Is Religious Diversity Desirable?

Momma Angel wrote:

Don't you mean some institutional religion?

Good point. There are islands within all "mainstream" religions that are refuges for the weary.

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Dyslexia,

Being a Christian, I DO NOT consider my self superior to anyone. And as long as people say "it can't be done" then it won't be done. And if that's the way you feel about democracy, what's your solution to the problem?

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Momma Angel wrote:

Dyslexia,

Being a Christian, I DO NOT consider my self superior to anyone. And as long as people say "it can't be done" then it won't be done. And if that's the way you feel about democracy, what's your solution to the problem?

Must be one of actual Christians then, Momma, because the vast majority of the followers of Christ DO see themselves as superior to everyone, describing other views of the world as toxic for example. Others are toxic, their own is okie-dokie, blindness in one eye, can't see out of the other.

Deeply true believers wouldn't participate in any form of government, (hang around with some Mennonites for awhile for an interesting take on the vagaries of the world), believing that everything happens for a reason and the reason is God's Will.

Joe

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Dyslexia,

I do hope that I am one of those actual Christians. It's hard for anyone to overcome a sterotype.

And as far as politics goes, you have the right to vote to change what you don't like just like everyone else. So I say to those that don't like our laws, you don't like it? Find a better solution!

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Well, I'm glad to see there's diversity of opinion here for me soak up! Smile

thanks everyone for giving your say.

More questions just keep poppin' into my head as I read this and as I'm trying to figure out where I stand for myself.
I'm wondering:
Is it even POSSIBLE to NOT have religious diversity?

Humans has created theocracies, dictatorships, monarchies, democracies, and many other forms of gov't - they all break up eventually, there may be short periods of anarchy here and there but we always seem to organize ourselves according to our own personal truths anyways. There's always rebels. There's always someone feeling, thinking, eating, breathing differently than the majority. We can suppress them - but eventually it comes out like a boil bursting. We keep changing our minds as we learn and change and live. We grow as a species, and as individuals, and we have the whole rest of our planet and galaxies and unfathomables influencing and changing us too.

I'm not even sure anymore if this is a question for me to decide, or a lesson about 'life' .

Razz

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flushd,

As long as man has free will there will diversity period.

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flushd wrote:

real life wrote:
Are you asking if every possible point of view should have some adherents?

real life, I'm basically asking if people want to live surrounded by many different beliefs, or in a homogenous world.

I don't know if every possible viewpoint could ever be represented. I don't know if that is possible.

I brought up this question because I grow weary of so many people trying to convert me. I wondered if the evangelistic religions would give a different answer to this question than others. I wondered about the general ideas of people regarding religious diversity.

Mostly, I wonder why someone would find it preferable to try and have everyone believe the same things.

To me, this question is a no-brainer. If everyone believed the same thing, we'd be weaker as people. It would threaten our survival. It wouldn't make any sense to me.

But I want to understand.

If you approach this with the position that every idea or every religious idea is equally valid (i.e. "nothing is true and nothing is false". Another variation of this is "everything is true". These are variant ways of expressing a type of philosophical Relativism), then the obvious answer is that religious diversity has no consequence other than filling the world with variety, much as you might plant more than one type of flower in your garden.

If you recognize that not every idea or philosophy is valid, it is clear that the world is better off if some ideas or philosophies or religions have no adherents. So in that case, diversity for diversity's sake is harmful to the world.

Most people, for instance, would agree that Nazism is not a valid philosophy and we are better off if there are no believers in this idea. Many other examples could be brought to demonstrate why diversity for diversity's sake can be harmful to the world.

If not every idea is valid, then you are presupposing the existence of some form of Absolute Truth, because if Absolute Truth does not exist then every idea is equally valid (Relativism).

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flushd,

Real Life here is one of my mentors. I have learned so much from (ok, him or her?) The last time I tried to guess I got it wrong! Laughing

But seriously, Real Life has cleared up quite a few fuzzy things for me!

