Go to Religion in the Modern World
- Add a comment
- Go to Why are you the way that you are?
Other than the environment there are othe factors influencing our development
posted by
adventurer02
on September 13, 2016 at 4:24 AM
| link to this | reply
FineYoungSinger - that's a darned good response - - - I will elaborate on
it a bit more in a few hours.
posted by
gomedome
on September 30, 2007 at 12:31 PM
| link to this | reply
Re: FineYoungSinger - I see what you are saying though I do not know that there
Gome, I've met Cultural ________ from every walk of life. They are Atheist, Christian, Buddhist, etc., because it's fashionable, or because it suits their needs. I've worked with a few; sat through college classes with a few; have counted many as acquaintences. I could give examples, but I think you know what I mean. The person that decides to be Atheist for any reason other than they can't accept or believe in the existence of God. "I'm an Atheist because my parents were ________, and I don't like their religion" is a good illustration of what I mean. Or, "I'm an Atheist because that's what I was taught." Substitute "Catholic" or any other religion for "Atheist", for either statement and we're on the way to forming a Cultural _________.
Granted, many people launch from the Cultural into the Actual once they start looking beyond the superficial and getting into the heart of what they are choosing to believe. Then there are many that just blow with the wind. I could give you examples, but that would just take too long. So many people are so wrapped up in the material, though, that they don't ever get beyond the surface. ANYWAY I'm digressing again. And I need to pay the stupid $3 and get another blog. HAHAHA
And to ease your mind, I don't ever get offended by anyone's opinions or beliefs. I have many friends in many circles that have issues with the Catholic Church, and that is their right. You hold an opinion based on your experiences, your life, your education, your perspective, your personal studies, your personal journey; just because you are an individual, thinking breathing human being, you are entitled to every ideal you've formed. Not everyone that was a Catholic stays a Catholic, for a variety of reasons. This is true of any belief structure.
Even though I remain Catholic, there are many "Catholics" for whom I hold little love myself, as their behavior has done unbelievable harm. This is the great challenge for me, as I believe we are not here to judge, but to love, and through that love we learn from others, and learn about ourselves. How do you love a child molester? or a murderer? or a power-hungry bishop? Issues like these cross the borders of religion, and I know EVERY brand of religion has gaps in their moralities just like these. People belonging to all flavors of religion have done unbelievable harm, and I hold little love for them as well.
Stay true to yourself, friend, as I'm sure you've always striven to do. I always choose to learn from an alternative perspective than to lash out because of it. I hope you'll reciprocate, and as I've clearly seen in this dialogue we've been having, I am confident that you will.
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on September 30, 2007 at 7:08 AM
| link to this | reply
FineYoungSinger - I see what you are saying though I do not know that there
is such a thing as a "Cultural Atheist"?
When it is considered that the "culture" is comprised of dogma and community, atheism has neither. Racing to the last line of your comment "We're not cookie-cut piles of flesh" . . we are all wired differently, a point I continuously find myself trying to make with the "one set of beliefs fits all" mentality of those who would have everyone conform to their beliefs.
Finally when reading your comment and realizing you are a practicing catholic, I feel it necessary to warn you that you are having dialogue with the product of a catholic school mission. Inevitably you will be offended by my perspective but I will never apologize for despising the despicable.
posted by
gomedome
on September 29, 2007 at 12:33 PM
| link to this | reply
Re: FineYoungSinger - groupthink is another thing that just about anyone can be
Gome...you've made a very good point here.
It's incredible to me just how many people actually do not question their beliefs, and go through the motions having no idea why they are doing the things they are doing. In the world of religion, I belong to the Catholic persuasion. Now, I was born into my faith, but I stay in my faith because I read, ask, question and seek. I don't just sit in the pew because "that's how it's done".
Suspending all the issues and ideals surrounding my brand of faith, I'd like to point out that I have observed for myself amid hundreds of "Catholics" two very distinct groups: The Cultural Catholic and the True, Real Catholic.
The Cultural Catholic stands, sits, kneels on cue, but has no clue as to why they do the things they do; that blow with the wind as issues come and go, and really don't think about what their religion is really all about. They saunter up to communion and leave the church in a cloud, cutting off everyone in their path out the driveway. These, I'm sad to say, are the sheeple of my faith. They might as well be parrots.
The True, Real Catholic is one that knows why we stand, sit, kneel, what communion is all about, has a desire to expand and explore their faith, reads anything and everything they can get their hands on in order to understand exactly what it is they are doing, and learns from each word read, each action taken, each situation into which they enter, and stays Catholic as a matter of the growth they've allowed themselves to acheive. The True, Real Catholic often holds a very different view of God, religion, Catholicity and ritual than I do.
