We're getting a lot more Evangelical Atheists (for lack of a better term) because it's becoming clear that the public schools have a lot more religion bleeding through the edges than some parents want.
That is, they're getting peeved that teachers are telling their kids about their Invisible Powerful Friend, and in some cases, negatively impacting those kids who don't toe the line. As a result, the parents are having to fight back on their kids' behalf.
I would like to live in a world of, "Believe whatever you want; keep it to yourself." That's not going to happen when ten of my 150 channels are overtly religiously connected, and I suspect that the History Channel is a cover for religious education as well. It's most annoying when folks start saying, "Hey, they found the archaeological evidence for the Battle of Jericho. God *did* throw down the walls! It must have happened just like in the Bible!" I want to respond with, "Yeah, they found the site of Troy, too. It happened pretty much like Homer said, which means that the Gods of the Greeks really existed!" ("The Bible is the Inspired Work of God, while The Iliad is Historical Fiction." Huh?)
Meditation is physiologically indistinguishable from prayer. The only difference is focus: Internal or external? Personally I think that meditation is more honest; no one is pretending that any other being exists. OTOH, pretend all you want; just be honest in your pretending.
And I say this while knowing that my personal pretending has paid off. I have gotten hints and urges while meditating that solved genealogy puzzles and personal crises. Did God intervene? I don't know. I might be willing to make a case for Interested Ancestors, though!
Meanwhile, I really do want there to be less Evangelism in the world. Your belief system is working for you? Cool. Keep it to yourself, and don't teach my kids about it unless they ask. Don't ask them to ask!!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
momijizukamori
no subject
Date: 2007-05-24 01:54 pm (UTC)That is, they're getting peeved that teachers are telling their kids about their Invisible Powerful Friend, and in some cases, negatively impacting those kids who don't toe the line. As a result, the parents are having to fight back on their kids' behalf.
I would like to live in a world of, "Believe whatever you want; keep it to yourself." That's not going to happen when ten of my 150 channels are overtly religiously connected, and I suspect that the History Channel is a cover for religious education as well. It's most annoying when folks start saying, "Hey, they found the archaeological evidence for the Battle of Jericho. God *did* throw down the walls! It must have happened just like in the Bible!" I want to respond with, "Yeah, they found the site of Troy, too. It happened pretty much like Homer said, which means that the Gods of the Greeks really existed!" ("The Bible is the Inspired Work of God, while The Iliad is Historical Fiction." Huh?)
Meditation is physiologically indistinguishable from prayer. The only difference is focus: Internal or external? Personally I think that meditation is more honest; no one is pretending that any other being exists. OTOH, pretend all you want; just be honest in your pretending.
And I say this while knowing that my personal pretending has paid off. I have gotten hints and urges while meditating that solved genealogy puzzles and personal crises. Did God intervene? I don't know. I might be willing to make a case for Interested Ancestors, though!
Meanwhile, I really do want there to be less Evangelism in the world. Your belief system is working for you? Cool. Keep it to yourself, and don't teach my kids about it unless they ask. Don't ask them to ask!!