unsubscribing

[Guest guest]

You yourself by sending an email to

Valist

As Pink Floyd sang: “Hanging on in silent desperation is the English way”

I just express mine, instead of being silent with it.

[Guest guest]

It’s very difficult to have a “grown up” conversation

about religion because often, the root of people’s

religion is fear.

 

They aren’t taught, as children, useful coping

mechanisms. They aren’t taught self-sufficiency,

creative problem solving, or how to see the world for

what IS and how to make the best of it. When it comes

to being a secure individual, they are taught instead

illusory things like what one deserves, or is entitled

to. Or that good is always rewarded.

 

But since society really believes that the individual

is weak and needs a strong “team”, they are taught

that might makes right and majority rules. Have the

big guy on your team and you win. Have the “right” God

and you go to heaven. Those other guys don’t; they go

to hell. Often the strength of a community is wrapped

around a local church, of whatever religion.

 

So most people are afraid to examine their religion.

Too much is riding on it. Gosh, what if they believe

in something that is a fairy tale? The current fiction

in vogue? What happens to everything else in their

life? Might they end up alone, weak and without

direction?

 

So many people are just scrapping by in their lives.

Barely making it financially, or emotionally or

spiritually that they just plain CAN’T stand to hear

an intelligent argument against their particular

source of strength. If they hear, they might agree!

Then what? So they can’t hear, and they must start

flinging insults to stop any more frightening words.

And if the words don’t stop, they have to leave the

room so as not to hear them (or read them).

 

That’s a natural coping mechanism. Wrong, but natural.

 

That doesn’t make them right in their insults.

 

Just afraid. That’s all.

 

The fact is that the only words and actions of others

that have the power to bother us, are those that touch

a nerve. Those that get a little too close to the

truth in the areas in our lives where we know, deep

down, we aren’t strong. We know there is a flaw. And

we’re afraid to look at it. Sometimes it's a flaw in

what we believe; sometimes it's a flaw in the strength

of our belief.

 

I think expressing (without insult) is a very good

thing. One never knows who is helped by hearing it

(like ourselves). And for those who don’t want to

hear, well, some will go away because that is all they

can do. And others may finally face their fear, and

discover that they are stronger than they think, and

there wasn’t anything to fear in the first place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Mary,

 

Very appropriate and wise words at a proper time.

 

Regards,

 

Ashutosh

 

 

-

Mary Quinn

valist

Sunday, 19 March, 2006 09:07

Re: unsubscribing

It's very difficult to have a "grown up" conversationabout religion because

often, the root of people'sreligion is fear.They aren't taught, as children,

useful copingmechanisms. They aren't taught self-sufficiency,creative problem

solving, or how to see the world forwhat IS and how to make the best of it.

When it comesto being a secure individual, they are taught insteadillusory

things like what one deserves, or is entitledto. Or that good is always

rewarded.But since society really believes that the individualis weak and needs

a strong "team", they are taughtthat might makes right and majority rules. Have

thebig guy on your team and you win. Have the "right" Godand you go to heaven.

Those other guys don't; they goto hell. Often the strength of a community is

wrappedaround a local church, of whatever religion.So most people are afraid to

examine their religion.Too much is riding on it. Gosh, what if they believein

something that is a fairy tale? The current fictionin vogue? What happens to

everything else in theirlife? Might they end up alone, weak and

withoutdirection? So many people are just scrapping by in their lives.Barely

making it financially, or emotionally orspiritually that they just plain CAN'T

stand to hearan intelligent argument against their particularsource of

strength. If they hear, they might agree!Then what? So they can't hear, and

they must startflinging insults to stop any more frightening words.And if the

words don't stop, they have to leave theroom so as not to hear them (or read

them).That's a natural coping mechanism. Wrong, but natural.That doesn't make

them right in their insults.Just afraid. That's all.The fact is that the only

words and actions of othersthat have the power to bother us, are those that

toucha nerve. Those that get a little too close to thetruth in the areas in our

lives where we know, deepdown, we aren't strong. We know there is a flaw.

Andwe're afraid to look at it. Sometimes it's a flaw inwhat we believe;

sometimes it's a flaw in the strengthof our belief.I think expressing (without

insult) is a very goodthing. One never knows who is helped by hearing it(like

ourselves). And for those who don't want tohear, well, some will go away

because that is all theycan do. And others may finally face their fear,

anddiscover that they are stronger than they think, andthere wasn't anything to

fear in the first place.Do You

?

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