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Gomedome
Thank you for your likewise well-articulated reply! Perhaps you and I have more in common than would be generally expected from two people with such widely different religious views. I, personally, often read your posts and have seldom failed to find something of real value in them. A healthy interchange can not be anything but good for us all! So, keep up the good work!
Gerald
posted by
GEPRUITT
on September 27, 2006 at 2:55 PM
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GEPRUITT - I have to give you credit for that well articulated comment
That is a very good answer and pretty well hits the nail squarely on the head with the points you make. That is what life is like for a non believer in North America and inadvertently you have also outlined exactly why I write my blog in this category. Fortunately, the tide is slowly shifting from one predominant religion to many sets of beliefs being more common in our societies. With this shift, many are forced to understand for the first time in their lives exactly what the words: freedom of religious expression actually means.
I am also aware of the recent poll you speak of. I find it completely hilarious to be honest with you...for a number of reasons. In the real world I have found the complete opposite to be true. The most trustworthy of people that I have met in life all seem to be non believers (I do however have to concede that my sampling is small). Non believers also statistically make up the lowest representation of all prison populations in all western societies. These things cannot be dismissed as simply all atheists being too smart to get caught. ...self serving propaganda and proliferated misconceptions are the more likely culprits but I also find these types of things ultimately motivating. It is as if I am somehow obligated to prove these types of misconceptions as wrong.
posted by
gomedome
on September 27, 2006 at 2:13 PM
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fahola
Your doubt is a good thing! Contrary to the fear of being a "doubting Thomas," facing and dispelling or confirming your doubts is the ONLY way to strenghen your faith. Of course, there IS a chance (although very slight) that the Atheist may be right; I would be in error if I failed to admit that. But, even if there is no Intelligent Supreme Being or Hereafter, neither you nor I, nor anyone else will be there! Then we will have no opinions or feelings at all, incliding even the feeling of "disappointment!" We will be as we were for the eternity of time before we were born (I don't remember being sad during that time, do you!
Please read my posts on "Proofs of the Existence of a Supreme Being," all of them, in this same BLOG. You will only have to page down far enough to find them!
Don't worry. God is on His Throne, and all is right (not necessarily GOOD in our eyes) with the world! It is going exactly and precisely as He knew it would from the beginning!
Gerald
posted by
GEPRUITT
on September 27, 2006 at 1:35 PM
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Gomedome
Gomedome,
First of all, please forgive this delay in responding to your query; I am a "night owl," and normally do not rise before about 2:00 P.M. or so ( it is now shortly after 1:00 P.M.) here.
To attempt to answer your question, I feel it desirable to remind you that, as with many others on Blogit (including you), these are my opinions and, as such, are just as prone to errors as anyone else's.
Why do I think you are "paying a ‘hellava" price for your beliefs?
1) You are literally surrounded by those who not do not only simply disagree with you, but disagree strongly and sometimes even violently! (There ARE, as you say, some real wackos and crazies among those who call themselves "Christians!"
2) As an Atheist, you are, according to a recent (NBC, I think) poll, among the, if not THE most distrusted minorities in the U.S.A.
3) There are quite a number of places, especially in the Mid-East, where you may visit only if you keep your mouth shut about your religious beliefs, or run the risk of being hunted down and killed like an animal.
4) In this country, between 75 and 85% of the population are Christians. Somehow you must deal with and work with these people and therefore must have many associated "headaches," to say the least!
5) In addition, you must have, (unless you are an extremely exceptional example) numerous relatives and friends who are "Bible thumpers" who, at the least, must sometimes or often annoy and/or severely distress you.
6) Add to this list those which I stated in my post (numbered 1, 2, and 3 under "One last set of comments"), along with those you, yourself can probably even better identify, I personally think it is more than reasonable to conclude that you are "paying one hellava price!"
I, myself, have beliefs which make me unpopular with my fellow Christians, relatives, and many members of the Scientific community as well, and can well-identify with the nature of your position. I know, perhaps more than many how "troubling" this can be!
Gomedome, you need not be concerned about "going against your better judgement" with me.
I may be wrong, but I always try to be totally honest in expressing my opinions. Debate can be a very good thing, but I simply refuse to "argue" with anyone! It just does not pay!
If I can be of further service, well, I am here.
Live long and profit!
posted by
GEPRUITT
on September 27, 2006 at 12:59 PM
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GEPRUITT, I have learned more understanding about atheists in
these two postings than I ever knew or realized. I think you are right, I believe they do suffer, but I have an underlying feeling, or sense or even fear, what if they are right and I am wrong? Where it comes from I do not know, why it is there I do not know. I just trust the Sacred Word made Flesh and try to live showing respect and appreciation for all the diverse people our world holds!
Thanks, God bless, faholo
posted by
faholo
on September 27, 2006 at 10:43 AM
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GEPRUITT - against my better judgement, I have to ask
What is this "....helluva price" that you suggest that atheists are already paying?
posted by
gomedome
on September 27, 2006 at 7:30 AM
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