amazing...i don't understand any theory that claims anything other than we were created by a Being who had a plan in mind that we have since screwed up with our free will...this whole universe runs on such a tight program that i don't see how "chance" and "just happened" ever enter the discussion...the more i learn, the more i come to understand what a miracle life is and the less i take it for granted
I think the reason we don't understand the viewpoints of others is because we choose our beliefs. Of course, we choose them for our own varying reasons.
Our choice of beliefs puts us in the precarious position of perhaps having to say we are right and the other guy is wrong. It doesn't necessarily have to be that way, though. To me, I don't see the reasons for believing in a supreme being. A primary reason for having chosen this belief is that I haven't seen evidence which is sufficient to satisfy my need to know.
By the same token, I have to have respect for the belief that others have chosen which tells them that this earth, everything in it and the wonders of the universe were all created by a divine presence. I have to respect the fact that they choose to acknowledge that presence with their devotion.
The hardest thing we can do is step outside ourselves and understand another person's vision of us from an objective point of view. To walk a mile in their moccasins while looking over our shoulder at ourselves. Can we do that? It's tough. It's key to remaining open-minded at all times.
From your perspective, Semi, it's a question of saying, "Yeah, I understand that you need to see God, Wag, but look around you! Can't you see that this couldn't have just all happened by coincidence?"
We thus start a dialog and trade moccasins for a while as we walk that path. If we come away from that journey of thought, we may not have changed belief but we may then understand each other's varying beliefs.
And that would be a very good thing.
An example of what NOT to do: Last month, I went to a family reunion with my very much believing extended family. Generally, everyone always leaves me alone with regard to my blackened wool but for some reason, one of my uncles took it upon himself to try to recruit me back into the faith. It was immediately apparent that he had no care whatever for my own beliefs and didn't want to hear anything about it.
Unfortunate. We could have had a good conversation had he been willing to have a rational discussion. He just had no intention of, "trading moccasins for a while." When we were done with our one-sided dialog, we were no further ahead than when we started.
What charges my batteries the most is knowing that I can have a discussion here and people are rational don't get all offended because of what someone else believes.
Thank you for that.
--Wag--
