Quote:
Originally Posted by tooblue
By the way this is about personal convictions, but not the personal convictions you or others might expect. I fully understand this thread is deliberately placed. I do not contend that you do not have the right to espouse beliefs different from my own. What’s more I do not contend that you should not be permitted to express them. But please, don’t pretend that you have no intent to influence.
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I've never pretended that I have no intent to influence. While I'm not sure there is TRUTH to be had, there is truth worth seeking, no matter whose convictions it stumbles through. If my journey or quest for knowledge, fact, and truth influences others to, like me, examine their own beliefs and the reasons for them, all the better. This is the true meaning of "skeptic" - someone who inspects or examines things closely. Not someone who automatically disbelieves. Like Seattle Ute wrote recently in a different thread, quoting Socrates, "the unexamined (or uninquiring) life is not worth living." At least, it isn't worth living for me.
But I would be naive to think I was influencing very many CGers. There are some
bona fide geniuses on here, and most people have pretty made up their minds where they stand on the various issues we recycle through fairly regularly. I doubt very many people are moving very far on any of the major issues of faith, religion, etc. that we post about. In general, I just like reading what other people write (whether astute, insightful, or inane) and am just happy to participate on occasion in a few of the many categories.
There's nothing inherently wrong with irrational, faith-based, or emotionally grounded ideas - but this may not be the best forum for them. I thought this was the reason for separating
Religion from
Religious Studies. But I do value your input and views. The world always needs artists, and their creative ways of viewing the world.