I believe you could say this about any religion or way of life, as I've encountered people in all walks of life that fall into these categories.
The Cultural Atheist vs the True, Real Atheist.
The Cultural Buddhist vs the True, Real Buddhist.
The Cultural Rastafarian vs the True, Real Rastafarian.
The list could go on.
The bottom line is this: The best defense against becoming a .... Yeah, what is the singular of Sheeple?....is to continue reading, learning, exploring, and developing into the individual that you were created to be (or evolved into, depending on the belief you happen to hold.) We're not cookie-cut piles of flesh.
For the record, I have more respect for a True, Real ANYTHING than a Cultural anything, no matter what beliefs they hold.
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on September 29, 2007 at 10:21 AM
| link to this | reply
Re: GEPRUITT - in answer to your question; Who am I?
More time? Yes, but not in the comments section. Look for a future post on this subject after a planned series of other topics. I will, however, add the following brief summation:
I consider myself, and only myself, regardless of any unfavorable background experiences, of which I have had many, solely responsible for being "who I am" or for "believing what I do, in fact believe." I am an independent and "free thinking" person, fully capable, I think, of reaching my own conclusions. I am highly resistant to being "programmed" by others. I consider it foolish to attribute to others the responsibility for my own behavior or beliefs to other people, events, or circumstances. Of course, my personal experiences do "weigh in" quite heavily, but my own thinking about those experiences weigh in even more. I, in no way, consider myself any sort of "victim!" I am slow to form my opinions and characteristically form them only after much detailed thought and analysis.
I hope this helps.
posted by
GEPRUITT
on September 28, 2007 at 9:38 PM
| link to this | reply
GEPRUITT - in answer to your question; Who am I?
Can you give us a little more time on that one?
posted by
gomedome
on September 28, 2007 at 7:23 AM
| link to this | reply
Who am I?
... is a much too complex question to address in comment form, but whatever and whomever I am can only be credited, or blamed, on myself. I can not lay that responsibility on any other.
posted by
GEPRUITT
on September 28, 2007 at 12:52 AM
| link to this | reply
Talion - it is absolutely frightening - but also one of the best wind ups
that I have ever accomplished.
But make no mistake, I'm laughing as hard at myself as much as I am at the entire absurd scenario. I completely understand and sypathize with one party, I think the other party is completely and utterly foolish but when I'm looking in the mirror I can only ask the person staring back at me . . "are you nuts?" (I will be concerned when I stop asking him that question)
. . . then here is the real laugh. Of the three playground combatants, I'm the only one not blocked by either of the others . . . . geez, I'm slipping.
posted by
gomedome
on September 27, 2007 at 8:39 PM
| link to this | reply
gomedome
I wasn't around yesterday, so I missed the fireworks, however, the remnants were quite easy to find. Damn. I don't know what else to say. "Moronic nonsense" doesn't begin to describe it. This has moved far beyond humorous. It's even way past entertaining. It's now securely in the realm of frightening. I've seen a lot in my life, but never have I witnessed anything remotely resembling this. I've never seen someone build so much from so little. I've never seen so many people blinded by flowery words and jackleg philosophy. I'm at a loss. This is something that's beyond my ability to comprehend.
posted by
Talion
on September 27, 2007 at 8:01 PM
| link to this | reply
Antonionioni - it's one of those words that is so self descriptive that
anyone hearing it knows immediately what it means.
posted by
gomedome
on September 27, 2007 at 1:45 PM
| link to this | reply
FineYoungSinger - groupthink is another thing that just about anyone can be
guilty of.
Understandably so when we are not compelled for any good reason to give whatever widely held misconception we hold as a belief any thought. As an example; I was told as a child to never go in the water to swim after a meal until 3 hours had passed, or I would cramp up and drown. I actually believed this misconception all of my life until I read a post right here on Blogit linking to an article exposing this notion as a fallacy. Religious beliefs on the other hand can not be considered as the same type of superfluous knowledge where we are not compelled to question some of the things we are told. On the contrary, an individual's religious beliefs are to a great extent a primary influence in the development of self identity amongst most people. To not question some of these things and to let such an important aspect of our personal development be left entirely to prevailing consensus in fact makes a person a ........ okay what's the singular of sheeple?
posted by
gomedome
on September 27, 2007 at 1:43 PM
| link to this | reply
Sheeple is a very good term.
posted by
Antonionioni
on September 27, 2007 at 1:20 PM
| link to this | reply
This touches on something I've been trying to put into words for years---
A friend and I often discuss the concept of "groupthink". I am particularly fond of Michael Savage's (it is Michael, isn't it? correct me if I'm wrong) term "sheeple", which better defines groupthink than a dictionary.
Great post!
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on September 27, 2007 at 10:05 AM
| link to this | reply