Text 13546, 106 rader
Skriven 2011-01-10 23:26:42 av Richard Webb (1:116/901.0)
  Kommentar till text 13543 av Ross Cassell (1:123/456)
Ärende: Welcome to the 21st century in a supposedly civilized country
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Hello ROss,

On Mon 2039-Jan-10 17:05, Ross Cassell (1:123/456) wrote to Richard Webb:

 RC>> 3. A radical non-believer (atheist if you will) cannot fathom why
 RC>> anyone would dare believe in some sort of deity and seeks to
 RC>> banish said faiths   from the planet or at minimum, plain view.

 RW> but many nonbelievers don't mind if you practice whatever
 RW> you practice.  tHey're just not willing to allow the various sects to

RC> But notice how you quickly state that these people are less likely
RC> to be radical than someone with a belief?

OF course, because these are usually people who believe in
reason, and show a modicum of intelligence.
YEs, they'll step forward to defend the teaching of actual
science in the classroom.  sOme of us will even run the
Jehovah witness off our porches at gunpoint if we have to.
I'll say no firmly one time to the proselytizing weirdo at
my front door.  The second time the hammer comes back on the short barreled
Winchester and he gets a reminder that he is
at this point trespassing and to move it along, and don't
bother to leave the literature.

I remember an incident with some Hare Kirshnas at a bus
terminal one time which also ended in one of them in a fetal position on the
floor.  I said no once, that should have
been sufficient.

RC> Atheism in of itself is a belief, a belief that there is no GOD and
RC> more than likely a firm believer in the Big Bang and Darwinian
RC> theories. 

Which have more plausibility and scientific proof than do
any of the religions I've seen.  THe thing is, there are
some of us out here who are Christians or other faiths who
do not discount the science behind those, who firmly believe that science shows
us the building blocks, and how they were put together.  That doesn't mean that
because many of us
embrace science that we totally discount any supreme being.
Many find room in their worldview for both.  OThers do not.
Imho the phrase "whatever floats your boat" applies.
But, when you start pushing GEnesis instead of science in the classroom I'll
quarrel with you every time, whoever you
might be.  NOte I don't mean you personally ROss, I've never seen you advocate
that one.

LEt the pulpit thumpers defend themselves, they do a good
enough job of that, to the point of shouting anybody that
doesn't smoke their brand down every chance they get.  When
they can't get their audience any other way they shout death to the infidel and
fly planes into buildings or march their
troops into another place to kill the "infidels."
the religions of the world, in equal measure are responsible for some of the
most noble acts of humanity, and simultaneously
some of the most brutal.

RC> You made no concessions or defenses for those of faith who also do
RC> not get all radical.

Because their reason and the fact that they do not get all
radical speaks volumes, quite loudly that they are people of reason.  THey wish
to go about their lives worshiping as
they choose and not pushing an agenda.  These are people
with lives to lead, kids to raise, etc.  They are, in their
own ways the best advertisement for their individual brands
of faith.  Many of them are also I note the folks who
actually live their brand of faith instead of wear it on
their sleeves or use it as a club.  They don't need a
bludgeon or a bully pulpit.  By just living their lives they are bright and
shining examples of the best attributes of
their religion.  But, you notice they're not the ones we
read about in the papers or see on the news.  They don't
need to ride a bus to some funeral to chant "god hates fags" or blow up a
building.  THey aren't pushing science out of
our schools and forcing us back centuries.

I do much of what I do in my life as an emergency comms
volunteer because of the tenets of my faith.  I don't have
time to preach a sermon, I have other things to do.  Imho
"infidel" is in the eye of the beholder.  IN other words, as JEsus said "He who
is without sin cast the first stone."I
have better things to do than throw rocks.  MOst of the
moderates do as well.  THey're the folks you see reaching
out a hand to the neighbor in need, showing up after the
disaster with aid and comfort to the stricken.  IF you ask
one of them in the course of conversation about their
beliefs they're glad to tell you.  OTherwise, they endeavor
to actually live their beliefs and not just be a flashy
billboard with nothing behind it to back it up.
the moderates have no need, or desire to ride a bus a
thousand miles to disrupt a funeral of a man they don't even know.  They have
no need, or desire to strap explosives to
their bodies and rush into a crowd, or fly an airplane into
an office building.  THey're not about spectacle.  tHey're
about living life, one day at a time, trying to be better
people.




Regards,
           Richard
--- timEd 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin:  (1:116/901)