[Vision2020] Wilson is not a great mind, and neither am I
Tbertruss@aol.com
Tbertruss@aol.com
Thu, 27 May 2004 16:39:04 EDT
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Melynda:
Your post on religions, worldviews, and the complexities involved raises many
excellent points for parsing this discussion.
Eric would insist that all values arise from some sort of "religious"
orientation. To follow this line of thinking we would need to define what we mean by
"religion," a daunting task perhaps.
Some make the distinction I have heard often between "spirituality" and
"religion." Many people I have talked to claim to be spiritual but not religious.
And what does this exactly mean? I won't dive too deep into these waters
now, except to say that some view religion as an organized social/political power
structure, created by human beings, built around a metaphysical and/or
transcendent supernatural oriented ideology, while spirituality is less defined by
organized social/political institutions, is more of a unique personal
experience, perhaps undefinable by an individual but profound and deep nonetheless.
This attempt at defining these terms is no doubt seriously lacking!
Melynda is right that I tend to reject "religion" as defined above. But I
consider myself a deeply "spiritual" person, indeed more (humble, ain't I?) so
than many of the true believers in organized religion who I have met. This
aspect of my life prompts sympathy for many believers in organized religion,
though I cannot accept what I consider many of the irrational aspects of said
organized religions, nor the corruption and deception involved in the
social/political power structures involved.
I am aware how lacking what I just wrote is as an attempt to explore these
issues, but hey...it's only V2020.
Ted Moffett
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Melynda:<BR>
<BR>
Your post on religions, worldviews, and the complexities involved raises man=
y excellent points for parsing this discussion.<BR>
<BR>
Eric would insist that all values arise from some sort of "religious" orient=
ation. To follow this line of thinking we would need to define what we=
mean by "religion," a daunting task perhaps. <BR>
<BR>
Some make the distinction I have heard often between "spirituality" and "rel=
igion." Many people I have talked to claim to be spiritual but not rel=
igious. And what does this exactly mean? I won't dive too deep i=
nto these waters now, except to say that some view religion as an organized=20=
social/political power structure, created by human beings, built around a me=
taphysical and/or transcendent supernatural oriented ideology, while spiritu=
ality is less defined by organized social/political institutions, is more of=
a unique personal experience, perhaps undefinable by an individual but prof=
ound and deep nonetheless. This attempt at defining these terms is no=20=
doubt seriously lacking!<BR>
<BR>
Melynda is right that I tend to reject "religion" as defined above. Bu=
t I consider myself a deeply "spiritual" person, indeed more (humble, ain't=20=
I?) so than many of the true believers in organized religion who I have met.=
This aspect of my life prompts sympathy for many believers in organiz=
ed religion, though I cannot accept what I consider many of the irrational a=
spects of said organized religions, nor the corruption and deception involve=
d in the social/political power structures involved.<BR>
<BR>
I am aware how lacking what I just wrote is as an attempt to explore these i=
ssues, but hey...it's only V2020.<BR>
<BR>
Ted Moffett<BR>
<BR>
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