If you're scrolling back to look at previous entries (I often do more than one a
day), ignore the previous page. It's just there to provide links to Diaryland-only
diary rings.
In a way, I'm being a hypocite on my Montgomery list. I
keep talking about how I believ in not imposing one's own beliefs on others, yet I
sneakily try to do exactly that. In my own defense, I am not trying to undermine
the faith of even the most fundamentalist menber of that list; what I'm trying to
do is get them not to assume that everyone they speak to -- especially everyone
who has strong morals -- must necessarily share their beliefs. I want them to
realize that other paths may have something to teach, and that looking and
learning doesn't have to jeopardize their own faith. That if their beliefs are
right, they do not need to be protected by the walls of narrow minds.
Now, these are well-meaning, good-hearted people, and most of them
probably already believe that last sentence intellectually. I'm not talking to
bigots here or I wouldn't waste my time. It's just those automatic assumptions
that "we like each other so we're all good Christians here" that I want to
challenge.
I wouldn't presume to tell them that all faiths are equal
or that they're all paths to the same end. I'm sorry (no I'm not), but some
religious beliefs are plain stupid, and some are even plainer evil. (Jim Jones.
Aleister Crowley. Torquemada.) If you're going to stake your soul (yet another
dubious assumption) you had better have more than an inkling that you're right. Or
at least close enough to right. And anyone who believes that all faiths are equal
paths to Infinite Truth just hasn't studied many of them. Shiva, Buddha, and
Jahweh have more differneces than similarities.
On the other hand, it
is true that another path may have something to teach you, if you will listen.
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva have something to say about death and rebirth that should
resound in the ears of any follower of the three-in-one. The Humanists (to whom I
think I am going to make a donation) have a creed that should make sense to anyone
living on this planet, even if you're only here temporarily.
More to
the point with my sisters-in-LMM-fandom, we are not all alike, and it's not safe
to assume we are. We are alike some ways, and different other ways, and that's the
good thing about us human types.
Sorry, I'm getting all heavy again.
Maybe it's because I've somehow gained a couple of pounds. I'll stop now.