(no subject)

[balmofgilead]

I realized recently that when I think about other religions (or more specifically, when I thought about other religions as someone who was deeply invested in Judaism), I didn't see them as variations on a theme (i.e. the theme that Judaism's a part of--religion).  I saw them as entirely opposite, the flip side, archenemies. Such that if there were a similarity gradient it would have gone "Jewish, secular/irreligious, people who are into other religions to varying degrees," with more religious followers of other religions being farther away from me.

That's kind of sad.

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And for our random moment of comic relief...


I AM NOT DRUNK BUT I THINK THAT PARTICLE PHYSICS WOULD BE IMPROVED BY HAVING MORE PENGUINS IN ITS NARRATIVE AND IVE EMAILED A LOT OF FAMOUS PHYSICISTS ABOUT THIS IDEA BUT NO ONE EVER RESPONDS WHICH PROVES THERES A CONSPIRACY TO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH ABOUT PENGUINS AND BOSONS AND STUFF WELL THATS ABOUT ALL TRUTH OUT BYE
posted by Slithy_Tove at 5:40 AM on October 22

Comments

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

I used to think of religions other than evangelical/pentecostal Christianity in that way, too. Other Protestant Christians were closest, then Catholics, then Jews, then everyone else. It was very much an Us vs. Them mentality, with us being at the centre of God's perfect will, of course. If we'd known better, it would have been arrogant. As it was, it was sad, elitist, and isolationist.

These days I think of all religions as equal and arranged in a circle with God/The Divine at the centre. All of the religions are equidistant from the centre...except the radicals in any religion are on the outskirts and in sore danger of falling out of the circle altogether. :-)

[balmofgilead.livejournal.com]

Us vs. Them describes it perfectly. And it seems particularly sad that religion fostered something like that.

I'm not entirely sure how I see things now, but I'm glad I don't see them as I used to :)

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

I'm not convinced religion fostered it. I think people used and twisted religion to justify their desire to feel superior to others. The fostering came from people's own insecurities and arrogance.