This is in line with what Luci's blog said, and it is my pleasure to answer her blog with another blog...
As reading your blog, I'm listening to our Ang Dating Daan program, on youtube, a person asked Bro. Eli Soriano, the question is "why did God create humans?" and I can't manage some tears is falling now. I believe in God, I believe that my God is not a promoter of discrimination, nor a respecter of beings. My God is a fair God, whether you believe in Him or not, He will let the sun rises, the rain to pour,the air to breathe, the water to drink not only for those who believe in Him, but also to those who doesn't. Even though if we can't fathom how knowledgeable He is, He still cares for us, and make Himself low to our level for us to understand Him. A forgiving God, a loving God, the God that I felt all through these years despite my unkindness, my sins, my wrongdoings. I'm not here to convince you tho. :)
Just like what I have told you, if I am a believer thru my mouth, with my words, but still doing the opposite of the good teaching, what's my difference to sinners? If I do not walk the way I talk, isn't it a clear manifestation of learning nothing? I'm just another HYPOCRITE! You're an Atheist and I'm Christ follower, does that mean you are a less person than I am? NOOOOOOOOOO! If you're a non-believer does that mean you cannot do anything right to your life? NOOOOOOOO! Christ taught us even if we keep on saying that we are "believers" but our acts speaks the opposite, we can never enter the kingdom as well, same as the others who murdered and raped people.
People judge because they don't like to think! They don't bother to think!
Btw, I'm a former agnostic... I want to thank that Christ is the one I believe and the Father. I'm experiencing so many good things in life. :) But that doesn't mean you don't have your precious experiences. Life is a gift. Prejudices hinders happiness to come more often.
I totally agree with you, not your fault, not the fault of your country, God gave us free will..use yours, up to you, you don't have to explain yourself, force yourself to be someone you are not. There is one verse in Bible said that sometimes,
2 Peter 2:21King James Version (KJV)21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
...it is better for us not to know what is right but then after knowing it, turning back and return to our evil doings...what's the sense of lording after all? hahaha
I can't blame Atheist if they don't believe, For I have known so may false teachings, so many inventions are not based on facts, besides I don't have the right, plus I'm not in the right position to do such, who am I to judge? I'm just another dust pilgriming and messing around this cruel planet.
I'm praying people will not attack me because of this blog. I'm begging you guys, not because you believe you are right, doesn't mean I am WRONG, it's just you are not SEEING it from my side. Let's maintain the respect that we have for ourselves could be same or greater for others.
This is the softest part of me, sorry if I've been a sore eye.
Comments
Mary, I can safely say that the Spanish colonization wasn’t 100% devastating and negative, remember, they brought the Bible here, tho their practice were quite ambiguous in nature due to own understanding of the scripture, still there was good in that historical phase(please include the food, paella, Lengua, adobar…ect..). Besides, as a mature individual, I’m not seeing only the bad side, but as well as good side…even if there is nothing good I will still find that goodness :), and hatred is not part of my option in life.
I think Atheists aren’t the same, some are using this “ism” as a clear lame excuse to do whatever they like, some are just being physically scientific, some are totally fed up to what they have seen and experienced to former religions, some are just free thinkers, some are better off without God, some believe that they can still do good even without any rules before them. So to speak, generalization is not a good idea. I face one before, yes I’m no hypocrite to say that I haven’t had prejudices about these people before but after the not-so-cool conversation with one atheist, I realized we were just eating each other thought and spitting harshly to our personal deficiencies, our individual lapses in life. That wasn’t healthy, or useful to our being.
If a person is interested enough and wants to inquire about my beliefs I’m willingly obliged to explain, if not, I know how to shut up. If someone wants a debate to disprove God’s existence, I’m so willing! But there is always a perfect avenue for everything. As long as the person is not attacking my God, or me, ALL IS FINE. Maybe some will judge me that I’m just another coward who can’t even fight for her religion, huh? Bravery is not about who will fight, can fight...It’s about who will stand firm to her principle.
