An old friend from Junior High School recently got into a theological argument with me on Facebook (incidentally, we are no longer "Facebook friends"...I cite irreconcilable differences in our Facebook divorce...she couldn't get past my different beliefs and I couldn't get past her repeated patronizing promises to pray for me to be more like her).
At some point, after I'd been flamed by several of her friends for my (*gasp!*) suggestion that evolution is fact and that it doesn't have to contradict her belief in God, she asked me what I believe...then proceeded to tell me what she *thinks* I believe. I never really had a chance to respond, since a subsequent discussion about politics resulted in a heated argument, a declaration of "let's agree to disagree," and mutual un-friending.
In all honesty...I don't think I could have told her "what I believe." At least not concisely. I believe that a person's spirituality is a lifelong journey (or at least, that it should be)...and while I've always stayed within the same basic world view, I'm always making new discoveries and revelations. Sometimes it's something I've come up with, other times it's something I've read that I find particularly profound.
This blog is my attempt at an outlet to discuss all these discoveries. So what do I believe? Hmm...in a nutshell, John Godfrey Saxe's "Blind Men and the Elephant" poem sums it up pretty well. As far as religions go, I don't think ANYONE does a good job of describing the universe...and that they all spend far too much time arguing about which one is right (when in reality, NONE of them are)! Theologically speaking, I guess I'd call myself a naturalistic pantheist (what Dawkins refers to as "sexed-up atheism") or a secular humanist. But it goes so much deeper than all of that. I have so much swimming around in my skull right now, that I'm going to have to slow down and organize it all so that it makes sense. Take small bites and chew it up, instead of just spewing it all out here at once.
My goal here is NOT to convert anyone to my way of thinking, or to convince anyone that I am right and they are wrong. It's simply a place for me to process these thoughts and discoveries; a place a little more appropriate than Facebook. A place where I can direct someone next time I am asked, "What do you believe?" If you would like to come along with me on this journey, I welcome comments. You don't have to agree with me, but I do expect a modicum of respect...so the comments are moderated.
Welcome to my blog!
Wiat - when did I write this? I don't remember writing this. I must have, though, because it spells out exactly how I feel!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading more!
If you don't know what faith you are (or are not), take the Belief-0-matic quiz at http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/Quizzes/BeliefOMatic.aspx
ReplyDeleteWow... I knew there was a reason I liked you! ;o) Very interested to read more of your blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diana. I've taken it a couple times, and have always come up as a secular humanist. No big surprise, huh? :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the support everyone!
Same here, Erin, followed closely by Liberal Quaker and one of the Buddhist religious sects.
ReplyDeleteOops, got it wrong. Hubby is the Buddhist. My 3rd religion at belief.net was Unitarian.
ReplyDeleteI think we can all agree that we humans normally possess consciousness and that the quality of that consciousness can vary. What is the quality when we watch Fox News? read a child a bedtime story? fly fish? meditate? pray? I think we can also all agree that cats have consciousness. There are probably some cats with more consciousness than some humans. That is not the usual order of things but a possibility. (Diana's Bob)
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