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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Greg or e who wrote (28813)	9/21/2001 10:58:25 AM
From: Neocon	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 82486

I had feared that Karen had misrepresented what I said, then I realized that she encapsulated it nicely when she used the formula "asserting that rightness overrides all earthly considerations....will teach intolerance". One may regard oneself as having the Truth, and nevertheless concede that the Truth is not easy or obvious, and therefore accept divergences of opinion. Even when one thinks that there is something wrong with the other person, the need for civil peace or patriotic unity or some other immediate consideration can ameliorate discord. Thus, even if one is believes that salvation is exclusive to those with the correct belief, one need not belabor it in inappropriate ways (no criticism of you, although Chris land has never learned discretion). As for liberal denominations, well, I am a religious liberal, although I agree that some liberalism is not robust enough. I think that considering the Bible a record of human reflection about, and even dealings with, God, but told from the human side, rather than dictated inerrantly, is a reasonable position. From that standpoint, it may have something to teach, but not necessarily oracular authority. Since we have discussed this before, I won't belabor the whole thing, I just want to point out that people with my point of view are loathe to see what one may call "the Pharasaism of belief", where unless you get doctrine just right, you are doomed.......

To: Greg or e who wrote (28813)	9/21/2001 11:16:34 AM
From: Lane3	Respond to of 82486

What gives religion a bad name is hypocrisy Well, you're right that hypocrisy is a big problem. But religion would have a bad name even without it for the reason I argued--some religion teaches intolerance. I understand where you're coming from. If you look at things from a perspective that includes life on Earth and the afterlife, I understand why asserting your Truth is so important to you. If, however, you look at this life we're living in the here and now, the sixty or ninety years that most of us get here on Earth, what matters most is that we all work together productively and happily, which requires tolerance and mutual respect. Surely you can understand why most of us would prefer to share the earth with those who are more interested in getting along with each other than in asserting the Truth. Yes, there is a very big difference between asserting that Truth via arguing or proselytizing and asserting it via terrorism. But our world would be a better, nicer, less dangerous place if we didn't have to deal with Truth Knowers of either variety. Karen