All questions are beautiful

by ashitaka 17 Replies latest jw friends

  • ashitaka
    ashitaka

    (I brought this over from Rex's thread)

    Does God exist-I always think of Khalil Gibran's couplet from The Prophet; "Do not say God is in my heart, but I am in the heart of God." I beleive that people use God to keep themselves in check, and they make the bible their moral register.

    Do I believe in a physical God, who cares for us? Sometimes. Do I think that if He is there watching us, that he is angry at our derision or apathy of Him or his purposes? No. How can an all knowing God not know the difficulties we face? If He is there, he sees them.

    He wants good people on the earth, just like we want good neighbors to live next to us.

    If there is no God, then believing in Him is a delusion...so what? Some delusions are beautiful, and can enrich our lives. Most of us don't truly believe in magical creatures, but when we read fiction with those creatures in it, isn't there an element to our lives opened up to us that we may not have seen before?

    On both sides of the coin there are advantages and disadvantages. some atheists may quarrel over the true meaning of morals and existentialism. Some God fearing men may quiver unnaturally at the prophecies in the bible, not looking for the meaning behind the words-which in many cases is love.

    Many athiests can be free, and let their lives be full of opportunity because they are not chained to superstition. Many God fearing men change bad habits and move their hearts to love like they never had before, because of their beliefs.

    There are no clear-cut answers...there never will be. There will never be a world-wide epiphany, where we all see a sign and believe....or disbelieve. That is why God, Atheism, and Agnostisism are all beautiful-the ideas are inherently human, and any human can make beautiful things.

  • joelbear
    joelbear

    A wise man once said:

    Everything is beautiful in its own way.

    Joel

  • Xena
    Xena

    Exactly! that is why I say...live and let live...as long as no one tries to force their beliefs on another if what you believe makes you feel good..makes you a better person then more power to you!

  • lauralisa
    lauralisa

    Hi Ashi,

    Beautifully said, and thanks for your thoughts.

    Joelbear, GRRR, now I'm gonna be singing that goofy Englebert Humperdink song all day, or Neil Diamond, or whomever it was. Maybe it was George Jetson.

    Mr. Rogers..?

    Xena, you rock.

    If the world didn't suck, we would all fall off
  • joelbear
    joelbear

    It was Ray Stevens, who also sang, The Streak.

    I keep telling yall Nudity is Beautiful, man.

    Rock on with your bad self.

    Joel

  • moman
    moman

    Yeah Ash, who can prove anything, but 4 some reason the old saying, "there are no atheists in the foxholes" haz lived on!
    -fastone-

  • funkyderek
    funkyderek
    Yeah Ash, who can prove anything, but 4 some reason the old saying, "there are no atheists in the foxholes" haz lived on!

    The main one being that the above myth is perpetuated by theists - mainly fundie Christians - who are too small-minded to consider the possibility that someone can genuinely, and for good reason, not believe in their god. Or maybe it's just that atheists are more careful with their lives.

    --
    Those who can induce you to believe absurdities can induce you to commit attrocities - Voltaire

  • patio34
    patio34

    Ashi,
    Your post and reasoning are beautiful, cheery, idealistic, and even noble.

    however, the flip side of it is when folks take their religion seriously enough to go to war, persecute, let children die, commit genocide, etc. The other side of the coin is pretty ugly.

    I guess religion's okay if you don't take it too far. Keep it to the confines of your beautiful post. The 1st 'commandment' should be "Live and let live."

    Cheers!
    Pat

  • funkyderek
    funkyderek
    The 1st 'commandment' should be "Live and let live."

    On that note, here are the 10 commandments of Solon, much better than those of Moses, IMHO

    1. Trust good character more than promises.
    2. Do not speak falsely.
    3. Do good things.
    4. Do not be hasty in making friends, but do not abandon them once made.
    5. Learn to obey before you command.
    6. When giving advice, do not recommend what is most pleasing, but what is most useful.
    7. Make reason your supreme commander.
    8. Do not associate with people who do bad things.
    9. Honor the gods.
    10. Have regard for your parents.

    I mentioned them in another post but it seems to have got buried. Here's more info on Solon and his commandments anyway.
    http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/features/2000/carrier2.html

    --
    Those who can induce you to believe absurdities can induce you to commit attrocities - Voltaire

  • tyydyy
    tyydyy

    I tend to agree with you Ash, but I don't think it'll be around forever. Eventually science will explain enough and educate the general public enough that the "believers" will be in the minority. At that point you will see a surge in the collective knowledge of our civilization. I say, the sooner we get there the better.

    TimB

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