The Friday Five
Feb. 10th, 2006 08:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tarotgalOohhh. I really like this week's.
1.) Do you believe in God or a higher power?
I believe in some greater something. I believe in spirits and afterlives. I believe in karma. But I don't believe in a creator-god or controlling/rule-making god like in most religions. I don't believe there's a higher power outside ourselves but that, maybe, there's something devine within us.
2.) Are good and evil just concepts, or real powers in the universe?
In my view, it's neither. I see good and evil not as players (I don't believe in God or the Devil) but as forces. I believe positive and negative actions are more than just concepts. I believe in the three-fold rule whole-heartedly but believe we're all capabile of both good and evil and that a million times each day we choose to go in one direction or the other. I believe good and evil are more than just concepts... but not to the point where they're actual beings.
3.) What is your view on forgiveness?
I'm personally very, very bad at it, and that's one of the things I hate most about myself (I can't forgive myself for not forgiving people... wait...). I don't think it's a necessary part of life at all (there are some things I don't believe people should have to forgive NO MATTER WHAT. For example, the idea that some one who was raped and nearly murdered would have to forgive a rapist in order to be judged a good person is total and utter shite to me). But I can see how it can be a good part of a healing process so I'm not going to knock it. And I think that society in general should be a little less quick to judge and a little more forgiving and understanding.
4.) Do organized religions do more harm than good?
I hate organized religion. Let me just say that up front. And, in my personal opinion, the answer is a HUGE yes. But the SDI-green part of me would need to compile a wealth of data in order to properly answer this question, and I just don't have the time and energy right now. Clearly they do harm, but I know they do good as well (they've saved a lot of people from death, they do service projects, etc. though don't get me started on how much I detest missionaries). But from what I do know about causes of wars and hatred/hate crimes, I've got to say yes, they definitely do more harm than good. See number 3 because there are some things organized religions do that I just cannot forgive them for, no matter how much good they do. Seriously, though, I'd need data to properly answer this, weighing the good and bad statistically.
5.) If you had a day to spend playing God, what would you do?
Okay, that's REALLY hard for me to imagine, given my answer to number 1. But if we're talking the big guy in the clouds looking down type of God, I guess I'd just enjoy being all-knowing for a while (like being able to answer historical and personal questions no one else would know the answer to now). And then I'd spend the rest of the day helping people who needed me- giving them comfort by letting them know I was alive and what I wanted from them, straightening people out who use my name to justify things, etc. But, seriously, I'm having trouble picturing this... not just with the way I picture God but what would a day to God be like anyway? I wouldn't imagine God works in linear time just because that's how we do. But... yeah... this is as close as I can come to an answer.
1.) Do you believe in God or a higher power?
I believe in some greater something. I believe in spirits and afterlives. I believe in karma. But I don't believe in a creator-god or controlling/rule-making god like in most religions. I don't believe there's a higher power outside ourselves but that, maybe, there's something devine within us.
2.) Are good and evil just concepts, or real powers in the universe?
In my view, it's neither. I see good and evil not as players (I don't believe in God or the Devil) but as forces. I believe positive and negative actions are more than just concepts. I believe in the three-fold rule whole-heartedly but believe we're all capabile of both good and evil and that a million times each day we choose to go in one direction or the other. I believe good and evil are more than just concepts... but not to the point where they're actual beings.
3.) What is your view on forgiveness?
I'm personally very, very bad at it, and that's one of the things I hate most about myself (I can't forgive myself for not forgiving people... wait...). I don't think it's a necessary part of life at all (there are some things I don't believe people should have to forgive NO MATTER WHAT. For example, the idea that some one who was raped and nearly murdered would have to forgive a rapist in order to be judged a good person is total and utter shite to me). But I can see how it can be a good part of a healing process so I'm not going to knock it. And I think that society in general should be a little less quick to judge and a little more forgiving and understanding.
4.) Do organized religions do more harm than good?
I hate organized religion. Let me just say that up front. And, in my personal opinion, the answer is a HUGE yes. But the SDI-green part of me would need to compile a wealth of data in order to properly answer this question, and I just don't have the time and energy right now. Clearly they do harm, but I know they do good as well (they've saved a lot of people from death, they do service projects, etc. though don't get me started on how much I detest missionaries). But from what I do know about causes of wars and hatred/hate crimes, I've got to say yes, they definitely do more harm than good. See number 3 because there are some things organized religions do that I just cannot forgive them for, no matter how much good they do. Seriously, though, I'd need data to properly answer this, weighing the good and bad statistically.
5.) If you had a day to spend playing God, what would you do?
Okay, that's REALLY hard for me to imagine, given my answer to number 1. But if we're talking the big guy in the clouds looking down type of God, I guess I'd just enjoy being all-knowing for a while (like being able to answer historical and personal questions no one else would know the answer to now). And then I'd spend the rest of the day helping people who needed me- giving them comfort by letting them know I was alive and what I wanted from them, straightening people out who use my name to justify things, etc. But, seriously, I'm having trouble picturing this... not just with the way I picture God but what would a day to God be like anyway? I wouldn't imagine God works in linear time just because that's how we do. But... yeah... this is as close as I can come to an answer.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-11 10:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-11 09:51 pm (UTC)~A