Christopher Hitchens is on CSpan, being interviewed by Salmon Rushdie, and he is talking about "the equal time demand" in schools receiving tax dollars, describing it as alternating "teaching science" with "teaching rubbish." He wonders why it can't be spun differently -- if churches want to retain their tax-free status, shouldn't they be required to teach Darwinism as well as creationism?
While I, unlike Hitchens, believe in God and Jesus completely, I find his conversation with Rushdie fascinating. I enjoy that in this country, we are free to believe as we wish, even if our beliefs don't fall within Judeo-Christian guidelines, we are free to express them. Listening to this is liberating and opening my mind to new ideas.
This introduction to new ideas, this explanation of how atheists and agnostics think -- and why they think this way -- cannot threaten my faith in God and Jesus. My faith is as much a part of me as my bone marrow.
I wonder about people who are so easily offended that Rushdie and Hitchens bother them, or that they believe Rushdie and Hitchens should be demonized. Do they not trust their Lord, or is it their forefathers who gave us freedom of speech or religion that they are second guessing?
Like you, Gal, my experience has been such that conversations like that speak to my mind and my curiosity about why others feel the way they do. I am not in the least threatened so watching them is intriguing to me.
ReplyDeleteOne of my co-workers (an evangelical christian) told me early on that she didn't want to hear about my "new age stuff" because she was afraid she'd believe it and be swayed. I was surprised at her comment because you can present ideas to me all day long about faith and I'd still come back to what I know is true FOR ME in my life. And that's all I can know.
Sounds like it was an interesting conversation! :)
If you allow others to change your mind...do you really have a "personal" relationship with God. I think not. I am not afraid to hear what anyone says...I know my one-only true God...
ReplyDeleteSpeak Up...I will listen...but let me speak too. Who knows...maybe I will give "you" something to think about???