There is so much on which we might disagree.
But at some point, we have to ask ourselves: what do we really care about in our lives? Do we CARE about having disagreements about theistic issues? Is that what we WANT from any sort of relationship we might have together? We are both going to die: soon indeed, soon. We have only a limited amount of time. What will we do with it? Will we bicker about things like the existence of God? That subject, certainly, is flashy. It’s trendy, and will always be trendy. It’s academic, it’s high intellectual, it’s hip daddy, it’s what all the cool kid are debating about. You believe you speak to such a being and take meaning from the wishes of such a being, I don’t: I don’t think there is such a relationship to be had with such an objectively existing being. And I hope we continue to have productive disagreements on the subject because they teach all something about the reality beyond just ourselves. When I was a militant atheist, first realizing and exploding in my irritation at the claims and abuses of the theism I was accustomed to, meeting you and Eljay (a panatheist on the about.com boards) and Polycarp were instructive. Though I disagree with you on so many levels about what SHOULD epistemologically, be the most important issues in all reality, and though you both may strike me as a stubborn curmudgeons from time to time about your theism, you have still maintained your humanity and humor and love. I have a good friend who is a theist and who would have kept me from being anti-theist bigot I might have become without you. But you 3 message board people are a credit to who I am still the same. Because of people like you, I have the perspective to realize that the people I talk to on these boards are REAL: you are people with lives and feelings and deep concerns, just like myself. You may, from time to time, present yourself to me as just a bunch of arguments on a message board against which I am opposed. But you are a real persons. I forget that sometimes. Other times, like now, I am absolutely blown away by the lack of perspective which a habitual posting habit may enforce upon me. I forget that you are a real persons.
Damn me for that, and save me for realizing and trying to correct it. I am trying to remember such things as much as possible, which is what this thread is all about.
Gods: we disagree. Common humanity, justice, empathy with each other’s human perspective, and our attempts to make sense of life: we share all that. Gods there may or may not be. But progress and compassion and empathy: what Gods could look down on that? Not any that, I think, any of the three of us would worship. Perhaps there is much that people like us might do together, if only we realized how much we have in common concern. I would like, seriously, to think about what people like is, people gathered together of many faiths and political persuasions, might do for the world. For perhaps we could pool our resources and do something good and productive that would make all our gods and not-gods proud.