Godless

I had a completely inappropriate conversation with one of my employees recently. We were talking about religion and he asked me if I thought the Bible was real, or just a collection of stories. Before I can stop myself I tell him that they are just nice stories.

He gives me two thumbs up and says "so you don't believe in god."

Yesterday, another employee walks through my office and we start talking about scientologist's. She was commenting on how fanatical and crazy they are. I said that the same could be said of people like her -- I consider her pretty religious.

I'm just amazed about how free I am lately with the fact that I'm atheist. That isn't to say that I have no faith. I just do not believe in a supernatural spirit that lords over people.

I'm sure this causes some people to think I'm some sort of freak or something and I used to worry about this. No more. I figure that if I have to listen to all the religious rhetoric all over the place, I can share my thoughts as well.

Thanks

When I walked into the house on Wednesday and was accosted by by the smell of Thanksgiving preparations in the kitchen it finally sank in that it is indeed November and Holiday Time is upon us. I was thankful for a wife who loves me so much and who breaths so much holiday spirit into our home.

On Thursday our table looked as if it had sprung from a TV commercial -- right down to the Publix salt and pepper shakers. A huge table with 18 people around it passing food around all smiles and great conversations. I just watched and thought about how thankful I am for my family and friends.

On Friday we went to EPCOT for the Candlelight Processional. This will hopefully be the tradition that X remembers and carries on when he starts his family. Judging from his reaction this year, I'm sure this will be the case... he seemed to become possessed by the music, from conducting the orchestra during the overture to dancing during the choir's third number. He was raised to such a level that he exhausted himself, and finally turned around, laid his head on my shoulder and went to sleep. I'm thankful to have such a wonderful, happy and healthy child.

I really have so much to be thankful for, and I try through-out the year not to take these things for granted. There are days when the Mrs. and I just look at each other and say "we are so lucky." I see people at work, or watch the news, or hell, just driving down the street, who would be happy to live the worst day of my life rather than live the best day of theirs.

Rest in Peace

Tony was just in my office last week -- a week ago today as a matter of fact. When I asked him how he was doing he said "not good Paule. My wife ain't doing so well." He spent an hour telling me all that was going on with Jennifer. He told me about how her cancer had come back, in her spine, and how she had been recovering well from that, but then it showed up in her organs and the treatments weren't helping.
They decided to stop the treatments, and try to make the most of the good days. Between the pain and the medications, it sounded like those were few and far between. He told me that she was in a wheel chair, but she had a good day recently and took it to the mall. He smiled while he told me about that.
My heart went out to Tony. I was shocked to learn this morning that she had passed last night. May she rest in peace.

Faith

So quickly it comes up. If you missed it yesterday, Natalia over at the cheese pad had this to say regarding the film Jesus Camp.

Her rant got me thinking about religion and faith and my own beliefs.  So for those who are interested, here goes:

Religion

Wikipedia says of religion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion):

A religion is a set of beliefs and practices generally held by a community, involving adherence to codified beliefs and rituals and study of ancestral or cultural traditions, writings, history, and mythology, as well as personal faith and mystic experience. The term "religion" refers to both the personal practices related to communal faith and to group rituals and communication stemming from shared conviction.

So religion is important, on a cultural level, as it provides sets of beliefs, rituals, and traditions. All of these elements are crucial to the stability of society. That isn't to say that these things should be forever fixed, indeed they should be forever changing and evolving to suit the needs of society, and not make society subservient to them. This is where religion today, fundamentalism in particular, has gone wrong.

This then begs the question: Am I religious? Well yes and no. I wholeheartedly participate in many of the rituals and traditions ascribed by the religion of my parents - Christianity - because I believe in their value to my small society. Weddings, for instance, are an important ritual affirming the commitment of two people, and the beginning of family. Funerals are another important ritual as they facilitate the mourning process for those of us who have yet to move on to whatever comes next.

Religion has also been the impetus for many important works through out history. There is so much important music, literature and art that is inspired by religion that to loose it would surely be a setback for humanity.

Faith

To Believe without reason. There are things that I believe without reason. Still, they may not be those things that the rest of society believes as a group. Do I believe in God? Not since I was a child. Do I believe in Karma, absolutely. I also believe that things always, always happen for a reason and that life will never hand me anything I am not strong enough to handle. The list goes on.

Faith in something is what keeps most of us going. Whether it is faith God, or faith in science, it give us our reason d' etre.

This clip got me most worked up. Rachel has faith that God is the only one who will judge her, yet she is being taught to judge others -- and to make sure they know it. She mocks my faith.