Religon (current hot button topic apparently) is like a commute to work.

[Ravenseye]

That pretty much describes what I think.

I like to say that my church is the shower. Whenever I take a shower I will often think about philosophical and religious questions as I relax. Sometimes I have hypothetical conversations with 'god' in my head. What would god say?

note: I come from a mixed background. My mother is a non-practicing christian, and my father is a non-practicing muslim. I was exposed to both religions and allowed to make up my own mind. In the end I chose my own personal spiritual path...my daily shower.

One time in the shower I asked about the variety of religions and 'god' (that is what my brain thinks that god would say) said that religions are like trips to work.

Say everyone lives in different suburbs of a city. You live in suburb north of town. For you to get downtown and go to work you'd take the main street where you are to the highway and head south, getting off at grant street. Someone living south of the city will walk to the subway and ride that into town getting off at 6th street. Each commute makes sense for each person because they come from different places. You can't tell someone who lives south of the city, to drive all the way to the north in order to follow your path to work.

The goal is to get downtown, the route you take doesn't matter.

Whether you're Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, Pagan, Athiest, Unitarian, Scientific Humanist, Animist, Shintoist, Taoist it doesn't matter what route you take to being a good person. The point is that each persons path is different, but the goal should be the same.

I'll respect anyones religion or lack thereof as long as they believe they should work towards being a good person, and don't come down on me or others for how we choose to get there.

That fair? To focus on our own commutes and stop worrying about how other people get to work. :)

[Inland]

1. But I drive like a crazed asshole--does the analogy still work?

Or am I going to get the finger from other "commuters"?

[Ravenseye]

2. LOL

Hey as long as you're heading downtown and don't hit any other commuters, in this analogy, I say have at it. :)

[mcscajun]

3. Nicest "religious" post I've seen all week.

:applause:

from a driver in the far left lane reserved for atheist/agnostic/animist/seemenextweekforwhatIbelievethen drivers.

[Ravenseye]

4. Thanks

Though I think too many people are a bit too interested in how other people drive, and don't take enough time to consider where it is they are going.

The argument I gather from some people against religion is that say for example christians are evil, wrong, crazy, silly, insert something else negative here...

And I've met a number of crazy ones.

But really, if they don't try and tell me how to drive, and we're all trying to get to the same place, it doesn't really matter to me whether I think this passage or that passage of their holy book is wrong. For that matter, that some other person who lives in their suburb is coming to mine and mocking my choice of taking the subway is no reason to begrudge everyone who lives in that suburb.

All I really would want to say to anyone else is 'enjoy your drive, see you in town'.

[CrispyQ]

5. A Christian friend of mine once said

"I can't believe God created so much diversity & then required only one way for us to rejoice in creation."

[Ravenseye]

7. Yup good quote

The point is to love life, and be good, how we actually get there or why we think we're going isn't irrelevant so much as actually getting there.

[mr blur]

6. The voice of sanity..

I think your post should be reproduced at the top of every forum and stand as the last word on the subject. I don't see how anyone could reasonably argue with it. Thanks.

[Ravenseye]

8. Thanks

Sometimes it seems there are a number of people who don't want to be reasonable on all sides. I just think that if we're all trying to get to the same place, why be snotty about how we get there.

[catzies]

15. We're not only snotty about how we get there, we're snotty about

what "vehicle" gets you there. ;)

Good thread. :thumbsup:

[Ravenseye]

16. lol that's true!

We human's seem to love to argue about religion.

[guinivere]

9. Wow. Truly the very best, most reasonable

post I have seen about this topic.

Thank you, Ravenseye.

[Ravenseye]

10. Thanks

Though sadly, sometimes I fear that many people just have no desire to be reasonable.

Isn't that all we really need to have in this world? Everyone striving to be a good person, able to do whatever they think is necessary to achieve that goal as long as it doesn't hurt or interfere with others, and be willing to be reasonable about it?

I think so.

[progmom]

11. Recommended for greatest page.

Thank you.

[Ravenseye]

12. Thanks

I just wish more people would take an idea like this to heart. It'd solve alot of arguments about religion and bring it more into a discussion arena. One where people can share their diverse beliefs and maybe give other people a new idea or thought, whether or not they accept it as their own.

We shouldn't be arguing, we should be talking, listening, and respecting each other, even if we disagree.

[Ron Green]

14. Talking, listening, respecting ... those are hard to do.

Fighting, controlling, judging ... those are easy!! And fun!! The way the RW has always controlled the masses is by appealing to the fear centers; liberals appeal to the thought centers. There's just no contest as to which will win out. It's still a jungle.

[Ravenseye]

17. I remember hearing somewhere

that people learn in three stages.

First they learn out of fear. You'll get detention, you'll go to hell, you'll get a spanking.

Second they learn out of reward. You'll get a gold star, you'll get into heaven, you'll get an extra desert.

Third they learn because they want to. No rewards, no punishment, simply to learn and grow.

I don't remember where this is from, but I just wish everyone could get into that third stage. Until that time I fear you're right.

[meti57b]

13. Very nice ... I like that!