Text 395, 130 rader
Skriven 2006-11-18 01:52:10 av MATT CLARK (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av JOHNJWILSON
Ärende: GOD AND 'RATIONALITY'
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MC>   Did you ever ask yourself 'what' inner entity endowed your
MC>  grandfather with a sense of right and wrong?

JW>  No. I will now though. My first thought was 'family tradition'.

Virtually all the traditions that have stood the test of time were the
product of religion.  The Bible, the Koran, etc are filled with parables
about families, hunting, eating, health, etc.


JW>  "Honesty is the best policy" was a fundiment of his life.
JW>  He had a reputation for honesty - during the depression, when FDR
JW>  closed the banks...local businessmen came with their money to HIM. 
JW>  (!) No church goers in my family. But when a housekeeper wanted to
JW>  take me to church Grandfather was in cheerful agreement...
JW>  I went for a while...really enjoyed it. I was in grade five I
JW>  think.  Began my variegated love for the Bible...read it 
JW>  (or about it) every day.  

I currently do not go to any particular Church, but I was raised a
Christian and still subscribe to the basic tenants of Christianity.


JW>  Lessee...68 years (!) Egads! Another reminder that I am 
JW>  an old person! (I keep ignoring that :-)

  We're all on the same train my friend.



MC>  You can tell someone what is right and wrong but what 
MC>  makes a person believe it and 'want' to do what's right, 
MC>  as your grandfather did?

JW>  I would like to emulate him as much as I can.
JW>  I would like that some of that rubbed off in my and 
JW>  will in turn rub off on my offspring.


From the impressions I get from your writing, I think I can safely say
that it has.


JW>  ..and (most importantly) He lived an upright life.

MC>  I salute your grandfather.

JW>   Thank you for bringing him to my memories attention.
JW>   A pleasant few minutes.  (The Chinses' ancestor worship...
JW>   not a totally bad idea...:-)

Foolish to ignore those who have gone before us and the warning signs
they have left along the path of life.


JW>   If religious could only take seriously what 
JW>   their founders taught!

MC>   Overall they do.

JW.  I wish I could believe that. 

I try not to judge a religion by those who fail to measure up to it.



MC>  We'll let the atheists around here try to drag them down...

JW>   Actually it's a search for truth. A denial of (mainly)
JW>   Christianity because the actually have read what Jesus 
JW>   is said to have taught as recorded in the New Testament 
JW>   and are overwhelmed by how little difference it makes 
JW>   in people lives.   Present company excluded. :-)

You are not alone.


 -> to their level by digging up the exceptions...

JW>  Exceptions are to be well noted, I believe -- when they 
JW>  are not there is even a greater danger to Christendom 
JW>  than even ol' cynical me thinks there now is. :-|

Oh, I don't ignore the exceptions, I just note how some will take an
exception and try to parade down main street with it as if it was the
rule.




MC> ...As a man sometimes I fall from love when I 
MC>  am provoked, attacked, etc

JW>  Hell, so did Paul :-}

Don't you mean 'Heavens, so did Paul'?  :-)




MC> ...but water always finds its own level and in spite of all
MC>  the wrong that people do I still feel compassion for them.

JW> Muslims included?

I must admit, it is often difficult in this day and age...especially
since so many are tuning into insurgents and terrorists.
Still I realize that most Muslims are ok, but I am concerned that 
when it comes down to it, they will side with our enemies.



MC>   No rational reason to fight evil?  Thanks for that insight.
MC>   Keep talking Mr. 'god dan'. 

JW>   Evil is a human invention to explain sorrow, pain, and Why
JW>   Things Go Wrong.

MC>   That might be true if we invented the things that go wrong.

JW>   Man is the Things go Wrong inventor.

I think the forces of nature and 'Murphy's Law' factor into it somewhat.

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