Reply
Tue 13 Feb, 2007 05:28 pm
Does it even matter...who worships what god or not, and why?
Seems to me it doesn't.
Actually, it all seems rather superficial, ya. The veneer of much more important stuff going on - not worth paying much mind.
An admittance - I grew up in a rather small world, like many of us have.
The city I live in, the country I live in - has welcomed a huge amount of immigrants. Mainly for economical purposes.
I haven't travelled the world. I've barely left this country! And maybe because of this, the issue of ever feeling/fearing engulfment by another religion or culture had not reached me before.
It did this year. And I thought I may be a racist, but that really wasn't it.
It was more and less.
It has forced me to become intimate with my own beliefs.
I'm losing my tolerance for listening to the nattering from either side. Seems to me the only thing that actually matters is who is being decent and responsible and who isn't.
Being decent and responsible - to me - is taking full charge of what you choose to believe, do, think, feel, and be in this world.
That means no excuses. And that means your religion is secondary - to you. To your representation of what it is you have chosen. That is what counts.
If you are basically decent and responsible - your beliefs can be interesting icing or a mild irritant. No biggie.
If you're not - well, your religious beliefs aren't the part talking anyways.
Just a thought I've been finding myself having a lot lately. Perhaps naive but it comes from the heart. For once I can say that without confusion!
What's your say?
So you find those mosquitos too foreign? They find your blood tasty.
Flushd,
There is a range of "significance of religious belief" such that for some people we can say they are their beliefs. (Philosophically this follows from the argument that we do not have thoughts in any usual sense of the word "have"). If you run with this idea you will conclude that those who are "casual" in matters of religion are anathema to those whose concept of existence is defined by their adherence. Because of this (post 9/11) we are now all subject to loss of civil liberties.
I think maybe religions, or even "beliefs" are like viruses. The really severe ones tend to be self-limiting...like Ebola....while the mild ones are just irritating, and may actually help to immunise us against some of the more severe ones.
Hi flushd
I live in Canada too and I am rather surprised by your post. We have had different waves of immigrants and to me, it seems we Canadians are quite tolerant about all kinds of religions and culture (multiculturalism is big on the agenda). Maybe the immigrants you see have not had time to adapt to the country yet - we kind of have a policy of live and let live.
I personally do not "judge" (for lack of a better word) a person by his religion or culture or nationality or race. It is that person's behaviour, personality etc. and that person's only that makes him who he is. I don't follow any religion but respect and understand the right and the need of people to follow any religion they want, as long as they don't "disturb" or "hurt" other people.
This "disturbance" has happened to me with those people who knock at my door to try to sell me onto their "religion", whatever it is, something Christian more or less, you may have seen those people carrying those religious pamphlets. Real pests! These were Canadians, not immigrants.
But I can understand you, especially since you have not really been exposed to other cultures/religions, so this must have been like a culture/religion shock to you. I hope that over the years, those immigrants will integrate well into the Canadian society. Integration takes willingness from both the local host people and the immigrants to accept and understand each other.
Thanks for you post flushd, you seem really grounded.
I think many people feel the way you do, myself included. It's just that in everyday life, we don't make a big deal of announcing our feeling, and those with more specific thoughts on how it should be are more vocal.
Funny thing happened yesterday. I record documentaries and such to watch while exercising, and I started one called something like "Nine Marys" last night. It was about various representations of the virgin Mary in art over the years. Well, the sound was bad, so I couldn't hear it well over the rower, but I was enjoying looking at the artwork, so left it on. I looked at all these various versions of the Madonna & Child, and it hit me. They all looked exactly like works done by other religions, not Christian over the centuries. The themes of god, mother, worshipping onlookers, angels/demi-gods redemption, damnation etc were all the same. What is is that evokes a spiritual feeling when looking at Vishnu as opposed to Mary? Just familiarity with the subject. I could well imagine if a christian had been watching this show, but with a different voice-over, telling the listener this was a religious figure from some non-christian religion, one that was acknowledged to be the mother of God, they would have found it, well, I don't know....distasteful? Silly? Irritating?
It just doesn't matter. Mary replaces fertility goddess. Memorizing chapter and verse replaces just living a decent life.
fresco wrote:Flushd,
There is a range of "significance of religious belief" such that for some people we can say they are their beliefs. (Philosophically this follows from the argument that we do not have thoughts in any usual sense of the word "have"). If you run with this idea you will conclude that those who are "casual" in matters of religion are anathema to those whose concept of existence is defined by their adherence. Because of this (post 9/11) we are now all subject to loss of civil liberties.
Yes, we have lost some civil liberties. I think this is what hit me.
Thanks for the thoughts every one. Organizing my own at the moment so as not to spout off at the mouth too much.
talk, have you spent much time in Manitoba where there is no spraying? Hey, we take those little buggers pretty seriously! :wink:
I'm pretty sure they aren't foreigners though. Through and through canadian bloodsuckers. Or are they....
I think religions just put fear into people to stop them doing what they want to do.
Im all for people having a faith so they feel better but not follow a set of rules that stop you being human.
I was watching a religious programme yesterday(sunday)and theer was a panel of people saying how the church is going to divide because some dont agree with gay people being in the church.
Finally one man said 'it doesnt matter, there are far more important things going on in the world'.
Good point but the church is still going to divide due to some wanting to follow the Bible to its word rather than realise God loves/made and accepts everyone!!
Just one winter. My friend attended University of Manitoba. Polo Park seems to be the only place to shop around. One morning it was -40 and couldn't start my car . I realized why there is a need for the block heater.
I was walking by the Legislature in summer and sure know about your mosquitoes.
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace