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gnomedome
I understand perfectly where you are coming from. I agree "each should have his right to...
I appreciate your articulating in a very clear way what you have chosen as an ideal life. I happen to agree such high standards would be close to perfect. I can't do that. I am not strong enough in my being alone to be completely without guile. I have already shared with you what I know to be right for me. Thank you for doing the same. I think we have the right to be different and share the same planet even the same blogit without fighting about religion.
posted by
Justi
on February 22, 2005 at 9:29 PM
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Experience -- I know exactly what you are speaking of
in the example that you give. For some there is only one way for people to conduct themselves and that is their way. Be that person clergy or layperson. It is but a micro step from this point to imposing their way on others. No consideration is given for differing perspectives or different approaches to the same goal. That ultimately is the failing point of organized religion in many respects. Each and every denomination constructs it's own rules with no room or margin for those who do not quite fit into the guidelines. In all of this it doesn't seem to matter if the individual is a good person, a criminal or whatever. It only seems to matter whether they conform or not. If you can imagine I did not quite fit into the mold myself when these types of demands where made of me.
posted by
gomedome
on February 22, 2005 at 8:33 AM
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I agree
When I used to go to church! If my answer was not what they wanted to hear, then I was wrong or the devil had something to do with it. One minister came over to my sisters house. And my niece was there. this monister said. Tell the ministers everything so God hears you. I got upset with that. I said to my niece in front of the minister. God will hear your prayers if you pray to him. You don't have to tell the ministers everything. The minister said I was Undermeaning the commission. So I said and your trying to destroy the faith in people who have faith in their own communication with God.
posted by
Experience
on February 22, 2005 at 7:53 AM
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mary_x -- You should re-read that comment you just left
How you have come to a conclusion such as that is beyond me. Or maybe you should re-read the first paragraph of this blog. It appears without realizing it that I was speaking directly to you.
posted by
gomedome
on February 21, 2005 at 2:47 PM
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pappy -- the bible thumpers only get from me what they give
The problem is that most cannot handle it.
posted by
gomedome
on February 21, 2005 at 2:38 PM
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Talion -- I don't know how I already knew this to be so
but I did. You have a certain air of decency about you that is somehow transmitted in your writing.
posted by
gomedome
on February 21, 2005 at 2:37 PM
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drasticmeasures -- take your best aim -- but be forewarned
someone else is likely to beat you to it.
posted by
gomedome
on February 21, 2005 at 2:35 PM
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Gomedome,
As laudable as the ideal as that sounds, taking full responsiblity for one's own actions and acting with the knowledge of the consequences in mind, it is not humanly possible to not succumb to emotion and lapse.
I'm afraid that in your philosophy there would be a tendency to want to whitewash or dismiss the consequences of our own actions too lightly. What is commonly called "being only human" is a way of dismissing and justifying "sin", the inevitable lapses. That leads directly to hubris, or the false self-inflated view of oneself as superior, intellectually and morally. Which you are doing right now.
posted by
Blanche.
on February 21, 2005 at 1:07 PM
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Everyone gets a fair shake, gomedome?
Except, of course, for the bible thumpers. They are probably going to hell, right? Just kidding, but we can't even discriminate against those who discriminate against us. I'm not really giving you a hard time, we're all in this together. I think you mean well and I also think the world will do just fine, it's the religious types that won't survive each other, and as for the hypocrites, good riddance.
posted by
pappy
on February 21, 2005 at 12:51 PM
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gomedome
I agree it's not for everyone, but it works just fine for me as well.
posted by
Talion
on February 21, 2005 at 12:27 PM
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your blog says shoot a non believer for Jesus
can I shoot you?
posted by
drasticmeasures
on February 21, 2005 at 12:21 PM
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