Comments on: The New Secularism: Cultivating A Sober Tone of Doubt (Rick Salutin) http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2006/01/01/282/ Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:26:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Kassandra http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2006/01/01/282/#comment-437 Kassandra Sun, 22 Jan 2006 22:08:36 +0000 http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2006/01/01/282/#comment-437 <p>As simply put as possible, people will believe the most attractive story. Religion (most of them) teaches that you can live forever, secularists point out that you will die. In the absence of any other influence, which would you choose? We have only turned away from religion when the established powers have hijacked the churches and used religion to oppress. Remember that the word cochon didn't originally mean pig; it was the name of a real bishop who sheared his flock so closely that his lambs bled and died. His name became an epithet. We may be somewhere in that cycle. It had to have been the Holy Spirit who told Mr. Bush that there were such dreadful weapons in Iraq; there was no evidence otherwise. As the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, sooner or later the hypothetical bliss in the next life will not balance the real suffering delivered to us by the powers in His name. It's just too bad that, like junkies, we have to hit bottom before we get straight.</p> As simply put as possible, people will believe the most attractive story. Religion (most of them) teaches that you can live forever, secularists point out that you will die. In the absence of any other influence, which would you choose?
We have only turned away from religion when the established powers have hijacked the churches and used religion to oppress. Remember that the word cochon didn’t originally mean pig; it was the name of a real bishop who sheared his flock so closely that his lambs bled and died. His name became an epithet.
We may be somewhere in that cycle. It had to have been the Holy Spirit who told Mr. Bush that there were such dreadful weapons in Iraq; there was no evidence otherwise. As the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, sooner or later the hypothetical bliss in the next life will not balance the real suffering delivered to us by the powers in His name. It’s just too bad that, like junkies, we have to hit bottom before we get straight.

]]> By: Dave http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2006/01/01/282/#comment-391 Dave Fri, 20 Jan 2006 16:37:01 +0000 http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2006/01/01/282/#comment-391 <p>This was eloquent and encouraging to read. As a student of religion without any allegiance to any organized church, I often have a very hard time explaining my cautiously skeptical outlook. This article expresses concisely the kinds of doubts and forecasts I've had in my mind about some people's relationships with the political structure and will of their faith community vs. the rest of our country.</p> <p>Very enlightening.</p> This was eloquent and encouraging to read. As a student of religion without any allegiance to any organized church, I often have a very hard time explaining my cautiously skeptical outlook. This article expresses concisely the kinds of doubts and forecasts I’ve had in my mind about some people’s relationships with the political structure and will of their faith community vs. the rest of our country.

Very enlightening.

]]> By: Hazel-rah http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2006/01/01/282/#comment-377 Hazel-rah Thu, 19 Jan 2006 17:52:04 +0000 http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2006/01/01/282/#comment-377 <p>It's been written many times that individuals will only be effective when they truly believe in what they are fighting for. If a new socialism (or other social form) is so deeply predicated on a basis of doubt I doubt very much that it will be succesful. It's like people of deep religous faith who implore others to just "let go" because they feel that the powers that be are best left alone. Without certainty of right and wrong the strong have reason to become stronger and the weaker cannot be sure that they have the right to overcome their fetters. I fear that any new secularism will be overcome by the opiate and not vice versa. After all, who has heard of a heroin addict choosing a vegetable platter when there is a needle readily available?</p> <p>Regards, Hazel-rah</p> It’s been written many times that individuals will only be effective when they truly believe in what they are fighting for. If a new socialism (or other social form) is so deeply predicated on a basis of doubt I doubt very much that it will be succesful. It’s like people of deep religous faith who implore others to just “let go” because they feel that the powers that be are best left alone. Without certainty of right and wrong the strong have reason to become stronger and the weaker cannot be sure that they have the right to overcome their fetters. I fear that any new secularism will be overcome by the opiate and not vice versa. After all, who has heard of a heroin addict choosing a vegetable platter when there is a needle readily available?

Regards, Hazel-rah

]]> By: Chris http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2006/01/01/282/#comment-352 Chris Tue, 17 Jan 2006 06:04:29 +0000 http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2006/01/01/282/#comment-352 <p>Just thought you might be interested in reading this article and others on this website.</p> Just thought you might be interested in reading this article and others on this website.

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