Date: Sun, 06 Jul 1997 09:05:26 -0700
From: Michael Moore <mmoore@antares.tymnet.com>
Subject: Re: virus: Religion
Eric Boyd wrote:
>
> > So what did I really 'not understand'? In a word Islam. This
> > seemed to me to be the ultimate in 'whacked out religions'.
> > The challenge for me - Become a Muslim. Step out of my
> > world into something very opposite of what I believed myself
> > to be.
>
> I'm keenly interested in other religions besides Christianity now,
> too.
> I think I understand it well enough to agree that while it has
> validity
> inside of itself (that is, if you accept the "faith", "original sin",
>
> and "sacrificial death on the cross", "God" "etc." deal, Christianity
> is
> capable of providing *meaning* to individuals. Perhaps, inside it's
> own
> boundaries, even *evidence*.) But from an external persepective,
> such
> as mine, all one asks is "to save me from what?" No meaning.
>
> And so I'm going to broaden the religion search. I need to get my
> hands
> on a copy of the Torah, or some other religious text.
(SNIP)
> Regardless, I see no other way now. I've gone too far. At the drop
> of
> a stone, I could call myself a Christian. And I know it. Psychic
> dissonance. I can't tell you how difficult it's been for me to manage
>
> *both* of the world views. I'm torn, day in and day out.
snip-Believe me, I understand. I seem to vacillate on this subject. I
find it interesting how my environment, people, place, music, food, etc.
seem
to influence what side if the fence I am siting on .
(KM) The Stockholm Syndrome?
I've tons more to say, but gotta go. Aren't you lucky! ;-)
mike
> ERiC
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Ken McE comments:
Seen from an outsiders point of view, all religions are equally silly.
Seen from an insiders point of view, most of them are equally useful and
valid.
If you want to get a little serious perspective on your religion, I
would suggest that you abandon the whole stuffy field of
angry-daddy-in-the-sky-religions and look into something like the
neo-pagan movement.
They are making it up as they go along, just like our ancestors did,
and having quite a fine time doing so. If you are experementally minded
you can play freely with ritual & beliefs, and see for yourself what
happens.
Regards, Ken McE
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“Just blame it all on those pesky memes.” - W. L. Benzon