Curiosity Doesn’t Kill
by During some of my vain attempts to engage people in conversation I have been told many times that it is quite impolite to talk about religion.
In the post 9/11 world that we live in you only have to turn the news on to hear some story about Muslim terrorists or some sort of religious war going on in the middle east. Unfortunately these stories are told in such a non objective, sensational way we end up with the impression that all the people from conflicting faiths should be feared. It’s this fear that divides us all. If you look at America and the media’s treatment of black people you can see the exact same level of fear and sensationalism that’s beamed into every home in the land. If a white guy commits a crime the news presenter will say ‘a thirty five year old man…..etc’ but if a black man commits the same crime he will specify ‘a thirty five year old BLACK man……etc’ why does he feel the need to tell us that he’s black? I think it must make him feel better about being in the majority.
Now, I am not a religious person at all. But that doesn’t mean that I judge anyone that is. I don’t follow any particular faith structure but that doesn’t mean I’m a soulless, spiritless man just like every religious type isn’t a narrow minded fool who will only follow the dogmatic view of there own religion. I suppose my point in all this is that it only takes a little intelligence, tolerance and curiosity to solve all these problems. A civilised man is a man whose curiosity outweighs his prejudices. Burying our heads in the sand and not talking about it will never solve anything and will only serve to widen the space between us.
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Post CommentKaren Gross
On March 20, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Great article. I especially like the line “A civilised man is a man whose curiosity outweighs his prejudices.” I like to learn what other people believe in, though I remain steadfast that the Christian God is the One True God and I want to take as many people with me to heaven as I can. I respect people who have thought through their beliefs and can articulate what they believe.
Null
On March 30, 2009 at 6:54 am
@Karen Gross: You say that you “remain steadfast that the Christian God is the One True God”
Given that the God of the Hebrews, and the Father of Jesus (Yahweh) also recognized the existence of other Gods then how can you be so sure that that god is the “one True One”.
Gods are by their very nature immortal, so all the gods who have ever lived, are still alive. What does it even mean to say that one of them is the True God. Aren’t they all true Gods? Aren’t the other Gods that your god was so very childishly jealous of True Gods as well. If you concede that even one God exists, then it is just as reasonable that they all exist, so how does one such as yourself rate all the gods I wonder.
Aauhein
On March 31, 2009 at 11:15 am
What doesn’t kill ya makes you stronger. The whole genesis thing was a book given a blind man. I don’t buy that. Tolerance is what America is about. I tolerate you you tolerate me.