--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Susan" <wayback71@...> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Susan" <wayback71@> wrote: > > > > > > Hey Barry, > > > your post has got me thinking today, all day. I know what > > > you mean about Wonder and how having rigid beliefs can put > > > a lid on being open to other possibilities. But I also think > > > that many people need religious beliefs, or spiritual beliefs > > > of some sort to get thru life. Life can be really hard, and > > > it seems many humans must have some built-in need to have > > > Cause and Effect relationships in what they look at and think > > > about. We like seeing the order that cause/effect implies, > > > it makes us feel that we have some control of at least some > > > things, it makes us feel safer, and it keeps some anxiety at > > > bay. We need The Story of how things happened and what might > > > happen in the future. I don't think everyone needs this, but > > > some do. > > > > I agree. > > > > > Your sense of Wonder and your comfort with the unknowableness > > > of it all is so brave, so free, and shared by most scientists > > > and inventors, I bet. But this is not necessarily what other > > > people would even benefit from. I speak here personally. > > > > Again, I agree, but not about the "brave" part. My > > approach to these things is just predilection. As > > Jessica Rabbit said, "I'm just drawn that way." :-) > > > > > For me, all this info about the brain is fascinating, I > > > gobble it up, science is great - but also has made me - > > > honestly - nostalgic for the days when I believed my > > > spiritual experiences to be proof of something more. > > > > Again with the "drawn that way." I almost never am. > > I *remember* the sense of certainty I felt in the > > past, and recognize it in people I know who still > > feel it, but I do not. Nor do I miss it. > > > > > I am in transition now and not sure where I belong or what > > > I believe. I know nothing has been proven, yet, but some > > > doubts and uncertainty are there for me. > > > > From my point of view, that's a good sign. > > > > > It does not make me feel more Wonder. Now when I look at > > > the stars in the summer sky (I do this a lot and for long > > > periods of time) I feel wonder but also uneasy and, well, > > > alone. In fact, I have been thinking for some time now > > > that maybe it was easier for me before I began doubting. > > > > I don't doubt this. It was certainly easier for me > > before I started thinking for myself, too. But I > > wouldn't trade what I feel now for what I felt then. > > > > > I feel not sure and unanchored in a way or belief system > > > to see life. And then it turns out that Enlightenment is > > > not what I thought - that it too is not what I had thought. > > > > I suspect *nothing* is what we think it is. > > > > > I guess what I am saying is that different people get thru > > > life in different ways. My bet is that some brains need more > > > structure and external rules and beliefs and stories to feel > > > secure and happy. > > > > I do not disagree. > > > > > Others, like yours, thrive being entirely free of those > > > conceptions and constructs, and find them limiting. > > > > Predilection. When I first moved to Santa Fe and was > > looking for a place to live, I got used to real estate > > agents showing me a place but then saying, "I have to > > warn you...it's *very* windy out here." That always > > surprised me, because for me that would have been a > > plus, not a warning. For others, not so much. Not > > better or worse, just predilection. > > > > > While I know Dawkins and others are writing brilliant > > > books about there being no God, and about how destructive > > > religion has been - I also don't think they are doing a > > > favor to lots of people who really need these beliefs to > > > feel good during the few years of life they have here. > > > > I don't see how what Dawkins and those others say or > > do impacts those who believe in God one way or another. > > Does what they choose to believe depend on what he > > believes? Does what he believes affect them? > > > > > It really does take lots of approaches, and people scramble > > > and struggle to make sense of it all, even if believing in > > > something not actually a fact. > > > > > > However, here we are on Fairfield LIfe, which is where people > > > debate these issues. If you check in here, you have to be > > > prepared to loosen up and try on new ideas. And you have to > > > be honest about your POV, as yo have been. Some will be upset > > > by the back and forth. But I just wanted to add in my usual > > > wordy fashion that losing one's faith in something benign but > > > untrue is not always helpful, even if it is untrue. > > > > Predilection. I wouldn't trade the faith I had in my > > youth for any day I spend as a skeptic in the present, > > even if I could be young again to do it. > > Question: how would you raise a child these days? What > would you tell them? Would you want them in an organized > religion, what beliefs if any would you encourage?
That's an excellent question. One that, if I live long enough, I'll have the opportunity to answer. For now (since she's only three), I suspect I'd have to say that I'll make it up as I go along. If I have input into her life's direction, I would hope to steer her life in the direction of mindfulness and, if she's open to it, meditation. I would also hope to steer her in the direction of the martial arts, for the confidence and the balance they provide. I would imagine that I'd steer her away from organ- ized mainstream religion, and warn her of the dangers of more unorganized cults. What she does with this advice when she gets older will probably be a lot like what she does with my advice at age three. :-)