Thanks, Mary, you’re the cutest and coolest cat ever. Btw, I saw your comment to Mr. Jeffrey you told him you feel like less lonely knowing that he is an atheist, I feel the same way…the rest seems not in the same boat, indeed a lonely planet.
Risty, of course we can disagree but keep being friends and that's not to be hypocrite. That's to be mature ;)
I could understand if you had any 'hard feelings' towards Spanish people... I've them sometimes too! :D Even if it's already part of the history and it happened long time ago (times were different as well), I can't help but feeling sad for all the atrocities the Spanish Kingdom did in every conquered land.
I agree with you that people shouldn't impose their religion, so babies shouldn't be baptized because they can't decide that. I know that for first hand since, as I told you, I was catholic when I was a kid because my family was catholic and they raised me as one... I couldn't choose that.
I like the way you live your religion because it's in a positive way and you listening to other points of view in a very respectful way. But when you ask something like "How are we gonna keep quiet if we see an 'evil way of life'..." Well, as you very well said, you've a conscience that tells you to do what you consider 'right'. And that's very good; it happens to me too that my conscience doesn't allow me to look away if I see something that I consider 'unfair' (and let me tell you, for an atheist the conscience is extremely important) But here there is a 'problem' that I've seen very often between atheists and religious people, and it is what some religious people consider an 'evil way of life'?. My opinion here is that, as long as you're not hurting anybody, you can live your life the way you want and nobody should judge you for that. Everybody should be the owners of their lives and decide how to live and even how to die (euthanasia) without anybody judging that. But some religious people have 'problems' with that and here is where we differ; because nobody is morally superior just for following what they consider the 'God rules'.
But anyway, if we always remember that "Our right to swing our arms ends just where the other man’s nose begins”, then there would never been any coexistence problem between people, no matter how different are our beliefs.
Thanks for bringing up this topic Risty. It's very nice talkin' to you about it.
Serene dear, thank you for seeing this fair judgment, the truth behind this is I want other people to respect me too, tho vocally I'm not asking for it, still I am discreetly. I believe respect is not something that we can ask, it something that we gain, thru consistent showing the same to other people. As the Bible, do unto others what you want to do unto you.
Besides, living in hostility is not my nature, as much as possible I'm avoiding it..I don't want to provoke anyone here, as I consider EC a dear place for me. As a Christian, I should that wholeheartedly I am real, but I don't have to prove that to anyone, only God knows. I;m content with that, anyway life on earth is full of revile and reproach, Jesus faced that, how much more a servant like me will not?
Sending you all the peace God could give. Smile.
Risty dear! I have no words to write here, just wonderful, I have the same feelings, Allah given us freedom to choose, it is up to us. we should respect each other beliefs. If I claimed that I am a believer but my act works the opposite , then what's the point being believers.
Dear,thousands time kiss on your hand and mind that could help you to write such a lovely writing.. you told everything that I wanted to say all. A big Hugs dear. May Allah blessed you.
Yes, dear Vangie, that’s what I’m trying to say. Additionally, I think scrutiny and criticism are not effective to prove that I’m telling the truth, this will never encourage non-believers to believe, but on the contrary, this is very effective to make them think they are so right for not believing. Hahaha!
Thanks, Vangie, as long as there is one you who are respectful and kind to us here in EC, this place will always be a better place to dwell in. God bless!
El Felino Mary, I really like your funny side but I love your serious side. I should have known better, your country brought the Bible to my country, and we’re assimilated to Spain’s customary traditions, our meek and native land that was very naïve in nature is no longer ours to claim, they built churches, insisted that my ancestors should follow their god, their saints, even killed our national hero because he detracted some false teaching like “purgatory”, “limbo”, monetary contributions” and different fees; name it baptism, wedding, wakes, burial…etc.etc. From this statement, you can clearly notice I’m not a catholic. Although my family is a catholic, I was once baptized there when I was a child, and later in life, I’m thinking why they are baptizing babies? Because I read in one verse, you will baptize a person if he believes, how can that possibly be, for a baby? :D…questions filled my mind since then.(no hard feelings for Spanish :D)
As a human and as a member of our church nobody compel me to worship God, because worshipping must be done willingly. But that doesn’t mean the ministry will just let us do anything we want for this life if we don’t like to obey, why stay? We are free to go. The church doesn't need pretenders, the gate is openly wide, get out! Hahaha. Atheist only fear discrimination, as a true believer, we fear more than you do, the world is against us. Still, the truth will prevail I may say.
