or lazy, so thanks for doing that duty. The SDMB isn’t the SDMB if you don’t have someone come in and self-righteously piss on you.
I started this in IMHO. I didn’t (and DON’T) want a debate on the validity of faith. I wanted people’s opinions on losing faith and how to process that. Most everyone had been very interesting and helpful, and I have a lot to think about. But all you’re doing is being insulting and incendiery and you damn well know it. I’m not going to engage you because having an argument againt moral righteousness is like shouting into the wind, so please just go somewhere else.
My grandfather used to tell me that as long as I had faith in myself, things would get worked out.
He also used to tell me to get up and pee, the world is on fire.
The first thing is true though, I can swear to that. I also now have faith that the world will one day be on fire. But it’s cool, I have been drinking lots of coffee…
It’s probably not hard to guess I’m having a rough time of it right now. I appreciate your replies. Many of them have been very helpfull to me. The first couple of times I read the thread, all I did was get offended by the rampant implication or statement that I was somehow bad for having faith in the first place. And, if I’d realized this would get moved to GD I never, ever would have started it (but that is my own stupid fault).
I realized that most people functioned fine without faith. I had a feeling most of them would be distainfull of people on the other side, which seems to be true. I have a long way to go before I can get there.
I think scotandrsn has a good point, about not having to focus on having a “meaning” to everything. Maybe I don’t need to figure out who ‘caused’ whatever happens. God? The Universe? My neighbor who gives me the fish eye? Who cares. It happened. All I can do is take care of the things I can control, and deal with the shit when it arrives on my doorstep.
It’s ironic that people are seeing this as a sign of laziness/irresponsibility, when I actually developed my whole thing about faith in order to unwind myself a little. I used to believe that everything was my fault, that somehow, every single thing that went wrong I had caused. (Taught to me by my parents, whom I now realize used it as a way to hide from their own lack of parenting skill) It’s a breathtakinly horrible way to live ones life, the kind that leads to depression, self flagelation and the utter conviction that you are so deeply flawed and worthless that there’s no point in going on. I decided to relax a little, and blame Fate instead. It got me out of bed. Got me moving forward again, instead of being crippled by anxiety.
So perhaps, then, this is the evolution of that. Letting go of 'It’s God’s fault" and embracing that certain things just ARE random.
Speaking as one of the faithless, I apologize if I offended or came across as distainful. I don’t mean to, but I frequently find myself starting from a very defensive position when talking to people about religion. If most people get along without faith, it’s news to me. Most people, particuarly here in the U.S. claim to believe in God. An alarming percentage also believe in angels and devils. Frankly these people scare me every bit as much as the fanatical types in the Middle East. Since I can’t even talk to the so-called devout without them condemning me as a satan-worshipper, I tend to want to button-hole the moderates and say “CAN’T YOU SEE YOU ARE ENCOURAGING THESE IDIOTS!!!” I know it’s unfair. On my part it is born of gut-clenching fear of winding up in a Christian re-education camp.
I thought i had lost my faith, until i checked behind the couch, you may want to look there, or in the seat cushions…
problem is, by the time i had found it, it was encrusted with lint and dust bunnies, and had passed it’s “best by” date, so i had to throw it out…
(sorry, couldn’t resist )
seriously, no, i never have lost my “faith”, i can’t lose what i don’t have, i see no evidence of a “Mystical Invisible Sky Pixie”, Flying Spaghetti Monster, Almighty Og, Cthulu, Buhdda, Allah, God, or whatever else have you, and i have a very analytical, scientific mindset, to me, “mainstream” organized religious faith has too many contradictions and idiosyncracies
that said, my basic rule of life is “treat people the way you’d want to be treated if roles were reversed”
If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of Progress?
if a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
if vegetable oil is made out of vegetables, what is baby oil made out of?
okay, back on subject…
i actually don’t have any problems with beneficial bioengineering (insulin pumps and the like), but the more pressing question would be, if cloning advances far enough, can’t “spare parts” simply be grown out of bioculture, without needing an intermediary animal step?
…and where can i get a third arm grown, i need help with my Ski-Boxing…
animal features i’d add to myself…
fangs (fangs are cool…)
the visual acuity of an Eagle
add gills in addition to lungs (Ya, gills, so you no need lungs no mores, lie down here, i take lungs now, gills come in week…)
)
