Group...
I as have so
many of you followed the different threads
about beliefs and faith and the lack there
of. I will normally scan through the messages
to see if there is something of value to me.
But if I tire of a discussion I use the
delete key that all computers have. I do not
often get into flame wars, or finger pointing
because like Tim I do believe in the freedom
of speech, and of free choice.
I grew up in
the "christen" belief structure and
as a result of what I saw and heard of being
done in the name of brotherly love, I chose
today not to be christen. But neither am I an
atheists. I have a faith that has developed
over a long period of time and has a little
of all structures in it. I have been called a
pagan, heretic, a lost soul, and so many
other things that I have lost count and do
not remember them all. I am what I am.
Because a Baptist said that I was a pagan
does that make me one? Because a JW told me
that I would burn in hell, does that mean I
will. A Buddhist called me a lost soul, but I
do not feel lost. As one who has claimed the
right to the heritage of the northland Cree
Indian, I could say much about what the
Catholic Church did to destroy the first
nation's culture language and faith. I choose
not to. It is my right. I do not always agree
with what Tim says about faith, but I
understand what he is saying. Even when he
come directly against what I believe to be
right, I read and chose to agree or disagree.
If I can not prove to you Tim, or to you Art
that there is more in life then the physical
realm and that my belief structure is the
right one. Does that make me wrong? Because
Art can not prove to Tim the existence of
God. Does that make him wrong? Because Tim
can not disprove the existence of a power
greater then us, does that make him wrong? No
none of us are "wrong", our
beliefs, weather in the physical world, a
christen God or the power all around us makes
us what and who we are...
If I remember
history well enough, this country was founded
on the ideal of freedom of religion. The
first settlers came here to escape
persecution in Europe because of their
beliefs. Then held the Salem witch trials.
Was that God's will? No it was man's will,
done in the name of God. I can understand
what Tim has said about AA in the US, and it
being predominantly Christen, more so now
that I have seen AA in two countries and find
the format here in the US much different then
in my native Canada. And I do see the
possibility of a "Salem witch
trials" in AA. I can see where someone
like Tim who is open and forth right in his
own beliefs would find himself totally out of
place. And having walked where I have and
seen some of the things I have seen in my
life, I can understand why Tim chooses not to
believe in God.
All said and
done, I do not agree with you Tim that there
is nothing more then the physical world, I
have seen too much that can not be explained
by science alone. And Art, I do not believe
that the Christen way is the only salvation
for this world, I have seen to many
atrocities in life and in history to prove
the contrary.
Now that I
have babbled on, and probably made myself the
target of another flame war, I will say one
last thing. There is something we can all
agree on, it is our right to speak our minds
and be listen to, it is also our right to
agree or disagree. But it is not our right to
belittle any one for their beliefs or
opinions. You don't have to like every one.
But you must respect them.
...GrayWolf