Re-Evaluating

We had our book club on The Faith Club last night and our conference call with the authors. It was so wonderful speaking with them. Unfortunately Suzanne disappeared early on, we're not sure what happened to her and Ranya could only speak with us for about fifteen minutes. But they were both enlightening to speak with. Priscilla talked with us for an hour and we had a great discussion. She rocks. They are continuing their work of spreading the importance of inter-faith discussion and have been touring the country speaking with groups and doing talk shows. We discussed how frustrating it can be to deal with people who cannot accept the diversity of religion, that believe only their view is the right one and everyone else is wrong. I can only imagine. I avoid such people like the plague.

I've already written a couple posts about my experience reading the book. I've also had quite a few discussions about religion over the past few months. My view on faith, religion and God are really not that much different from Priscilla's, who defines God in loose terms. I've found that there are many people who do. As one person said to me, she doesn't believe in "God the guy". I guess I'm still very uncomfortable with the word God. I've always thought that not believing in God, not going to church or taking communion, not following the tenets of a particular religion was the definition of an atheist. But it seems that a lot of people would disagree with me. I'm not sure what to do with that. Bookgirl asked me why I don't consider myself agnostic, and my immediate answer was that I'm not confused about my beliefs, I don't question them. But I have been thinking about whether my answer was a viable one. I looked up the definition on Wikipedia and while I certainly agree that knowledge of God or gods is unknowable, I don't believe. That is, unless you use a much broader definition of God, but then I'm still not comfortable with the term. But in reading through the information, perhaps a better classification of me is an Agnostic Atheist - the view of those who do not know of the existence or nonexistence of God or gods, and do not believe in them.

I love this poem that Priscilla included at the end of the book, she heard it read at a funeral. And while we may disagree on the existence of God, religious beliefs, which church to go to or whether to go at all, the existence of an after life, there are those aspects of life and death that we should all be able to agree on. I really wish we could focus on that. Priscilla mentioned to us during our call, that with all the loud, angry, prejudice religious voices out there, what we need is a passionate middle. The problem is that moderates often don't take the time or make the effort to be heard. She is so right.

Epitaph
by Merritt Malloy

When I die
Give what's left of me away
To children
And old men that want to die.
And if you need to cry,
Cry for your brother
Walking the street beside you.
And when you need me,
Put your arms
Around anyone
And give them
What you need to give to me.

I want to leave you something,
Something better
Than words
Or sounds.

Look for me
In the people I've known
Or loved,
And if you cannot give me away,
At least let me live on in your eyes
And not on your mind.

You can love me most
By letting
Hands touch hands,
By letting
Bodies touch bodies
And by letting go
Of children
That need to be free.

Love doesn't die,
People do.
So, when all that's left of me
Is love,
Give me away.

Comments

[Bookgirl]

Is there anything better than that kind of conversation with other smart women? The kind that makes you look at things differently?

[Diosa]

Bookgirl - It is truly a gift. Thanks for the book and the conference call. You opened my eyes a little wider and that's not easily done. I think they're pretty wide already.

[Bookgirl]

I took Calculas 2 first semester Freshman year, 4 days a week, 2 days at 8 am and 2 at 8:30, because I procrastinated and signed up for classes at the last possible opportunity. But I'll bet even without the hangover it's still pretty brutal.

[Diosa]

Well, my class is at six after I've already worked an 7 hour day and it goes until 9:45. It is definitely brutal. I think this class and then Linear Algebra are the last two math classes I need for the program I want to apply to. I don't mind it too much, but finding the time and the energy for it after work, the kids and the house is a challenge. But I have a goal and I'm sticking to it, even if it takes me 15 years.

[Liz]

D- are you taking on line classes?

[Diosa]

No, the old fashioned kind in a classroom with a Russian math teacher I can barely understand. I took one online course, that went pretty well.