Tonight I read a great post over at Restless Wanderings, If Christianity Doesn’t Matter Why Do You Bother With It? In my opinion, Bruce listed many excellent reasons why the beliefs of Christians matter to those of us who aren't. Here's a snippet:
When Christians want to make our country into a theocracy….It matters.
When Christians want their religion to have preference over any and all others…..It matters.
When Christians demand that atheists and agnostics be treated as Satan’s pawns….It matters.
When Christians attempt to teach religious dogma as scientific fact in our public schools….It matters.
When Christians attempt to force their religious moral code on everyone….It matters.
When Christians attempt to stand in the way of my pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness….It matters.
This got me to thinking about a theme I've broached before in this space. While the mantra "live and let live" sounds like a good one, I don't know too many people who actually ascribe to it! I used to live by this philosophy, but I don't anymore.
The problem is this idea that a person's belief system and worldview can solely be personal. The way this thinking goes is: "I don't care what other people believe as long as they keep their beliefs to themselves." Unless a person lives in total isolation from other beings, how each of us views the world impacts how we relate to it.
If you believe in an invisible gecko who rules the earth from the third star from Neptune, it will color how you behave and think. There is no getting around it! Likewise, if I believe in the concept of the Way and that all things are manifestations of the One, this belief will impact how I treat others.
In essence, any individual's personal beliefs will have social ramifications and, when a large group of individuals hold similar beliefs, it will have a huge impact on the shape of any given society.
Consequently, while I am not in favor of dictating what a person can or cannot believe, I do have a real problem with people who believe in invisible deities and also people who believe in the separateness of all beings. These beliefs have engendered a type of society that is marked by intolerance, discrimination, greed, poverty, oppression and war -- things I'm adamantly opposed to!
This is the underlying reason why I write a blog about philosophical Taoism. I believe it offers a worldview that is far different than the status quo and, if more people are exposed to it, our world will be better off for it.
The problem is this idea that a person's belief system and worldview can solely be personal. The way this thinking goes is: "I don't care what other people believe as long as they keep their beliefs to themselves." Unless a person lives in total isolation from other beings, how each of us views the world impacts how we relate to it.
If you believe in an invisible gecko who rules the earth from the third star from Neptune, it will color how you behave and think. There is no getting around it! Likewise, if I believe in the concept of the Way and that all things are manifestations of the One, this belief will impact how I treat others.
In essence, any individual's personal beliefs will have social ramifications and, when a large group of individuals hold similar beliefs, it will have a huge impact on the shape of any given society.
Consequently, while I am not in favor of dictating what a person can or cannot believe, I do have a real problem with people who believe in invisible deities and also people who believe in the separateness of all beings. These beliefs have engendered a type of society that is marked by intolerance, discrimination, greed, poverty, oppression and war -- things I'm adamantly opposed to!
This is the underlying reason why I write a blog about philosophical Taoism. I believe it offers a worldview that is far different than the status quo and, if more people are exposed to it, our world will be better off for it.
Very well put, good food for thought.
ReplyDeleteOf course, not all Christians share those beliefs, and there are apparently some Muslims who do...and they all seem to be the ones who are fighting.
ReplyDeleteHow dare you blaspheme the gecko! ;-)
ReplyDeleteyeah, Trey, you have to lay off the gecko.
ReplyDeleteGood article. I've been struggling with this myself, recently. Trying to figure out if I am ok to point out Christian arrogance and hypocrisy or am I merely being intolerant.