I certainly sympathize with your sentiments here, but it is helpful to consider the thought processes of secular folks...in particular, intelligent ones.
It’s just such people that are likely to be reading blogs. Their rejection of spiritual mysticism is not unlike one of faith that rejects atheism. It boils down to evidence, or the lack thereof. I worry more about one that believes blindly, than one for whom proof is essential.
How much evidence is necessary to prove that a Creator with an intelligent design provided not only the heavens with its varied entities; but all life forms that ever were and are, complex and perfect in their own right?
Thanks for the kind remarks Fraser. That's not all there is! On the back is a large eagle landing in a nest. It looks like it is providing building materials for the nest that another eagle is sharing with him. I assume one eagle (flying) is male and the nest builder is female. If they are going to have babies they must be of the opposite sex, since I don't know of any birds that are practicing bio-technology. On one side of the coin is "e pluribas unum" which I believe means from many, one. Probably some anti-multiculturest thought that one up. Certainly not PC. On the right side is: "In God we Trust". Seems entirely appropriate! At the top are the words United States of America. On the bottom are these words "1oz. Fine Gold $50 Dollars. The coins have a weight to them, unlike the coins of today and they have a great metallic click, when you drop one on the other. This a $50 Gold Coin. One ounce of Gold today is $425.90. The Gold hasn't changed in hundreds of years, but the USD has. I believe it will take $1500 to $5000 USD to buy a Gold in the future. Mover Mike
John Podhoretz and I exchanged letters on this very point today.
I said:
"My friend:
"We have written back and forth a few times through the years, but I am amazed by your misstatements of who wants what in the Terri Schiavo case.
"There may be one person somewhere who does not believe that Terri Schiavo does not have a soul, or that her life is not a miracle, but I haven't met him or heard of him yet.
"And I bet you haven't either.
"It is very incendiary at times like these to make up generalizations about "most secular people who are uncomfortable with the idea of a divine spark" just for pedagogical purposes.
"Beyond the "how much can the state interfere" issue, or the "parents versus husband issue" the issue is this:
"If we have a soul that is to go to the afterlife, does God want us to stubbornly cling to that soul out of fear that what happens next is just a great void (and if I was setting up make-believe people I would include you and the billions who think like you)
"Or is there a certain point where our faith in God is such that we can let a person go, knowing that we will meet her, in her healthy pure form, in the world to come (like me and the billions who think like me).
"Why do those who claim to believe in heaven so reluctant to let Terri Schiavo go there?
Your friend,
Bruce Grossberg
a/k/a B After The Fact
John Podhoretz responded by writing:
"That is the nature of mystery -- we are not to hurry death to go to heaven. Otherwise religion would be about committing suicide. Life is the gift."
And I responded to him in turn:
"Religion should not be about suicide.
"But religion, and especially the one we share, is about how to live and how to let go.
"Otherwise, we would all be sacrificing our lives at the altar of the dead and the dying.
"I cannot imagine that is what God wants for us.
"And I cannot know this, obviously, but I cannot believe that is what Terri Schiavo wants for her family."
"My best to you and your family
P.S. -- I thought I had tracked back to this on my post today, but I am so digitally illiterate after all these years.
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