Posted by Sniper Wolf (142.99.240.9) on November 22, 2000 at 15:31:37:
In Reply to: Re: The Religious Debate posted by Spitfire on November 22, 2000 at 11:31:07:
YC I must apologize if my comments were taken in an inflammatory fashion. It's very difficult to discuss something as sensitive as a religious belief without stepping on any toes. Religion is a touchy subject that can be difficult to discuss rationally because people feel very passionately about their personal belifs, which is certainly the case with me. My whole intention by this thread was to gain a better understanding of why YC thinks the way he does, and on what basis his ideas are founded.
Blue, I will admit that was a very interesting argument you brought forward. I understand there are a great number of people (more with each new generation), that hold the same ideals as you, and I do find that very disturbing. Not because everyone doesn't think like I do, but rather that people have lost faith, most often in themselves.
You have asked for proof of the existence of a higher power, well that's a rather difficult thing to prove in real-time. There's a lot of terms I could go into, like Divine Intervention for example, but from a logical standpoint, these things just don't make a lot of sense to a non-believer.
To me, faith is nothing more than a feeling deep in your heart about something. Whether it's the existence of a God and the promise of a life after death, or faith in one's self is irrelevant. The important part in my opinion is that you believe in something and stick by your guns, as JayB might say 'Keeping it real'.
I don't condemn Atheists or Agnostics (if that is that the proper word) for feeling like they do. The part that I get upset about is when these groups of people try to make a joke out of an organized denominations (Catholicism for example). I don't believe in God just because so many others do, or some 85 year-old guy in Rome says that I should. I'm not a sheep and I don't appreciate being compared to one.
I have seen enough evidence in my life experiences to convince me that there is a God looking out for me, and it's something that I consider very important. The things that have happened to me that others might attribute to fate or destiny are my evidence.
I hope this sheds a little light on my standpoint here, I'd like to thank everyone for their comments, both sides were very well validated, and I think I've learned a few things from this little discussion.
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Leader this Two.
Primary LZ aborted, moving to LZ2.
High ground cover to follow.
ETA 26 minutes.
Two Out.