Same here, I don’t like people who keep on using religion to reproach others way of life, but there’s an exemption of course if that way of life is something evil, can I just stand and stare? If it's life and death situation can I just set aside and wait? Believer or not I’m obliged to perform what is right. My conscience telling me so, it is wired to my brain, to my system. If an atheist/others will try to convince me about their belief, well, in order to obviate things with her/him, I will just listen and smile; I have my own way of thinking, besides my love for Science taught me to question things in a rational manner. Like what I’m always telling here, I’m not the right person to judge, nor am I eligible to do so. Choose whatever you like as long as it will not affect mine. But if someone came to cross my beliefs and telling me you’re not supposed to do this or that without a solid basis, it is considered as crap!
I’m religious not because I want that goodie-goodie image, but because I am exercising my freedom of choice. Have they a problem? Talk to my______..hahaha! I love God, Jesus, the Bible… Doesn't somebody? Okay fine, not my issue. Haha :D
Thanks, Mary, I know for a fact that we can exchange ideas with two opposing premises and still friendly to each other, not because we are a hypocrite, but because we know how to respect each and every individual. I will not take someone’s belief against him/her. Everybody has their own battle in life, so do I.
Luciiiii dearrrrr, I will not deny that it made me sad, I understand your predicaments in life, and God knows our hearts. Your life is yours to use, not for others to condemn, we are vested to possess that, conquer than as long as we live. Life is too short to be bothered and to listen to unfair judgments, biases, and prejudices. Such a waste! I think people who like do this are those who aren’t content and happy to their real lives and wanted to spread their negativity to other people.haha… (But I wish I’m wrong about this.).I know I’m not the perfect person to tell you this, still it’s not easy to do good, and you still manage to do a lot as a citizen, a daughter, a mother…ect.ect… salute for that! Plus, I’m seeing Czech in a wider perspective…thanks to you. You are a lovely person, I can see through- I’m a former witch..hahaha. Takes one to know one. :D
Risty, I'd like to say something here as atheist. I'm from a country with a very deep Catholic influence and I've explained many times here that my family and many of my friends are Catholic, I was raised as Catholic and I believed in god when I was a kid (a god nice and fair as the one you mention) So I can understand your point of view pretty well because I've been there. I've seen "both sides of the river" so I think it gives me a wider perspective.
Having said that, I just would like to explain that, as atheist, I totally respect other people's faith. I don't care if someone believe in God/Allah, Buddah, Saint Claus, Gnomes, Fairies or whatever they feel like. That's not my business and I'm always gonna respect that: The personal faith.
But when I've a discussion here about religion, it's not because someone claims to believe in God. It's because some religious people here defend their point of view attacking, judging or offending other lifestyles different from theirs. I repeat again: I respect the personal belief. But I can't respect to make use of religion for controling, judging or attacking others. I can't respect religious institutions that only use religion as an excuse for getting power. And I can't repect to make use of 'religious literature/propaganda' to tell people how to live their lives (control, again).
I like people who are more 'independent' with their beliefs. People who just care to be good and do good, because they want to be a better person everyday. Not because a 'religious law' tells them so they'll get a 'heaven-reward' at the end.
Risty, thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. I know probably it wasn't easy for you to talk openly about this topic (because of that 'fear' of what people might think that you talked about in a discussion) But it's always nice to talk about religion in this very good tone ;)
Ristyyyyy, dearrr :) My this blog I showed you was to show you, how I see the things but I just see it made you kinda sad or hardly to say now, how you feel. Ofc it is your thing to believe in your God... God you find awesone and the best and I am ok with it because I can feel from your words emotions and sensitive attitude plus you showed you respect others instead of judging them ;) thanx for your blog and for your this confession...