Comments on: God Talk

By: sumgirl

sumgirl — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 11:04:32 +0000

{stammering with relief} … yes!
thank you!

By: Allisone

Allisone — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 11:21:37 +0000

I think a lot of us are still working on that, and in times of crisis - I tend to revert a little in my reactions.

By: Atomictumor

Atomictumor — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 12:21:54 +0000

I never got fundamentalism. It seems so shallow to see the world in terms of black and white, and it appears to me thats what they do.

By: MSueS

MSueS — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 12:40:55 +0000

You wrote “I grew up going…’ I think that is the key. We all seek the comfort memories of childhood on many levels,by visiting old playgrounds, telling our kids stories of past snowstorms and eating meatloaf with mashed potatoes. The mix you see in that belief system might really be the mix of your childhood romanticism of a religious comfort zone meeting your discerning adult eye.

By: The Bosphorus

The Bosphorus — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 12:59:42 +0000

You might be onto something there MSueS. Family is tied up in all this.

Fund. is a severely logical system. It starts w/ a few premises and then pushes them as far a they will go. The logic may not make sense to those outside its bounds, but that’s beside the point.

It’s no more shallow than the various world views it rails against and vice versa.

By: The Bosphorus

The Bosphorus — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 13:41:51 +0000

Well, let me clarify that. It’s an illogical attempt at being rational about religion.

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 16:07:01 +0000

Fundamentalism scares the crap out of me… On a personal level: I don’t ’speak the language’ and that marks me as an outsider to an insular and powerful world. I’m not part of the fraternity. On a global level: These ‘truths’ may be worth dying for for those who believe them, but what happens when we are all dragged into the fight?

By: daco

daco — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 16:37:35 +0000

Thanks for the excellent post Bos. You’re making me think. I would really like to discuss this way further. You know, one former dogmatic fundamentalist to another.

By: damama

damama — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 18:00:45 +0000

Labels like “fundamentalism” are inflammatory. Being a christian has nothing to do with being republican or anarchists. The whole denomination thing is uncomfortable to me, as is the idea of religion. Mom told me that whortly before her dad, a staunch Catholic, died, he heaved a sigh of relief and told her “Y’know Anne, all you have to do is do what Jesus said. You don’t have to worry about anything else.” Now that’s comfort.

By: Punk HP

Punk HP — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 19:27:47 +0000

I struggle daily…weekly, monthly..yearly…continually..
AT, you are a great writer!

By: The Bosphorus

The Bosphorus — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 19:36:32 +0000

Daco, I’m always game for a religion discussion. We’ll get a few beers and talk.

damama, you’re right that being a christian is above and beyond labels like repub. or anarchist. That was a dumb joke on my part. :) There are a significant # of people who claim the label “fundamentalist” w/ pride. What I find fascinating is this mix of rebellion and authoritarian mindset that Sharlet pointed out in his article.
I want to gain what use I can out of denominations and take them for what they’re worth. I don’t see any one having priority. Each may highlight different facets of Christianity. Each has problems, too.

By: Bullet

Bullet — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 20:20:15 +0000

In C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters, the devil takes delight when the human has to think about it all (so I’m pulling this from distant memory and not quoting, but it’s there somewhere) Explain it all away all day long, but A feeling will still be there. It’s either a feeling of fullfillment, or a feeling of something lacking, something missing that you can’t put your finger on. Too many people try to argue the feeling away or find the reason for that feeling. What’s funny though, it’s usually only after you’ve surrendered that the answers come.

By: Atomictumor

Atomictumor — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 21:31:12 +0000

PunkHP, I’d like to direct your attention to the top of the screen, just underneath that name of the post, wherein it is written that Bos was the author of this particular post…
Unless you’re talking about that one line comment, where I’d say somethign like:
Thanks.

By: Jane

Jane — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 20:00:16 +0000

It’s not who (or what) you say you are, it’s what you do.