Logic, Reason, and Faith.....
We have come upon a time in our life where the debate of what part of faith or reason takes in our daily events. And it's a debate that is snowballing into a polarizing, dividing, and destructive force. I have noticed that of all the topics of debate or argument, only two have the most emotional and divisive power. That is politics, and RELIGION.
Now I'm not trying to get on some pedestal or pulpit and try to preach to the masses. If anything, I just want to spur intelligent, civil discussion with each other on our differences. There are too few reasons where we as a people can't come together to discuss and come up with reasonable, fair, and just compromises, instead of imposing one's ideas and morals on the rest of society.
Wars have been started for many reasons. But there has been more bloodshed, murder, destruction, and havoc caused by mankind IN THE NAME OF GOD than any other reason. Doesn't matter which denomination your god is, there has been persecution, torture, and banishment in almost EVERY form of religion. And why? To show others that YOUR god is the right god.
And 99% of religions speak of peace and loving your fellow man (woman). But I don't see that nowadays. I see a lot of people passing judgement on others based on their individual interpretations of religious text. And if I'm correct in my understanding, almost all religions state that man is not in the authority to pass judgement over other men. But when a mob mentality comes about, and you have Catholics against Christians, Jews against Muslims, Penecostals against Baptists, Hindus against Buddhists, and all of them against Agnostics and Atheists, it gets us nowhere.
Most faiths say that killing is wrong. That doesn't make it a Judeo-Christian ethic, nor a Muslim, or even a Buddhist one. It's just the wrong thing to do, PERIOD! Sometimes, arguing and condemning each other by our differences is such a waste of time. Time that could be spent by coming together and meeting on common ground. Actually building on what we share as common ideas and morals.
It just hurts me to see people show such antimosity and hatred toward people with different cultures, ideas, and ways of living. Too many people are dying for extreme ideas. There's too much pull to go to the left or the right. Especially when all of us live IN THE MIDDLE. So when you strike up a conversation with me, see me as a person to have a conversation with. Not a black man, so you have to use slang to get your point across. Or as an agnostic, so you have to try to bring me to Jesus or Mohammed. Or a guy, so you have to bash me over the head with being more sensitive and not so sexist. Or being slightly liberal, so you have to convince me of how morally corrupt I am.
A conversation is an exchange of ideas. Which means both parties should bring something worthwhile to the table, and leave with something of some worth to ponder over. Not accuse the other side of how wrong they are, and just shut down any listening whatsoever.
But hey, this is just my opinion.........my word ain't law........
