Quite Contentious

[Thomas]

I honor your traditions, your need for garb, decoration, and ritual...

In the past you have implied they amuse you. That really you're above all that. That's not honour.

I had contemplated that I the dogmatic liberal nontheistic panentheist follower of Christ that adores aspects of Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sufism, and more was the issue...

I don't take issue with how you choose to label yourself, just how you choose to label others.

 

[wil]

You asked why I thought they weren't here....I am not grouping fundies and orthodox together in thought, but only together in why they aren't here...

No just because I don't need the tradition, doesn't mean they are beneath me...just that I don't need them. I don't need okra either. Nor do I need rollercoasters. At times I'll enjoy the latter, but have no interest in the former.

I don't need to whirl like a diversh, or pray and prostrate myself five times a day like a muslim, this does not mean that these traditions are beneath me...they simply aren't mine. They are not my way to connect with all that is, nor is the incense or chant of the call and response....

to each their own...I can accept that,

Others cannot...

 

[Thomas]

You asked why I thought they weren't here....I am not grouping fundies and orthodox together in thought, but only together in why they aren't here...

Sorry Wil, but that's not what you said. You tar a whole spectrum of people with the same brush, and say they're not here because its 'beyond their ken, it is my way or the highway, my G!d is better than your G!d'. You seem to think of others you deem less liberal than yourself in negative stereotypes.

I don't think my God is better than your God, This assumption of how traditional and orthodox think is, in my experience, highly inaccurate and judgemental. Another negative stereotype.

No just because I don't need the tradition, doesn't mean they are beneath me...just that I don't need them. I don't need okra either. Nor do I need rollercoasters. At times I'll enjoy the latter, but have no interest in the former.

The comparison doesn't work. This is flawed logic. It's a solipsism.

I don't need to whirl like a diversh, or pray and prostrate myself five times a day like a muslim, this does not mean that these traditions are beneath me...they simply aren't mine. They are not my way to connect with all that is, nor is the incense or chant of the call and response....

I don't do the Sama of the Mevlevi Tradition, nor the Salat of the Muslim, but I do see, and see the need, for why they are done. I am in awe of them, in many respects, their efficacy not the least.

But to simply say, 'I don't need them' seems to me just too glib. It seems like you're just trying to trump the discussion.

I mean, I could probably throw out a pithy Scripture citation in response to almost anything. But that doesn't really get anyone anywhere.

 

[wil]

Again Thomas.... you asked why they aren't here...or I thought you did... that is what I answered...


The fact that you are here...indicates that you are not them..... rule #2 don't take anything personally....

Yes I am glib, straight forward...I answer the question asked, or try. You say you don't do some other tradition you admire...isn't that what I said?.... If you don't why don't you? Because you don't feel the need? Me neither.


This being said....I do do a modification of Sufi, Islamic, Catholic, Native American, Hindi, Buddhist traditions through Dances of Universal Peace...an interfaith chant/dance/movement/music brought to the states by a Sufi....and enjoy the heck out of the moving meditative experience...

 

[DavidMcCann]

Some of us are showing our age: Carry on Cleo, Goon Show, Dick Emery! Perhaps that's why we aren't contentious.

If you want to know where the fundies are, they're all over at religiousforums.com talking about creationalism.

 

[Thomas]

Again Thomas... you asked why they aren't here... or I thought you did... that is what I answered...

I know. My point is you answer the question by attacking the character of the people referred to.

Who brought fundies into it? You did. Why? So you could lump them all together under the usual negative fundie stereotype. That's mudslinging.

If you still don't get it, never mind.

 

[Thomas]

Some of us are showing our age...

I had to explain who Reg Varney was to someone, just today.