Let's get real...! (Hi, all. I'm Penelope.)

[Penelope]

My name is Penelope.

I am a 44 year old widow, mother of two.
Live in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
Substitute teacher, 8th-10th grade.
Teaching mostly history and beginning science classes.
Finishing my first year of a three-year graduate program.
I am not a seeker.

Not, that is, in the usual sense of the word.
My background in science makes me a skeptic.
My background in history makes me a cynic.
I do not have faith in the innate goodness of people.
But I do not believe in original sin, either.
What I "seek" ... is discussion.

& & &

Religion, as a practice, has little personal interest to me.
I'm with William James, regarding the positive moral value of religion.
Pragmatically, religion generally helps good people to remain good.
But religion is also fertile soil for weeds of bigotry to sprout.
I'll leave the sociology of faith to others.
I'm more interested in the theological implications of religion.

Theology, to my way of thinking, looks beyond human existence.
Beyond human life as conditioned by the ecology of Planet Earth.
Sure, this may be just a fancy way of stating the obvious.
That ... theology looks beyond my secular, day to day existence.
Theology looks not to Earth, but to the Heavens.
But it is at this – very precise - line of distinction where my beliefs ...

Where my "seeking discussion" begins ...

[Tao_Equus]

Originally Posted by Penelope

Not, that is, in the usual sense of the word.
My background in science makes me a skeptic.
My background in history makes me a cynic.
I do not have faith in the innate goodness of people.
But I do not believe in original sin, either.

Now that is succinct and as profound as you like. I think you will like it here.

Warm welcome

[seattlegal]

Hi Penelope, and welcome to IO.

[wil]

Howdy Penelope,

Welcome to IO, if you keep up like your two posts so far we are going to enjoy your presence immensely! (well me anyway)

Interesting some of your choice of words. Driving home last night from Scouts with my son he says "Mr. X is really religious." I indicated I haven't noticed him being so, sort of sedate compared to his wife who is always trying to save folks whilst we remind her that Boy Scouts is open to all religious faiths and not the place for conversion tactics (sort of like here). But my son spent some time with Mr. X during a fundraising and learned he believed dinosaurs walked the earth around Jesus's time, that the great flood created the Grand Canyon and the earth is less than 10k old...

So we were discussing science and how he thought carbon dating was flawed and my son's thoughts on it all...and somehow he asked me about politics...

Well for some reason it appears my viewpoints on US politics are very similar to yours on religion...

Except for I do have faith in the innate goodness of people...I just don't think that goodness can stand a chance against the nature and power and opportunity to be warped that politics provides (religious hierarchy may have the same issues)

[greymare]

Gday and welcome Penelope.

[I, Brian]

Welcome to IO, Penelope.

[Snoopy]

Hi

Snoopy.

[Dream]

Hi Penelope. I do not recognize you, but that is no surprise as I live in the east. I'd like to comment upon something you said:

Originally Posted by Penelope

Religion, as a practice, has little personal interest to me. I'm with William James, regarding the positive moral value of religion. Pragmatically, religion generally helps good people to remain good. But religion is also fertile soil for weeds of bigotry to sprout. I'll leave the sociology of faith to others. I'm more interested in the theological implications of religion.

I see the first theological implication is that individually you and I are only so important. Realizing that actually helps to fight bigotry. The second implication is that your point of view changes alongside your attitude which comes through force of habit. Most things are constantly changing, however one thing theology seeks is to understand that which does not change and help us relate to it. A good start is to find something which you feel will be theologically significant to you and to verbally or otherwise openly express appreciation for it just as you begin to examine it. Does it represent anything permanent, and what does it have to do with you? Suddenly you are religious.

[Penelope]

Yes. Yes, Dream.
Much thanks!
(Did you catch my posts on Bliss in "Belief & Spirituality"?)

Originally Posted by Dream

... A good start is to find something which you feel will be theologically significant to you and to verbally or otherwise openly express appreciation for it just as you begin to examine it...

Right now the grass is so thick that I need to mow the lawn just so I can see the flower beds.

[Penguin]

Welcome Penelope. Fun here!