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Talion - one of my good friends is a Baptist minister
Where we do not have the bond that is created by a lifelong friendship, it demonstrates to me that it is possible for those of divergent religious opinion to get along with each other.
posted by
gomedome
on January 3, 2007 at 9:33 AM
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gomedome
I've known my best friend since college in 1988. That's nearly all of my adult life. He's Catholic. He knows my religious views. We've discussed religion countless times while sharing the ultimate truth serum, a mixture of trust, respect, and plenty of Jack Daniels. The operative word in that sentence is
discussed. We never argue, never debate, or try to prove the other is wrong. We talk and listen and most importantly, we understand. We know we can believe in each other without believing in the same concept of God.
posted by
Talion
on January 2, 2007 at 11:05 PM
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Ciel - yes it is a human trait and therefore it becomes easy to understand
why so many never break out of this mind set.
As with all collective thoughts evolving into concepts, the growth of the concept becomes multi faceted. It is not that difficult to see where the offshoot of isolationism occurs in this growth, if being viewed from the outside, but is very difficult to realize while a party to it. The comfort and reaffirmation of the religious community reinforces the individual's inherent human penchant to seek the association of those they agree with. This sentiment is reinforced by a subtle (sometimes not so subtle) negative depiction of those who are of divergent or differing religious opinion. Then there are a host of other societal conditioning effects on the individual utilized as further reinforcement. It is little wonder why some people act the way that they do.
posted by
gomedome
on January 1, 2007 at 2:09 PM
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Gomedome
Precisely!
posted by
Presley
on January 1, 2007 at 1:52 PM
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It seems to be a human trait to seek security and certainty in the
agreement of others. As if, the more people believing a thing, the truer it is. As I have said elsewhere, and in the language if my favored paradigm, the more people that contribute energy to a thought-form, the more powerful it becomes-- but it is still only a thought-form, and not a truth. But this is a distinction not everyone makes.
Disagreement and non-conformity, therefore, constitute a threat to security and certainty, and we can't be havin' with that!
posted by
Ciel
on January 1, 2007 at 1:41 PM
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Presley - that is the key "centuries old guidelines" . . as in completely
outdated for a modern world.
When it is considered that the groundwork for this paradigm was laid in a time when there were no real religious divisional barriers and the world was a relatively small community, how can the same rules apply today? We live in a world that has changed exponentially from the era of these guidelines. Other religions have become established. The global religious community is a widely diverse mosaic yet we have some religions (probably most) that proliferate isolationism.
posted by
gomedome
on January 1, 2007 at 1:12 PM
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cantey_1975 - that's an excellent comment - it cracked me up
But I do feel you are being a little too harsh on organized religion collectively. There is no refuting that in many cases religion acts as a crutch for some people, one addiction replacing another in some instances but this is not true of all people. There are many that are trapped in this paradigm and don't even realize it. Existing within it simply because nothing has compelled them to escape it.
Happy New year. . . (we can still say that can't we? - the atheists haven't gotten to this one yet have they?)
posted by
gomedome
on January 1, 2007 at 1:02 PM
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Gomedome
Why do I think that is? Fear! A paradigm blinded by self-induced fear and an inability to think or feel outside the scope of a centuries old set of
GUIDELINES.
posted by
Presley
on January 1, 2007 at 12:54 PM
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Gome
I think christian religion and other religions provide a means for many people to have their sole social realm of interaction. It is because they were so inept and /or crazy to begin with is what led to religion. So it makes sense that when they are faced with the task of socializing at any level with another person via Blogit or real life, the deer in headlights effect takes over.
happy new year.
posted by
calmcantey75
on January 1, 2007 at 12:45 PM
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