[QUOTE=Zoe]
…Of course I have no certain answers about the soul. But I like to speculate that perhaps there is something – but maybe much different from the usual “heaven” we were told about as children. Something much better – perhaps serene, intense, and especially united.
[/QUOTE]
Hi Zoe, how have you been? Trust all is well.
See, couched in those terms (meaning your quote, TBC) I have absolutely no quarrel with people of Faith. In that vein allow me to relate a little anecdote to you.
When I moved here from the States a bit over five years ago I found myself traveling back in time, not just because this is a Third World nation, but because, religiously, it reminded me of the Franco’s Spain I happened to grow-up in. For as much as one could argue that the US is likely the most religious nation amongst all industrialized countries in the Western Hemisphere, 'tis nothing compared to the feel one gets in most LA nations. To me, the last real bastion of of the once all-powerful Catholic Church as it is rapidly losing its grip in Europe – even in such traditionally uber-Catholic countries such as Ireland, Portugal, Italy and those well-known spreaders of the Faith, my own ex-Imperial Spain. Quite the plunge really. But more to the point, I found myself for the first time in a looong time as a real social pariah, for even mentioning that one is a non-believer will get you the most evil-eyed looks you can imagine…along with a good dose of condescension, many times in the form of “I’ll pray for you so Jesus can come into your life etc. etc.” Heck I got this treatment even within my family, what with my late Mother being the sole exception being as she was, a highly skeptical person in said matters. Not trying to paint a victim picture here but rather telling it like it is. In fact thing have gotten way better since as I’ve learned, for the most part, to avoid the issue all together while at the same time having ironed-out my differences with my sis – irony of ironies thanks in no small part due to the fact that one her three kids (the youngest) has become quite the well-versed atheist himself. Of course depending on how one looks at it, I either get the credit or the blame for that particular occurrence. Me, I rather think the kid was smart enough to weigh both sides and come to his own conclusion – which is exactly what happened.
Anyway, if there’s a point to my account, it’s just this, and it goes to the very heart of the OP. I like to live and let live but – and there’s always a “but” right? – that includes my being able to answer honestly, if asked, what my beliefs are without being derided/condescended to for coming to a different conclusion than the overwhelming majority.
A “for instance” that happened to me just yesterday prior to posting to this thread: I was merrily walking along, minding my own business, when I was accosted by some wild-eyed, Bible-wielding nutter, who wanted to save me from Og knows what even though I twice politely told him “I wasn’t interested and was busy” (both true) he thought I was being “rude” and said as much in no uncertain and rather loud terms. Now, as I said above, I’m rather of the live and let live persuasion…but obviously my own life is included in that equation, thus I proceeded to give the man a bit of a clarification on the meaning of the word ‘rude.’ Judging from his reaction (walking away at a rather fast pace) by George, I think he got it too! In any event, perhaps that explains my own (overly?) aggressive attitude in this thread for as much as I rather shy away from religious discussions – just not that interested really – sometimes I do need to vent. And as you can imagine from what I wrote above that is rather a tough thing to do in my current environment.
Anyway, there goes nothing.
Be well.
~Red
and still are decent and caring, my gentle apologies that you got snared up in my tiffs with the bad people out there.
How’ve you been?