On Dec 22, 2007 3:59 PM, Doug <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > If some of the milblogs are to be believed, the "God's will" excuse is > prevalent in Iraq and Afghanistan and possibly throughout the Muslim > world. This is of course anecdotal, but how often do we get the "God > works in mysterious ways" BS excuse to explain or even justify tragic > circumstances?
Much too often... as if God were responsible for everything, which then leaves us responsible for nothing. But that's an abuse of religion, not what the great teachers have taught. I'm saying it that way to distinguish from what televangelists and their ilk say. I don't think they represent the mainstream of religion, at least in Christianity... and many Muslims seem to be saying the same thing about their faith. > > I think that, if humanity regarded themselves as masters of their own fate > rather than believing that some imaginary being was pulling strings that > they had no control of, they might play a greater role in guiding that > fate. We clearly are not the masters of our own fate. I'm not saying that means there is a God, but there at least is a lot of very random sh... stuff going on, over which we have no control. And although it certainly is popular to believe in an all-powerful God, that's not the God of the Bible. Perhaps religion is a crutch to cope with feeling helpless, but I think there's more to it than that. Spirituality for many people is a way -- crutch if you will, but if that's what it is, we all need it sometimes -- to deal with helplessness in the face of random shit that happens. > > All that said, I _don't_ believe as others we've heard from, that > religions are evil, or even that they are useless. Historically, I think > that religion may have played a major role in selecting the intelligence > that is our hallmark. Also, I think that wherever people gather with the > greater good of humanity in mind, it is at least potentially beneficial > (though in the hands of the wrong leader, it is also potentially harmful). Indeed. > > It's just my opinion that, were we to believe that we were doing it for > our collective selves; for the benefit of our children and the future of > humanity, we would be more likely to take an interest. And that if people > thought that the _only_ way to live beyond their physical life was via > their offspring and their good works, perhaps they would pay more > attention to that aspect of their lives. > > I don't really appreciate being labeled a cynic, however gentle, because I > feel this way. What you described is what the church calls stewardship... and it is ignored by too many populist religious leaders. Nick -- Nick Arnett [EMAIL PROTECTED] Messages: 408-904-7198 _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
