Being an atheist is easier
Tonight I got into an interesting conversation with one of my friends, and I realized something, something truly fascinating and very important. First off, please everybody don't start hating me because of this. It's not intended to be offensive or to horrifically damage relationships. If you disagree with me, I'm not going to burn down your embassy, and this by no means means that I hate you. At all. Anyways, to the point. Religions by their very nature are mutually exclusive...if you truly believe that everything about yours is correct, by default you believe that those who don't agree with you are going to Hell, or at least aren't going to heaven if you religion doesn't have a Hell. That's it, end of story, bottom line. Now, that shouldn't stop one from one religion from interacting with people from other religions, but there also must be certain lines one must draw, if they truly believe what they claim to believe. If you're Protestant, and you're passionate about being such, then you likely think that anyone who's not has missed the boat. Maybe you think Buddhism is crazy, the Mohammed was out in left field, that Joseph Smith is nuts, that the two millennia of dogma that separate Catholicism from Protestantism doesn't make sense or that that Jesus Christ was a deluded egomaniac.
The second point to remember is that I can't think of a large-scale religion that places emphasis on anything other than love. By this I mean that there's nothing at all wrong, odd or strange about having close relationships with people of differing faiths. Christ was a Jew, and yet he was more than willing to help out the Samaritans. Perhaps my two best friends...one is Mormon, one is Catholic. Hating someone for what they believe is against the teachings of most religions, and mine is no exception. Keeping an open mind, and listening to criticisms of your faith will compel you to evaluate why you believe something, and either make your faith stronger, or cause you to reevaluate whether or not you should hold whatever your belief is as a conviction. Such is true for any opinion one holds.
The way in which religion leaves little room for grays is fascinating; wars have been fought over the differences between religions. Maybe C.S. Lewis's concept of heaven in "The Chronicles of Narnia" where Aslan, the god figure, is indeed the god of both religions, and any that follow their religion with pure heart, dedication, and conviction will get into Heaven. Maybe religion is all just a bullshit excuse so that the billions of the world will have a sense of purpose to their life. In 50-60 (hopefully) I'll probably find all that out.
Perhaps I'd never date a Catholic (or Jewish, or Jehovah's Witness) girl, but that stems from the fact that I can't see myself marrying a girl of another religion, and I don't want to take the chance that I'd fall in love. Spending my life with someone where that is an issue...well, I have a hunch that if there is a God, and he has a plan for me...well, that's probably not in the cards.
Anyhoo, comments as always welcome, I'm gonna go to bed now.
posted by Josh Sheldon at 2:05 AM
2 Comments:
interesting post
now... where to start... heh.
i agree very much with the point that it's a bit crazy how most religions have doctrines based on love, and then they proceed to hate and fight (or even kill) each other over it. it seems a bit contradictory to me... but then what do i know? heh.
and then there's the fact that many people are so closed-minded about things that they forget that none of us has the right answer about everything... even those who seem to have it all figured out (maybe even those who seem the most "religious"), don't know it all. as humans, we're all hypocrites and we all mess up from time to time. we all go through stages where we believe something that isn't even close to being true; but then we fix it (hopefully). for this reason, i think it's best to leave everyone's ultimate destination up to that person and God. it's a very personal thing, and we, as christians (or any other religion for that matter) do NOT have the right to judge others based on whether or not they believe the same things we do. i think God is the only one who knows our hearts, and He will be fair about what happens to each of us when the time comes.
i also agree that it would be extremely difficult to be in a serious relationship with someone who does not believe the same basic things as you--but make sure not to be looking for someone with identical beliefs in everything (i'm sure you're not... but i'm just saying as a precaution). we're all different in very unique ways, so i don't think it's possible to have two people agree on absolutely everything.
anyhow... for the time being, rest assured that there is indeed a God (a loving one, at that) who longs for you to seek Him. however you go about doing that is up to you. i happen to think we all do this in different ways, but as long as we are searching for the truth with all our hearts, we'll find it.
i hope that all came out the right way... heh. i never mean to sound either preachy or vague... but sometimes i do struggle to find the right words that will convey what i'm thinking. heh i don't even know if any of what i said is pertinent to anything--but maybe, just maybe it'll mean something to someone. or i could just stop talking before my comment becomes longer than your actual post... heh
=)
~jenny~
What an interesting subject! And it's something that's been concerning me lately... :/
As far as religion goes, I personally believe that they're either all true or none of them are. Each religion has its beliefs and its miracles, its proofs that it is the only "true" religion, and like I said, either it all counts or none of it does.
And (as an atheist) I don't see any real reason why two people with differing beliefs shouldn't be in a relationship or a marriage. So long as you have respect for the other person's beliefs, I see no problems. However, I now realize that this is an unrealistic belief from a religious standpoint... So I don't know what to say. I understand why a religious person wouldn't be content in a relationship, but I can't say that I think it's right.
*shrugs* This is a, um, difficult issue for me right now. :/
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