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Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre  Quote: |
Originally Posted by valis ...I quite firmly believe that one's belief structure should come from within, and not without. But again, that's me. |
Could you elaborate? I ask because, unless Uplift is right, we're not born with specific beliefs, they're learned. Do you agree with him, or does your statement mean you believe that one's belief structure should be considered and weighed against one's own values and principles, and adopted because one chooses to do so, not because society says so? (the latter is my belief) |
certainly. My belief structure is definitely not what one would call an 'organized' religion. We go to church, but that is more to show the monkey boy (got a kid going on 3) what the options are. You can't make informed decisions without all the evidence, and I was given that chance as well; I was an altar boy for a few years in a backwoods church.
As for the belief structure coming from within, I think that anytime you have anyone telling you what to believe and how to believe it, you have lost touch with your own higher power, and are merely sheep following the leader. Now, this is not to say that the leader is incorrect, this is merely to say that you are listening and reacting, as opposed to conversing and acting. I feel that I have a very personal relationship with my higher power, and he/she/it has helped me through many difficult times, and I am sure will help me through many more. I say my thanks nightly, and ask that he/she/it remove all worry and stress from my life so I can see what decisions I need to make to continue to make my life better for myself and my family.
That's really about all I mean. I feel very strongly about my personal relationship with my higher power, and I feel closer to it through my own methods than I do in a church listening to someone tell me about some story that relates to something in the Bible. Again, it's merely a choice on my part; my wife is pretty religious, and my sister is a RC fundie, so I've got all ends of the spectrum around me. I find theology a fascinating field, and as a result have done a lot of independent research into a wide variety of religions, and have picked up a bit here, a smidgen here, and a little elsewhere to basically frankenstein my own belief structure.
Which, to come complete circle, comes from within. I ask for clarity through the lifting of stress and worry, and it is delivered. I ask for guidance and strength through times of stress, so that I may see the path necessary to take to reach the desired goal. It works for me; it may not work for everyone.
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Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre By 'all' I take it you don't really mean 'all', considering that many are atheists. (be careful, Uplift might throw the dictionary at you)  |
No, of course not 'all'. I do read a lot, and Antoine de St. Exupery springs to mind immediately: ""The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves, but in our attitudes towards them."
That about covers it. As for the dictionary throwing, well, I guess I've had worse.