There was a topic on my forum about faith; Christainty in particular. A reply pointed out that Christainty is a "closed" system - you can be only that and not incorporate other ideas (like Taoism, Buddism, etc) into your faith. The poster continued on to state that this tends to make many such people close-minded because they have been taught to dismiss anything foreign as wrong, bad, or evil.
The reply that followed came from a Christain who took it as a personal attack and stated that there is but one truth. Truth is dependant upon no religion , religion should be dependant upon truth instead.
I disagree completely...and thus I replied as follows:
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truth, like beauty, lies in the eye of the beholder
Um, no. There is on ONE truth. Truth is as opinion, expression, or thought: unique and individual to all.
The post above did not state anyone in particular to be closed minded, but rather made a very valid point about how orginized religion is dependant upon being a one-way system to survive. You can come in, but you can not leave. You take their words only because others are "wrong." This tends to promote hatred through misunderstanding and is the cause of great suffering and misery over the years.
As I've stated before, there is nothing wrong with the idea of Christainty, but there are many things wrong with their spokespeople.
Reading the bible is fine, but it's as complete as seeing only the shade red of the rainbow. Don't ever think for a moment that there is ONE person out there who knows everything. There isn't and they don't. It's wonderful if you can find others who have a similar point of view on faith as you that you might share, but it's not mandatory to posess that faith. The truest faith is the one you have all on your own without pomp and circumstance. It's already there - whatever it is - and it's just a matter of realizing it. If, by reading a book you help yourself find it, by all means, read the book. But know the book is not the faith; just the means to help you find it.
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So, now...does faith dictate truth? Does it limit what is and what is not real? Or, are you like me and believe that whatever you can believe or imagine IS truth? That the act of having the faith makes the truth? It's an interesting discussion to say the least.
~ flowers bloom near Memory and Dream
at 2/28/2002 02:46:38 PM ~
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