From: Calvin Ashmore (coa@andrew.cmu.edu)
Date: Tue Oct 21 2003 - 10:44:02 MDT
I'm not sure what you mean by less serious (as opposed to the level of
gravity which doesn't seem to be too heavyhanded.)
But regardless...
You had stated that what separates you from one with any type of belief is
that you have thought extensively about your beliefs and why you believe
them, instead of accepting them passively.
I highly highly disagree with this claim. The nature of belief systems is a
precarious one, and many of my friends have belief systems that are
different from mine- even theistic ones. They have *all* (note all, not
some, not most, but all) gone through an extensive process by which they
have come to their own perception of beliefs and what to believe through
doubt, questioning, and ultimately constructing their belief system through
analysis of who they are and what they see themselves as needing to believe.
The phase at which I veer off from their systems is fairly early- at the
metaphysical question of "is there something more?" (ie, beyond human
consciousness, or capability for reasoning) I take the argument it's not
something that can be proven either way, and if there is, than there is no
sense that can be made of it. I have no use in thoughts of this life being
only a shadow of something else, because this life is what I have, and to
make it out to be only a figment of something else is to show a supreme
disrespect to the natural world that we live in.
Others don't follow the same line of reasoning, or do not wish to, and
therefore they construct their beliefs differently.
There are many different types of faiths and ways to follow them, but
certain branches of Christianity do in fact encourage rational thought and
doubt in their followers. Not all, probably not many, but some.
Often times, things are much more complex than they appear.
-Calvin
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