On religion, among other things.....

I've been away from blogging for a while, but after a conversation with Bella, I realized why I don't post very much.

It's because I usually don't want to speak what's really on my mind, I like to "clean it up" so to speak to be PC, so as not to offend potential readers, but then that's not the way someone should run a personal blog. I could write about lots of different things, but I always seem to find reasons not to, most notably that those same potential readers wouldn't care about or want to hear what I have to say. But this is my blog, for me, not necessarily for my readers, so I'm just gonna go ahead and write what I think, and let the readers take from it what they will.

The first thing is my layout. While it's beautiful, and really expresses the vibe of the "path" that I was going for,  it's completely horrible at allowing one to read the posts in the blog, so, soon I'm going to change it. Well, actually, I already did, what do you think?


And now, on to religion, among other things.......


I've been working at Walmart now for going on 6 months, and I enjoy it, although I wish they would pay me a little better. The work isn't all that hard, the hours are perfect for me, and the guys I work with are generally easy to get along with. Recently however, one guy in particular has made it his personal crusade to recruit me into the Christian "club".

He's been doing everything in his power to enlighten me on the "truth" that is the Bible, and has told me that he prays for me every day, because he believes I am going to hell in a handbasket. We've had some pretty intense discussions on religion, and I have to say they have been very interesting to me. I find it fascinating to learn about how others believe, and I am careful not to discount any of the possibilities. Unfortunately, my colleague doesn't seem to be very openminded concerning the beliefs of other people if they don't coincide with his.

His entire argument is based on the fact that he believes, like many others I have spoken to who perscribe to the same belief system, that his way is the "only" way to believe, and his belief is based solely on the fact that the Bible says it is so. I've found that many people, not just Christians, seem to have difficulty in entertaining the possibility that there may be other "truths" when it relates to religious topics. In my opinion, that is a very narrowminded way of thinking.

My beliefs are not based on a book that tells me it's the truth, mine are based in what I feel is right for me, and while I know for the most part his are as well, it makes me wonder why it is so difficult for him to accept the idea that there may be other possible "truths". Because the book tells him that he can't? I will say one thing, I respect his ability to stay steadfastly and staunchly true to what his religion and sacred text tell him he must do. But on the other hand, there is pure and simple logic, and if new ideas are presented, new "truths" even, then doesn't it seem wise to at least try to give them a reasonable hearing?

I told him that I too believe in "God", but that I feel that he is not the only one. There are others like him. Well, you can imagine what the deluge of arguments was like that he brought out to try to disprove that idea. All of course again based solely on what the Bible says. I'm not saying he's wrong, not at all, he very well could be "right", he's just "right" for himself. I happen to belong to a different pantheon, I believe in a very different and not so authoritarian god, and therefore I am not subject to the rules and regulations that restrict him. But of course since he doesn't believe that the possibility exists that there even ARE other pantheons, well, let's just say we went around and around for quite a while about it.

Anyway, it has been a very invigorating experience working to "defend" in some ways the belief system I have, which is, in a lot of ways, still fairly new to me, but in the same breath, let me say that I feel there is no need to defend it, or to recruit anyone else into it, as it is my belief system, and mine alone. I think that everyone has their own system that works for them, and therefore, to them, that is the "truth", so no defense is required, unless of course one is fighting with himself or herself, internally. Religion is a very personal thing, to each his own.

In other news, I went to see a lawyer recently, and found out that getting a divorce will probably cost me a small fortune, but that my child support payments will not be as bad as I previously thought, possibly only around 500 dollars a month, which will not be too hard to handle. I'm still in the same place when it comes to my wife, we are done, and the sooner I can get a divorce, the better.

I'm excited today, however, as it is "Fall Festival" day at the elementary school, and while only one of my girls still attends, the older two still like to go back and enjoy the games and activities with their sister, and I'm going to go up and make a surprise visit (the girls don't know I'm coming, mom does lol), and spend some quality time with them, it's been a few months since we've done anything together, and I couldn't be happier that the time of year has come where there are activities almost every week.

Well I think that's all for now, hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather, and has a great weekend!