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Well let's clear up the fuzziness here. I'm definitely a guy. Ask my wife or the kids who call me Dad.

Thank you for your kind words, Momma Angel. You teach by example so well.

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Dang it! If I would have guessed, I would have guessed wrong. Usually men are not as good at putting across their thinking as well as you are. I dont' mean that as a stereotypical statement or generalization. But, I can sense the feeling in your posts.

I am trying. Though I do think God has sent me a certain someone to help me learn patience. Never pray for patience. Laughing

I really have learned a lot from your posts. It means a lot to me.

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I see what you're saying, RealLife.

My questions seem stupider? every time I see them.

Embarrassed

Religious diversity IS.

I'm just trying to gain insight in how to deal with those who want me to live Absolute Truth the way they see it.

I think I'm getting a better idea of how to do so.

thanks

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flushd,

I am a true believer in "the only stupid question is the one that is never asked." Sometimes it takes a lot of courage to ask certain questions. I like your questions. They make me think. That question about If God already knows the answers.... You are the only other person I have ever heard actually verbalize that question. And I am sure that many of us have at least wondered the same thing.

And I told you, Real Life is pretty knowledgeable and explains this in a very simple, clear, and concise manner.

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real life wrote:

Most people, for instance, would agree that Nazism is not a valid philosophy and we are better off if there are no believers in this idea. Many other examples could be brought to demonstrate why diversity for diversity's sake can be harmful to the world.

No. I reject this. We must experience everything--that which we consider good, that which we consider repulsive, and everything in between. Isolation equals ignorance.

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flushd wrote:

My questions seem stupider? every time I see them.

No, no, Flush'd! Your questions aren't "stupid" by any means. Crying or Very sad

Your approach to discussion was what I was hoping to find when I first came to A2K. I can't repeat enough how refreshing your attitude is. Wish we could clone you! Smile

flushd wrote:

I'm just trying to gain insight in how to deal with those who want me to live Absolute Truth the way they see it.

Those of us who believe in A.T. don't want to force anybody to live a certain way. We respect the Constitution and have no desire for a theocracy (as many of our detractors like to caricature us). What we DO desire, though, is the preservation of what I would sum up as wholesomeness. When putridness becomes law, that's when we speak up and---thru peaceable means---try to oppose it.

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AllThisBeauty wrote:

No. I reject this. We must experience everything--that which we consider good, that which we consider repulsive, and everything in between. Isolation equals ignorance.

I would expect that Shoah survivors (and others who suffered under the atrocities of the Nazis) would prefer "ignorance," then.

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Di Wrote:

Quote:

I wish we cloud clone you!

That is assuming that we believe in cloning! Laughing

Di is write flushd. Your questions are intriguing and thought provoking. What I find so particularly refreshing is you get your point across without the "bat." Discussions like this are how I learn the most.

Di here is another one of my mentors. And I know Di is a she (right)? I get so confused! Laughing

flushd, from the questions you have asked, I have gained a vast wealth of understanding of some things I didn't completely understand. Please, please, ask all you want!

Love Ya Di!

Momma Angel

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Right, Momma, not the biological type, but more like what you do on the computer, where you copy and paste. (And correct, I'm not male. :wink: )

(PS: the best mentor I've seen here is Real Life. I'd like to hire him as a full-time coach.----Another one I'd like to clone!)

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I had to throw that cloning line in there! Just made me laugh!

Oh yes, Real Life is another one of my mentors. Good at explaining things in such a way I totally understand.

If we are gonna clone them, can we make more than one of each? Laughing

That way we could take breaks between the RKK attacks! Laughing

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Momma Angel wrote:

If we are gonna clone them, can we make more than one of each? That way we could take breaks between the RKK attacks!

LOL! I'm all for it.

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I see it's rather peaceful here tonight? That's different.

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Is Religious Diversity Desirable?

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