I listened impatiently while a friend,addressing my agnosticism, asked me pointedly "what if you are wrong?" The implication was that his version of devine rule (Baptist, I believe) was correct and I was destined to burn for eternity in hell-fire after a life filled with heart-ache and plague. I have on many occassions, listened to the rational of religous zealotry, explain to me why their version of devine rule was correct and why everyone else's version was either miss-guided or down right incorrect and condemming the poor lost souls to hell-fire and damnation. I have heard so many versions of this, that I wonder why there isn't something like a "god Lottery" or a comittee to define God for us in politically correct standard, maybe a few possible amendments to the ten commandments to account for queers, pedophiles, democrats, and amway salesmen. MAybe we could pick a few of the major dieties and put them on a roullette wheel and let the ball decide the god of the day ( I like this idea because certainly the real god could influence where the little ball dropped). It is not my intent to be offensive to anyone's beliefs here, but you must admit that there are a host of deeply committed theologies and a good many of them have their fingers on the trigger. This wouldn't concern me at all, except that there is no way to avoid getting caught in the cross-fire as an innocent athiest. Someone is eventually gonna deliver us a 20 kiloton message from their particular diety, just like they drove their stolen airplanes into the world trade center and this doesn't seem particulary fair to those of us that don't care which, if any, of the dieties are correct.
Well thats where the problem comes in, few of the major religions are able to accept that there can be more than one right way and far to many of them have a philosophy of 'if you arent with us youre against us', Im not saying this is true of all members of any religion but most denominations of the major religions even tend to think that other followers of different denominations of the same religion are wrong and when they get teh idea that another group is against their god then it becomes truely dangerous. Most of the religions teach the same general idea of how to live but some how are far to often twisted to support hatred of anyone who dosent see the doctrine and theology the same.
If Im right we all make it if we do the best we can with what we have and choose to do what our hearts tell us is right rather than just what we figure we can get away with regardless of which name we use for the creator or no name at all.
Oh and if Im wrong I still would feel better off for following this theory since I fugure I would expect no less of a universal creator than I would of a mortal man, so would expect justice and fairness, and if they would comdemn a good and decent kind person due to ignorance (lack of knowledge or evidence to show the knowledge true) while exhaulting a cruel and loathsom person just because they jumped through the right hoops or knew the right and chose to do wrong because they could get away with it then regardless of promised rewards or punishments I could not in good conciounce follow such a deity. Just my own philosophy/theology in a nut shell, for better or worse.
Actually mm I was in essence speaking to Seacowboys when I said but what if you're right. However, it pertains to virtually anybody who disagrees with those who thump the bible and preach fire and brimstone if you don't agree with their particular stance on religion. I always believed that everyone should just live and let live (hmmm I seem to remember a theme song from the 60's with that as it's title)...
Yeah just figured would toss it outthere since I also am not exactly in line with most main stream religion especialy on the hel fire and brimstone thing.
Be careful who you say that to. Anyone who claims to be a warlock is just trying to impress someone with their stupidity. The word warlock means litteraly 'nonman' and translates to speaker of lies and breaker of oaths. If you call most Wiccan or pagan men a warlock its everybit as much asking for a fight as going up to a black person and calling them a niger, especialy since honor is VERY important to most pagans.
Seacowboys, Here is my stance. I am a Christian and do believe that my religion is the only one as that is the basis of my religion, hence Christ-ian. The difference between me and the thumpers is that I don't condemn anyone because my God says judge not, lest ye be judged. To me, to judge someone else religiously is hypocritical as none of us are without sin. Therefore, I feel sad for you as the best you can hope for is to die and just cease. If you and I met in person, I would shake your hand and probably expend many a rounds with you and have a good time because unlike a thumper, your religous beliefs are not what I judge my friendship on. I have numerous atheist aquaintences, doesn't mean a damn to me because you are man enough to make your choices. The part where I said I feel sad for you, it's because you won't be there with me in my afterlife to pump a few more rounds down range. Of course, that is just IMHO.
so ghrit... the story is? Reason me asks is this... My wife is a very natural person. She was in a pilates workout session the other day and was asked some questions by a member there... Not direct. not precise. When I heard them, I told her that she was prolly being felt out by a wiccan... was just wondering... Do witches get naked at rituals?
Its up to personal choice and also somewhat dependent on the tradition/denomination they follow. Some do choose to practice skyclad or naked, others whear robes and some practice in normal street clothes.
My point isn't to judge anyone's beliefs, just to avoid the collateral damage and shrapnal from their differences of opinion. I would die to support your right to believe in what-ever god you choose and by extension, it's human spokesman; Jesus, Mohammad, Budda, Hari Krishna, whatever. I don't waste my breath trying to impose my beliefs on anyone and don't condemn anyone for trying to press their beliefs on the rest of us; I just don't like getting caught in the cross-fire.