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When flip-flopping is a good thing
Tommy Thompson says employers shouldn't be able to fire gays. Hillary Clinton wants to deauthorize the Iraq war. The White House thinks it's OK to talk to Syria. A mind is a wonderful thing to change.
Joan Walsh [2007-05-04]

  • "Evolution" — Red Flag...or Red Herring?

    What's all this belief-language going on about "Evolution"?

    I am an independent, unregistered voter in Liberal Massachusetts who loathes what the Bushites have done to our country and deeply distrusts the cultural neo-Conservatives, one who votes mostly Democrat (most often the best of the available, pragmatic choices)—and there are lots of things that I believe in... But Evolution certainly isn't one of them.

    I believe in community, in human dignity and the inherent worth of persons...

    I believe in communication, in dialog with those with whom I disagree so we all can get along and get to "Yes!"...

    I believe in communion... Not the Christian Eucharist, but a state of peace, beauty and harmony where communication flows amongst persons in that world community for which the best folks are striving.

    That is a short statement of the really important things in which I believe. Notice that if it were translated into Latin it would be called a "Credo" - a "creed". Creeds are inherently religious, be they Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Wiccan, Odinist, Humanist, Atheist, Agnostic, Zionist, Nationalist, Fascist, Anarchist, Jihadi, Nazi... Here in the good ole US-of-A we know the trouble we get into when we start mixing religion and government, don't we? That's a real big problem with the neo-Conservatives, Fundies and Radical Right, no? They just can't keep up the wall of separation between Church and State, can they?

    I suggest that all of the folks that treat Evolution as a matter of belief aren't helping the matter: 1. The conservative, Religious Believers because that's the way they look at the world, in bianary opposition, Believers vs. Unbelievers, a "war" between us and them... and, 2. The liberal [?] scientific [?] Evolution Believers because they are caught, trapped in that dichotomizing way of thinking too.

    I find that it's time to think outside of those boxes. Take a course in Philosophy of Science, a class in Comparative Religions, a seminar in Adult Learning and Education - There's a whole world of thinking out there beyond the modes of thought that we learned in grade-school (or high-school for that matter) Understanding awaits... And after understanding, there's a whole lot of challenging work to do. And then there's art and music, poetry, drama...and more.

    "Believe" in Evolution? Why take the time and energy? There are so many other, better things to believe in...

    Hey, I'll give you one: Salon.com

    I believe in Salon.com... I've been a paying, Premium member for a few years now. I recommend it... I'm sorry I didn't find it and start sooner. I print up articles and hang them outside my cubicle at work. I use Salon.com as inspiration for addresses I give to my congregation on the weekend. I e-mail articles to friends and associates and snail-mail copies to my mother... Salon.com is more real to me than "Evolution". It's WORTH believing in... It pays back my investment and enriches my life, never more so than when it goes beyond waging cultural war and begins to help me work on creating cultural peace.

    All the best,

    -- Emyth
    [Read Emyth's other letters]
    Saturday, May 5, 2007 06:29 AM
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