The Cellar - View Single Post - "the God of the Bible" (or "unbogging the IotD blog")

99 44/100% pure · 07-14-2003, 05:23 PM

I was actually enjoying this thread, because of the quality of the exchanges, and because the tenor was so notably pleasant. I think joydriven has done a better job than most True Believers I have been forced to endure to try to make a case for chosing to believe, well, something.

As I have grown older, I have (finally!) realized that the differences among the various theists are but tiny gaps, compared to the giant chasm separating theists from agnostics and atheists. But why lump the latter two together? Because it seems that it is not what one believes, but the fact that one is capable of believing that separates the two groups of people.

This may seem obvious, but once I noted my own absence of "faith" I found that this was a condition which permeates my being, not just my religious beliefs (or lack therof). With interest, I noted that those of my friends who are truly faithful to their religious convictions (not just "following the rules" and who don't try to "prove" that theirs is the right or only way) seem to have remarkable amounts of "faith" or "belief" in other areas of their life, as well.

I have come to accept that no arguement, no amount of discussion, no proported "facts" will ever sway me, as I lack the essential ability (desire?) to believe -- to go on pure faith. There have been times of enormous strife in my life when I have wished that I could believe, so that some sense or reason or comfort could be gleaned, but it seems I just don't have it in me. I no longer scorn or privately sneer at those who do, however, if it gives them some of that sense or comfort. Sometimes I wonder if it is better to believe a whole lot of bunk and get something out of it, than to believe absolutely nothing.

Note: This takes no account of how organized religion has historically been used to subdue the masses and accomplish nefarious agenda; I'm talking merely of current, individual experiences of the comfortable, well-educated classes in one of the wealthiest countries in the most enlightened age in human history.

07-14-2003, 05:23 PM	#25
99 44/100% pure Infrequently Astonished Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Baltimore metro area Posts: 324	Sigh . . . I was actually enjoying this thread, because of the quality of the exchanges, and because the tenor was so notably pleasant. I think joydriven has done a better job than most True Believers I have been forced to endure to try to make a case for chosing to believe, well, something. As I have grown older, I have (finally!) realized that the differences among the various theists are but tiny gaps, compared to the giant chasm separating theists from agnostics and atheists. But why lump the latter two together? Because it seems that it is not what one believes, but the fact that one is capable of believing that separates the two groups of people. This may seem obvious, but once I noted my own absence of "faith" I found that this was a condition which permeates my being, not just my religious beliefs (or lack therof). With interest, I noted that those of my friends who are truly faithful to their religious convictions (not just "following the rules" and who don't try to "prove" that theirs is the right or only way) seem to have remarkable amounts of "faith" or "belief" in other areas of their life, as well. I have come to accept that no arguement, no amount of discussion, no proported "facts" will ever sway me, as I lack the essential ability (desire?) to believe -- to go on pure faith. There have been times of enormous strife in my life when I have wished that I could believe, so that some sense or reason or comfort could be gleaned, but it seems I just don't have it in me. I no longer scorn or privately sneer at those who do, however, if it gives them some of that sense or comfort. Sometimes I wonder if it is better to believe a whole lot of bunk and get something out of it, than to believe absolutely nothing. Note: This takes no account of how organized religion has historically been used to subdue the masses and accomplish nefarious agenda; I'm talking merely of current, individual experiences of the comfortable, well-educated classes in one of the wealthiest countries in the most enlightened age in human history. __________________ Overcompensating for the 0.56% that is irredeemably corrupted.