tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726306875167162020.post2756193591789724309..comments2023-10-30T03:58:20.807-04:00Comments on Small Town Skepticism: Let me clarifysarniaskeptichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02183125250166884307noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726306875167162020.post-30159063230771596752009-04-16T09:30:00.000-04:002009-04-16T09:30:00.000-04:00C Woods: I completely agree with you. I've engag...C Woods: I completely agree with you. I've engaged Nathan because I think only good can come of it. I'm not one for pandering to the religious (as I'm sure you can see in my blog) and I do think that science and religion conflict. <br /><br />I am amazed at the ability to compartmentalize individual beliefs but I know most people can do it.<br /><br />We haven't dealt with the issues of science but I do wonder how Nathan would answer questions like:<br />How old is the earth?<br />Are we related to all species on earth?<br />Did dinosaurs and humans co-exist?sarniaskeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02183125250166884307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726306875167162020.post-52886822808356241092009-04-11T03:20:00.000-04:002009-04-11T03:20:00.000-04:00I, too, am a non-believer. I admit, I am tired of ...I, too, am a non-believer. I admit, I am tired of religious people trying to make the U.S. into a theocracy and "save" me while they are doing it, but I'm sure I could sit down with both the blogger here and Nathan and have a great and amicable conversation about the pros and cons of religion.C Woodshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13053858627632648020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726306875167162020.post-24347868303271886002009-04-09T00:19:00.000-04:002009-04-09T00:19:00.000-04:00Hey Skeptic (I'll post this on your site too)I nev...Hey Skeptic (I'll post this on your site too)<BR/><BR/>I never thought you were bashing me, I thought it was a well grounded and logical critique and encouragement, so I'll take it as both, but thanks for clarifying. Not sure who is reading your site or commenting to you, but hopefully they were graceful in their words to you.<BR/><BR/>I share a lot of your struggles with religion, but I just choose to work from within the system in a lot of ways, it's a different kind of route all together, but I would say it is just as entertaining and has just as much logic and faith mixed in it as you have in your beliefs. <BR/><BR/> You are right on with your point. theStory is new and it is different, but it is far from the church that I imagine being an actual force of good in the world. I think we make beautiful strides, and great things come from people in our community, but we are also filled with pride and selfishness and I'm sure we will constantly struggle with it.<BR/><BR/>You are right, we can only be so different. The things you struggle with about church, I struggle with about church. <BR/><BR/>I appreciate what you said about money. While money is the vice of many of us in North American culture, I don't think it is the final sign of showing whether someone, or some church is virtuous or not. Of course, this isn't to excuse the massive waste of money that churches and individuals have thrown away at corrupt systems to appease their own guilt, but it does at least reassure me that there can be some good amongst everything else that haunts the church.<BR/><BR/>I don't know how else to explain my position to you. I don't generally look at my position on religion and church as an overly religious position. I've grown up seeing religion be used for nothing more than to further selfish desires of the people in power. I think religion (or whatever we want to call it) in its purest form can actually be an act of beauty in the world. I would like to think that any religion that I could adhere to is one that encouraged grace, love, peace, putting others before yourself and inclusion to the whole of the human race. Generally religion is though of as a list of rules of do's and don'ts and 7 steps for salvation in your afterlife, and most religions, Christianity included has been unfortunately reduced to nothing more than that. I do however, believe there is more going on than that, and that is where my faith lies.<BR/><BR/>So I'm a skeptic right alongside of you. I'm skeptical towards any religion, including my own. I'm skeptical towards anyone that says God told them something. I'm skeptical towards anyone who doesn't allow room for good conversation and for the strongest of beliefs to be held up for question. I'm skeptical towards those that say they are following a religion but really are just pushing nonsensical jargon down whoever will listen, and usually only because of their own insecurities about what they believe. I'm skeptical towards any religion that lies and doesn't make room for truth (in medicine, science, math or physics or anything else) and I'm skeptical towards all the abuse and horrific things done in the name of God. Without skeptics like you, we are never pushed for truth and we usually end up staying content with whatever lies feel good to us that day. So thanks again.NathanColquhounhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14813551262937303118noreply@blogger.com