Oh, and one more thing -

[kyburg]

So am I.

Yes, I know I have a number of other faiths represented on my friends list. I am so NOT threatened it's pathetic. You know this.

To me, the epitomy of religious dickishness is making the automatic assumption that prayers are not all going the same place - just because all the "proper forms" aren't being observed.

As for the basic divinity of Jesus Christ - consider for a moment. What would you need to convince a bunch of Jews and Arabs that there really was a God who wanted them to love one another instead of killing one another?

God ain't stupid, peeps.

And I really don't think "my" group was the only one spoken to. We were spoken to. That's enough for me.

We're very flawed creatures, after all. And we don't listen very well - transcribe very well - and are always expecting the worst out of each other.

Look for where we come together - instead of where we come apart at the seams.

Where everyone meets - that's where you'll find your proof. Proof of what?

That there really is something bigger, better, smarter and capable of acceptance and love grander than one can imagine.

All you need is a little faith.

Comments

[joiseyguy.livejournal.com]

Faith is getting harder and harder to come by in these times. I lost a lot of mine quite a while ago. BTW, Happy Belated Birthday...did you do somthing fun for yourself?

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Reasonably. The low water mark is having leftover macaroni and cheese and going to bed early - and that's not what happened.

I was able to spend a little money on myself - that was nice.

[ecstaticlght.livejournal.com]

Hell yeah! Prayer is prayer no matter what pretty costumes you have on, or how many frilly words you use or in what order you use them. The things that are used are nothing more than symbols to help us focus and pay attention. What matters is our intention, our hearts and above all the faith that there is something bigger than we are that loves us without reservation.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Wonder how many people know the meaning of your icon -

Thanks!

[ecstaticlght.livejournal.com]

The icon also goes along with my nick.. ecstaticlght.

[supiluliumas.livejournal.com]

What would you need to convince a bunch of Jews and Arabs that there really was a God who wanted them to love one another instead of killing one another?

My vote was for a great big black slab of rock that sent out subconcious signals, but I was overruled. "It's been done," they said. "Why don't we try a self-righteous religious zealot, arm him with a lot of smarmy rhetoric, a few hallmark platitudes, shaky logic and some 'jes folks' didactic aphorisms? That's BOUND to work!"

... I'd say it was ultimately more of a "qualified success", at best. I guess Christ just didn't have the gift for that sort of thing you do.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

*feels the wind part her hair as the comment flies over her head*

What?

[supiluliumas.livejournal.com]

You'll just have to take my word for it that it was vaguely insulting.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Well, here's for hoping I was mistaken.

[storvik.livejournal.com]

"God is too big to fit into a single religion" - bumper sticker I saw this morning.

[mdlbear]

It's certainly incorrect to use "Christian" as shorthand for "Right-wing Christian fundamentalists who want to tear down the separation of Church and State and legislate their version of morality," but you have to admit it's shorter. I try to use "religious right", but sometimes I forget.

What I have problems with is the idea that you have to have faith in something supernatural in order to behave decently toward your fellow humans -- that faith is somehow a prerequisite for morality. I have even more problems with the idea that some particular bag of unsupported beliefs is the only valid one, There seem to be a lot of people in the Bush administration who share that idea.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

These folks believe that you need a role model to know what to do - not that you actually learn how to behave properly as part of the maturation process, if it's done right.

Also, you have to be scared witless to be properly motivated.

Uh, no.

You find "fundamentalism" in any faith - I tend to call it "literalism" more often.

I don't call them Christians - though they very well may be. I call them "nutjobs" - which is more accurate, at least from my perspective.

[mdlbear]

Fundamentalism (and fanaticism, which is closely related but not exactly the same) is dangerous in any religion. And mixing it with politics makes matters even worse.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

http://www.livejournal.com/community/callahanians/363421.html (Look, defenses. :) )

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Holy cow.

*laughs* Maybe that's not the right term to use here....