Michael Butler’s Blog

This entry was posted on Monday, September 4th, 2006 at 2:29 PM and filed under Articles. Follow comments here with the RSS 2.0 feed. Skip to the end and leave a response. Trackbacks are closed.

4 Responses to “Another Side To An Important Subject”

1. Lyle said:

   …let’s see; this debate has been going on longer than we have years upon this grand Earth.

   One might surmise from the article and its contributors, that one group or individual can willfully address and choose a side. However, if anyone with the experiential knowledge in any of these fine subjects were found to be at ‘rest’ and ‘ease’ with these beliefs, then it would follow naturally, that a predominant query and hypothesis would be final and conclusive. Arguably, I could say that I know Christianity front and backwards; which was my parents and their parents’ belief, but I can’t predict Christ’s second coming, nor can I preclude that the existence of a here-after does or does not materialize. I do know many factual (belief structures) and errors in either case with presentation (Bible and Koran) exist and to dismiss these theories from their followers, is arrogant. To kill is to kill. In our group survival (early-man), was it affordable for the clans not to engage peacefully with their neighbors for ‘the hunt’ or a bit of rump roast from that dinosaur to feed the aged and sick amongst us? Nevertheless, taking a stance too far in theory can make any argument feasible and a book worthwhile. I easily take religion, natural wonder, and scientific belief that WE must continue to expand our thinking through self examination processes, which eliminate doubt which hinder clarity and the very theory which placed each and every one of us in our present day mind-set. Change is the ‘evil’ one, to some. There is not enough information today for me to conclude that any one belief structure should go from the face of this discussion without first looking at the structures from the end to the beginning. We are trying desperately to believe, to formulate within structure and models that start from beginning to end. If we pushed all the arguments made today to its finality, we would perhaps understand that these structures primarily enabled our beliefs, through our personal capacity for growth. Globally, though - to be smarter – or to continue a discussion, I would exercise that given knowledge to expand beliefs, give and takes, so to speak; and materialize once and for all when approaching that door of finalization; the Light that descends or its absence is because of my faith or lack of. Or, that life and termination is a continuance wave of undulating discovery here and after. Sounds like something we believe already but not quite so. Removing finality and hypothesis as theories would complete the task…removing the end (finality) and replacing it with a ‘to be here now’ is worthy of man’s praise by not limiting faith but by encouraging growth to one’s self and clan.

   If none of these are true (belief structures), then I can see my destiny as a natural phenomenon, evolving to the rate of a stratospheric or universe structure far beyond my most profound epiphany to date. Forever, I will not be haunted with the pretext that the Earth just happened. Someday, maybe you or in another century someday, I hope, with proof that the structure of planets, people, animals, and ocean life were organized. By whom I ask, my quest, surely not by a ‘God’ who allows me to witness my ‘peoples’ clan and destruction through carnage, ignorance and antiquated belief structures, ceremoniously praising deities for their goodness, disallowing science as a ‘black art’ and consciously burying facts of biology because it weakens man’s position and public perception of him to be divinely correct. Can I be wrong today, yet so infinitely right? Who tells me? Who leads me? Who carries me? …And who is intuition, not what?

   Posted on 05-Sep-06 at 1:47 pm | Permalink
2. deadwisdom said:

   As an atheist, I am sympathetic to these laments. I find religion to generally be a crutch that does more harm than good. However, I have long held that religion is rarely the problem. Rather it is the most obvious straw-man in a struggle of cultural, economic, and political dynamics that has been with us since before the birth of humanity. Surely religion rallies people to a cause, but that cause is usually fueled by some economic or social turmoil that is not as easily understood or widely publicized as is a difference of religious beliefs.

   When it comes down to it, it is the commonalities of mistrust, xenophobia, and myopia in the human race that are truly to blame.

   Posted on 08-Sep-06 at 9:29 pm | Permalink
3. JulieWinnMcKay said:

   Auwe and Amen!
   All the world’s religions have a genesis in some sort of spirituality. Unfortunately, the human ego in time usually obliterates what was originally pure, good and sacred about a belief system. It seems that most “religious” people eventually get bogged down with too much thinking and greed which often leads to resentments and hatred, then war in the name of a supreme being. Pure, simple spirituality is where it’s at for me. The rich earth, fierce oceans, mighty mountains, rainbows of flowers, silent sunsets and sunrises, happy laughing babies and wise elders who chant their stories to the wind — these are some of the riches in nature’s church. And that’s more than enough for anyone to love. I question why in hell humanity has not taken better care of Mother Earth and Father Sky! To that I shout a resounding AUWE … and thanks to Al Gore.
   Another theory I have about why so many people are being killed in the name of “God”
   is this: Testosterone. Put women in charge of the world and there would be far fewer wars.
   And Lyle —- (just between us) I think you may be guilty of thinking youself into a dark cave from which there is no escape. I’ll give you this much, you sure know a lot of fancy words. But to be honest, I really didn’t understand your post.
   By the way, Iolana Maile (K’ang) Estrada will be 10-years old on September 23rd. She is learning Kung Fu so she will know how to heal — and how to find the way to peace and love.
   Aloha nui loa……

   Posted on 14-Sep-06 at 4:24 pm | Permalink
4. Lyle said:

   Yes, deadwisdom, “religion to generally be a crutch that does more harm than good … a struggle of cultural, economic, and political dynamics” is right dead on.

   “Removing finality and hypothesis as theories would complete the task…removing the end (finality) and replacing it with a ‘to be here now’ is worthy of man’s praise by not limiting faith but by encouraging growth to one’s self and clan.”

   “I think you may be guilty of thinking youself into a dark cave from which there is no escape.”

   … Let me explain, Julie. In other words, if I die I go where? It goes with your belief structure - right? To be with God … or with Nature’s Spirit … or be inside of the Earth, comforted by the Earth, no God but Earth.

   So, if I lean towards the belief that Christ is coming again, first with the destruction of the Middle East and Israel as the primary program; then Bush and his evangelicals are correct for their structure and Christian values. Let them believe what they may - freedom of religion.

   But if I lean towards the belief that by doing your honest best now for humanity, irrelevant of our own past human short-comings, then we together are living the philosophy of ‘being here now’. Too many of us dream too much and forget about the ‘here and now’; the environment, the hate, the reluctance to go forward and to heal.

   Many of us are in a rush to get there, wherever that maybe. It is to your dignity and mine that to ‘be here now’ and envision a world not as we want but as it is; is our fate. Faith to change it, faith to correct it, to what we collectively consider normal is that faith and fate to help those willing to be helped, by doing.

   That’s it.

   Posted on 15-Sep-06 at 3:22 pm | Permalink

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