I've wondered about a few topics for conversation involving religion off and on recently. Topics which I would love to have an intellectual conversation about, but generally fear that such a thing might not be possible.
My first topic of discussion: At work, the manager put up a few little red bows, some garland, a little wreath with a santa on it, a cute little bell tree and a nativity scene to give our store a little christmas spirit. The owner of the store suggested that we take it all down because of fear that someone would be offended at these decorations. I'm curious to know what others think of such a scenario though. Persoanlly I think its a little silly. I would not be offended by jewish or muslim decorations for hanukah or ramadan if I walked into a store displaying such accessories. I certainly wouldn't call them racist or prejudice because of it. A politically correct society has no religion however because to acknowledge any one religion and not any of the others is not fair, just and equal. This I understand all too well as a practicing agnostic.
My second topic of discussion: Do any of the holidays known for their celebration around the time of the winter solstice bear any significance if the various religious observances are striped away? I ask this, because it has occurred to me for the first time in life being that I no longer am a devot christian that over the years christmas has more or less lost more and more meaning to me. If seven candles had not miraculously survived 8 nights on a small amount of oil, christ had not been born or the Qur'an never composed would these holidays be of any significance. The pagan practice of yule coincides with the actual winter solstice, a phenomena that occurs around december 21st/22nd in the northern hemisphere. The shortest day and longest night of winter, where the days begin to get longer again. Its a time measurement if nothing else. I'm a practicing agnostic so if I were going to put any significance to this time of year, I'd put the significance of the winter solstice to our planet as that significance, otherwise all I see at this time of year is greed, commerciallism cashing in on the greed and everything but good will toward men.
My third topic of discussion: A. Is peace on earth and good will toward all men truly represented at this time of year? B. Why do we not actively observe peace on earth and good will toward all men all year round? Why only stress it during the winter solstice season?
My fourth topic of discussion: There have been a lot of archeological searches to find this and that mentioned in the various religious texts of the world. The dead sea scrolls when they were found were very controversial toward the modern ideals of the bible, Qur'an and Toorah. Ancient religions such as that of the Norse, greeks, Romans, mayans and egyptians we mainly write off as mythologies. Some pagan Gods still are worshiped today by a few minorities. If it could ever be proved that people, places and events from any given mythology, holy book and legend, how would this effect the people of the world? What happens if someone discovers that the real Jesus of nazareth was nothing more then a terrorist of the roman government and not this sinless man worshipped world over? What happens when its discovered that the idea of Thor, Zues or Isis all extend from stories about our ancestors that through the passage of time by each oration it was handed through changed mere human beings like you and me into Gods? What happens as sciencentific advancement of knowledge continues to show us just what is and is not natural (homosexuality, mice that don't fear cats,)?
My first topic of discussion: At work, the manager put up a few little red bows, some garland, a little wreath with a santa on it, a cute little bell tree and a nativity scene to give our store a little christmas spirit. The owner of the store suggested that we take it all down because of fear that someone would be offended at these decorations. I'm curious to know what others think of such a scenario though. Persoanlly I think its a little silly. I would not be offended by jewish or muslim decorations for hanukah or ramadan if I walked into a store displaying such accessories. I certainly wouldn't call them racist or prejudice because of it. A politically correct society has no religion however because to acknowledge any one religion and not any of the others is not fair, just and equal. This I understand all too well as a practicing agnostic.
My second topic of discussion: Do any of the holidays known for their celebration around the time of the winter solstice bear any significance if the various religious observances are striped away? I ask this, because it has occurred to me for the first time in life being that I no longer am a devot christian that over the years christmas has more or less lost more and more meaning to me. If seven candles had not miraculously survived 8 nights on a small amount of oil, christ had not been born or the Qur'an never composed would these holidays be of any significance. The pagan practice of yule coincides with the actual winter solstice, a phenomena that occurs around december 21st/22nd in the northern hemisphere. The shortest day and longest night of winter, where the days begin to get longer again. Its a time measurement if nothing else. I'm a practicing agnostic so if I were going to put any significance to this time of year, I'd put the significance of the winter solstice to our planet as that significance, otherwise all I see at this time of year is greed, commerciallism cashing in on the greed and everything but good will toward men.
My third topic of discussion: A. Is peace on earth and good will toward all men truly represented at this time of year? B. Why do we not actively observe peace on earth and good will toward all men all year round? Why only stress it during the winter solstice season?
My fourth topic of discussion: There have been a lot of archeological searches to find this and that mentioned in the various religious texts of the world. The dead sea scrolls when they were found were very controversial toward the modern ideals of the bible, Qur'an and Toorah. Ancient religions such as that of the Norse, greeks, Romans, mayans and egyptians we mainly write off as mythologies. Some pagan Gods still are worshiped today by a few minorities. If it could ever be proved that people, places and events from any given mythology, holy book and legend, how would this effect the people of the world? What happens if someone discovers that the real Jesus of nazareth was nothing more then a terrorist of the roman government and not this sinless man worshipped world over? What happens when its discovered that the idea of Thor, Zues or Isis all extend from stories about our ancestors that through the passage of time by each oration it was handed through changed mere human beings like you and me into Gods? What happens as sciencentific advancement of knowledge continues to show us just what is and is not natural (homosexuality, mice that don't fear cats,)?
