Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Why Religious Arguments Are Stupid....

...Because nobody wins.

As a matter of fact, I don't think it's possible TO win. It's one thing to argue, say, gravity. Everyone who hasn't floated off into the sky can pretty much agree that gravity is, 'ya know, a thing. Ask them who created gravity, and you may as well strap yourself in for a friendly, (or not so friendly) discussion on Deity. Who created the world, and why? How should they be worshipped? What do They expect? What rules need to be obeyed, and what happens when you don't?

I think it's funny, because no one, beyond a shadow of a doubt, can say for sure. No one can say that they know, one-hundred-percent, Who created the Universe. They cannot give you infallible, factual evidence as to WHY their beliefs are right. That's why it's called "faith." So. All the discussion becomes, then, is whether or not their understanding of God is better than your understanding of God. Whether or not your understanding is even a valid concept to be brought to the table. (Which first of all, is pretty insulting.)

The whole point of the argument is to prove somebody wrong about their own experiences by saying your perceptions are the only ones that are correct. What's so amusing is, at that point, you're really not trying to prove them wrong:

You're trying to prove to yourself that you're right.

Yet here's the thing....you don't need someone else's validation or agreement to be correct about how YOU relate to God.

Joe says, "I think of God like a mountain." Bob says, "No, God is definitely an ocean."

Why can't God be both? But here's a more interesting question:

Does it really matter?

"Well of course it matters!" Says Bob. "If everyone walks around thinking that God is a mountain, they're all going to perish in a horrible rockslide!"

....Says the fuck who??? To begin with, the rockslide is an intangible theory within the construct of your own belief system, Bob. It doesn't mean that mine has to have one.

The reason people have these arguments is because their understanding of reality is threatened, (and therefore their spiritual way of life,) when an idea is presented that challenges the way they think. What I want to know is:

Why is it so scary to think?

You can never put yourself fully in the shoes of another person. You cannot see the world with their eyes, live inside their unique mind and experience life as they've done. Why do other people have to think like you, for you to relate to the world in which you live? Personally, I think the fact that there are so many ideas about God is a testament to how our Creator is bigger than a single Human idea. Notice that every face of God in history has an identity based upon something that's ALREADY in creation, and that the ideas about it only ever come from Human minds. The various personalities given to God(s) are resonant within our OWN idiosyncratic traits.

God can only be angry because we understand what it's like to feel anger. God can only be jealous because we know what makes us jealous. God can only be loving because WE have the capability to be loving. It is my belief  that every Human emotion, value, hope and dream is part of God because it's part of us. If God didn't have some Human qualities, we wouldn't be able to relate to Deity. (Because, we're Human.)

Athena spoke to people thousands of years ago. She still does. (People built a city in her honour for a reason.) To a Christian, this would have to mean that their belief in Yaweh/Jesus was false.

Unless....

Yes, of course!!!

She's a Demon in disguise. Deception! Straight from the Devil himself to mislead the people of Greece into worshipping a false God!

How do you know Athena doesn't exist, just because you haven't decided to talk to Her?

How do you know that God doesn't also exist outside of the way you've been taught, (or chosen) to think?

I didn't ask what you believe.

I asked how you KNOW.

If a system of faith doesn't resonate with you, doesn't move you or reforge you--here's the thing, it doesn't NEED to.

That doesn't mean it shouldn't do that for someone else.

I don't think the form or facet of God's existence matters more than the fact that God DOES exist. (Or so I believe.) Why?

Lemme put it this way. If everyone on the planet liked cake, we would have no pie.

And I fucking LOVE pie. Moreso than cake, actually.

Diversity is present in every single aspect of life. When you argue against diversity, you argue for a uniformity that is simply not found on this planet.

Is it possible that Jesus is the only way to God? It is possible. Do I believe that's true?

Not remotely.

Is it possible that Mohammed really was the Prophet meant to lead people to the truth?

Also mighty fucking possible.

Even more probable to me is the idea that Jesus and Mohammed both lead people to God based upon the spiritual needs that draw people to both Islam and Christianity.

Trying to tell me that my experience is wrong because you like your experience better doesn't make you right.

It doesn't mean you're smarter than me.

It doesn't mean you've secretly won, even when I don't acquiesce to your philosophies.

It just makes me think you're a dick.

You know what they say....

You are what you eat!

(I guess in that case, I'm pretty well fed.)








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