Belief Systems (aka BS) per Bible/homosexuals post

[Lisa W]

Okay, here I go on a wordy post, read at your own risk:

I have not been following this thread "religiously", just skimming many of the posts to get the gist of where it is going. I have to ask, is it possible to just agree that we all have our own beliefs and not try to talk somebody out of theirs? It's quite obvious that dw41552 is very emotionally invested in his chosen religion. It doesn't sound like he is pushing it down anybodys throat, just sharing his experience & knowledge of it, and very respectfully I might add. There are those of us, particularly in this neck of the woods, who have a very different perspective and that is perfect. None of us is right and none of us is wrong because none of us knows anything for certain. Each persons experience is valid and cannot be known by anyone else. And what about them Buddhists who say this apparently solid life we live is an illusion, if so, then what we think is "real" may not be. In my humble opinion, most of the belief systems/religions/spiritual paths are like many spokes of a wheel that meet in the middle with a common focus which is compassion and love. We know that alot has been lost or added in numerous translations. If we just treat others with respect, love and kindness (like J.C. did) regardless of their BS then we could possibly have a peaceful coexistance on this here planet. Whaddya say folks? To me this seems simplistic, but maybe feasible, but we humans like to complicate things to keep the ego busy.

No doubt, someone will challenge me on this or try to get me to believe that theirs is right, but it won't do any good because I have my own BS to work with, thank you very much.

I do have to say, that I don't believe that Jesus was born in December, I have heard that he was really a Pisces. But then again what do I know for sure? And why does it matter so darn much. Gosh, I could go on and on.

Happy Soulstice and a prosperous New Year to all you wacco people.

Sincerely, Lisa W.

Leave dw alone already and

[Sassy1]

All this blind minded views about equal rights for gays, really put my nickers in a twist. I married into a family of ministers and they tell me I came into their lives to get them to think about views that differ from theirs. Here's hoping one or two of you stubborn folks give this a thought.

God is smart and all knowing. He created Adam and Eve to populate the world. Correct? If he is the smartest and all knowing! Do you not think he'd be smart enough to have a fall back, when the world was becoming over-populated. Many gays believe/say they are born gay so just maybe God had a back-up plan...

I was brought up believing people are people and you should treat people the way you want to be treated. No different, no worse or better then you want to be treated. This also means equal rights for all.

[Mead Rose]

Right.

In my view, you cannot simultaneously be a genuine Christian and also be about killing anyone. (Or a genuine Moslem for that matter.)

However, it seems to be a fairly frequent occurrence that power-hunger politicos put on the mantle of religion to create an army of volunteers who would put aside monetary compensation and even personal survival for whatever cause is being promulgated.

I daresay that those who would kill in the name of their God are deluded at best, and bound straight for hell in a self-righteous handbasket at worst.

Okay, here I go on a wordy post, read at your own risk:

I have not been following this thread "religiously", just skimming many of the posts to get the gist of where it is going. I have to ask, is it possible to just agree that we all have our own beliefs and not try to talk somebody out of theirs? It's quite obvious that dw41552 is very emotionally invested in his chosen religion. It doesn't sound like he is pushing it down anybodys throat, just sharing his experience & knowledge of it, and very respectfully I might add. There are those of us, particularly in this neck of the woods, who have a very different perspective and that is perfect. None of us is right and none of us is wrong because none of us knows anything for certain. Each persons experience is valid and cannot be known by anyone else. And what about them Buddhists who say this apparently solid life we live is an illusion, if so, then what we think is "real" may not be. In my humble opinion, most of the belief systems/religions/spiritual paths are like many spokes of a wheel that meet in the middle with a common focus which is compassion and love. We know that alot has been lost or added in numerous translations. If we just treat others with respect, love and kindness (like J.C. did) regardless of their BS then we could possibly have a peaceful coexistance on this here planet. Whaddya say folks? To me this seems simplistic, but maybe feasible, but we humans like to complicate things to keep the ego busy.

No doubt, someone will challenge me on this or try to get me to believe that theirs is right, but it won't do any good because I have my own BS to work with, thank you very much.

I do have to say, that I don't believe that Jesus was born in December, I have heard that he was really a Pisces. But then again what do I know for sure? And why does it matter so darn much. Gosh, I could go on and on.

Happy Soulstice and a prosperous New Year to all you wacco people.

Sincerely, Lisa W.

Leave dw alone already and

[MsTerry]

Artificial insemination is still a popular method for lesbians to populate the world....................

God is smart and all knowing. He created Adam and Eve to populate the world. Correct? If he is the smartest and all knowing! Do you not think he'd be smart enough to have a fall back, when the world was becoming over-populated. Many gays believe/say they are born gay so just maybe God had a back-up plan...

[theindependenteye]

>>I have to ask, is it possible to just agree that we all have our own beliefs and not try to talk somebody out of theirs?

Well, Lisa, this is, after all, a discussion list. If someone brings up the subject of religion and describes what he/she believes, that's likely to promote discussion.

>>It's quite obvious that dw41552 is very emotionally invested in his chosen religion. It doesn't sound like he is pushing it down anybodys throat, just sharing his experience & knowledge of it, and very respectfully I might add.

As I remember, the start of this thread was Prop. 8. DW posted that Prop. 8 was good because God said homosexuality is a sin, and he went on to put forth the whole literalist line. I don't think of that as "just sharing his experience"; to me it's a political assertion that naturally brings one to question its validity.

I agree that a few people went overboard in name-calling and Christian-bashing. For myself, if one's religion makes him a better human being, I'm totally supportive of his practicing it. And it might have been more relevant to have steered the discussion to the question of the relationship between law-making and religious belief, rather than attack the religious belief per se. But anyone who comes here asserting that they have the final word on how everyone else is supposed to live, and proposing laws on the basis of his personal interpretation of God's will -- should probably expect some dissent.

>>In my humble opinion, most of the belief systems/religions/spiritual paths are like many spokes of a wheel that meet in the middle with a common focus which is compassion and love. ... If we just treat others with respect, love and kindness (like J.C. did) regardless of their BS then we could possibly have a peaceful coexistance on this here planet.

Here, I agree with you absolutely. But, hey, now you're talking religion and directly contradicting the essence of what DW has been arguing, i.e. that absolute belief in the Bible as the word of God and in Jesus as the only Son of God (and all the other tenets of the Nicene Creed, more or less) is the *only* path to salvation.

So I'd vote for letting this or any other discussion go where it wants to go, and just get rid of the school playground name-calling that sometimes is mistaken for political commitment.

Peace & joy--
Conrad