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writersjourney
Thank you for your learned and interesting comment.
I must confess to not having read the work that you quote, but the point that you make about religion being used as a cloak for purely secular oppression and warfare if precisely that one that I am endeavouring to make.
All religious beliefs lend themselves all to readily for this purpose, which is partly why I no longer have them, not any belief in God or gods.
It seems clear to me that once one has an immutable conviction of the validity of one's beliefs, then it follows that all who dissent from them are " wrong ". My point is that they can't all be right, but can all be wrong ; in fact are more likely to all be wrong than right.
How can one possibly believe in a God who is not a unitary being to all religions, but has many faces and attributes? One is led ineluctably to the conclusion that in fact it is Man who creates his Gods in his own image, to suit his own purposes ; not vice versa.
No doubt this discussion will continue between us, and I look forward to further comments from you in future.
posted by
ariel70
on December 4, 2005 at 4:43 AM
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Nicholas of Cusa
Areil, sorry I couldn't read your post sooner. The next two weeks will be difficult for me, but I'll try to keep up. I did reply to your comment in one of my blogs on spirituality and religion and wish to take the topic up with you further after this semester is over.
In response to part 3 of "A Catholic Boy's Long Journey" I would suggest that Nicholas of Cusa, in "The Catholic Concordance" Cambridge University Press (1991) wrote a powerful and influential discourse in the 15th Century on the principles behind the unity and diversity of nations and peoples in relation to diverse perspectives of the divine principle.
It seems to me that most "religious wars" are really political wars and wars over natural resources or to dismantle sovereign states that "threaten" to become "too powerful" and too independent of global financial interests. Religion is merely used as a cover for these ends, and to whip the unwitting public into frenzy.
On a theological level, I would not expect uniformity of perception of the image of God, but I do not believe that the diversity of revelation is as great as you have indicated in your post. For a consistent Christian perspective of the divine I would read the four Gospels. There is a consistent "voice" that comes through these texts, which has not changed throughout the ages.
posted by
writersjourney
on December 4, 2005 at 3:15 AM
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I too hate those who are intolerant of other peoples religion. In Utah, there is a major movement against the LDS church which involves protests in front of our temple on any given Sunday. Why are people so threatened by the beliefs of others?
posted by
tigerprincess
on November 28, 2005 at 7:29 PM
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Ariel, thanks for sharing your experiences with us and how you came to
what you believe or don't believe. 
posted by
Ariala
on November 28, 2005 at 2:10 PM
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humanity should continually be moving toward a more clear perception of "god", whatever that may be; however, religion feels that all movement necessary has already happened, thus they remain static under the perception that Perfect Truth alre;ady has occured.
"We see in part; we know in part." from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, the 13th Chapter.
posted by
Xeno-x
on November 28, 2005 at 1:59 PM
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ariel
Though at odds with the notion of Atheism, I am in complete agreement that what we are wont to call God is but the projection of ourselves. Hence, we believe He thinks and acts as we do, lives in the dual nature of physicality, has lacks that should be filled, and grows angry at not getting His way. This is obviously anthromophorpism. Great work.
posted by
avant-garde
on November 28, 2005 at 12:36 PM
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Blanche
Just here for a few minutes this a,am.
I shall deal with this matter of spirituality in a later post, and set out my views on the subject.
Thanks for your continuing support
posted by
ariel70
on November 28, 2005 at 1:23 AM
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Ariel70,
Well-reasoned, articulate and logical. Yet, while acknowledging all those things to be true: religions have fostered hatred, fought wars, tortured and killed in the name of their god. All these intractable religions insisting they are right, the truth, cannot possibly right, so therefore more logical to be wrong. All these things are true, yet, illogically, I believe in a spirit, an unseen force, a guiding hand behind the phenomena of the physical world, and a tripartite nature to that force: God, the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit.
We'll never know to the end, how this plays out. I await your future posts.
posted by
Blanche.
on November 27, 2005 at 4:14 PM
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Ariel70, You get no argument from me.
posted by
kingmi
on November 27, 2005 at 11:54 AM
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Babe
Thank you for your long comment.
Yours.it seems to me, is true Christianity, for you don't judge or condemn others in their beliefs, or lack of them.
posted by
ariel70
on November 27, 2005 at 11:22 AM
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This is all very interesting. There are people who will ask, "Are you a Christian?", and they are eliciting a certain answer. I can honestly say "yes" for the following reasons. I grew up in a Christian culture and I celebrate Christmas. I have not declared myself something else, such as Jewish. Buddhist. atheist.... I belong to a mainline denomination that does not dig too deeply into my personal thoughts, and I honor the history and tradition of that church while acknowledging its dark side. I believe Jesus Christ is a good model to follow, but others may have found a different model. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America believes the Bible is inspired but not infallible. Like C.S. Lewls, I believe that faith and doubt exist side by side in human experience. I am comfortable with my own definition of Christianity.
As far as the "are you saved?" folks are concerned....I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Not sure I know what it is I need to be saved from. I once met a lady named Lily White. That was her real name. Honest. She said to me, "I was raised Lutheran but then I became a Christian".
posted by
babe_rocks
on November 27, 2005 at 11:18 AM
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