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The Silver Coyote
Registered User
Joined: 09 Nov 2003
Posts: 491
Location: Rogue River Valley, Oregon
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 Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2006 11:48 am Post subject: From the blog, 23 June |
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Mornin' Filly -
<removes hat and bows>
Thank you for the kind words regarding an old dog you know.
<puts hat back on>
The Filly said
| Quote: | | Life is about choosing to do good. Not about choosing this or that kind of belief...but about being the best person you can be. |
As is your habit, you have distilled hours of conversation into a very simple and easy-to-understand concept, a character trait of yours I admire very much.
I think folks come in varying shades of autonomy. Some folk are inherently good, and thus don't require much if any guidance from a "higher authority", at least not on a regular basis. These types will choose the honorable, decent, ethical solution to lifes problems without having to refer to a manual, take a poll, or ask for advice. Their "faith" may be in nothing more than their own personal code of conduct, or moral fibre, or whatever you want to call it.
Others (and I tend to count myself amongst these) aren't so good at discerning the proper path. While generally making the correct choices most of the time, we occasionally mess up. Sometimes we mess up badly enough that it leaves scars, on ourselves or others. This can then leave us wondering what we can do to make ourselves, or at least our surroundings, better off. Enter the kind of faith most people cling to: the kind that the individual feels helps them in their decisionmaking and lifestyle choices.
Faith is a very personal thing. And as we are all different from each other, it is a sweeping generalization of monstrous proportions to assume that one faith, or "brand" of faith, is going to be suitable to all. Because I feel most comfortable with a knife at my hip and a hat on my head does not mean that I should assume that everyone I meet would likewise be adorned, nor want to be. So why should I assume that the faith I choose for myself should be the best for every other spirit on the planet?
I believe that the true test of one's selection of faith is in their ability to accept that others may not want or need to share it. You and I have discussed this at great length, my lady, and it pleases me no end to know that you have drawn something from our conversations as well.
My choice of faith is not comfortable. But then, if people choose a faith because they need help in making life choices, doesn't it sort of make sense that they would be uncomfortable in their faith now and then as they learn? I am a Christian, as you know. I am not a good one, but I'm trying. I have issues with some of the things my brand of Christianity promotes as "right" or "proper", and issues with other things they define as "unacceptable". I struggle with these things daily. And being the warped pooch that I am, that struggle in my mind equates to honing the edge of a blade. The more I grind on these things, the sharper my edge gets, and the more useful my knowledge becomes to me.
Underneath it all, for me, are the common denominators you describe: respect for the rights and values of others, the valuation of the content of one's personal belief system, rather than the packaging it is delivered in. I have come to find that how one interacts with the world is much more important to me than the banner under which that interaction takes place. I am more comfortable with you, my dear, in our conversations than I am in those same conversations with my own church leadership figures. Why? Because I feel we love and respect each other, that we are both honorable and ethical souls, striving towards the same good. I don't know if I can say that about the others. Too much agenda and political subterfuge clouds that dialog, I guess.
Why am I writing this here? I don't know. Any more maybe than you knew why you made the original blog entry. My heart is warmed by the knowledge that you and I have changed our world view of things through our conversations with each other and the other Amigos. If we leave this planet a better place than we found it as a result of those conversations, then our collective faiths have served us, and the other inhabitants of this planet, well.
While limiting my participation in the story-related conversations lest I inadvertently loose some spoiler on the community, I have immensely enjoyed being part of your readership and have enjoyed making new friends amongst the other readers who populate your forum. For some reason <winks>, your little corner of the furry community is much more open, tolerant, and loving than most. Perhaps that is why so many good furs congregate here.
Lastly...
The Filly said
| Quote: | | I'll never be a great philosopher...but I do hope that I can be a decent representative of the human race, nonetheless... |
I take exception to the former, perhaps, and firmly agree with the latter.
SC
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Tread Lightly and Sing To The Sky |
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Aslaug
Site Owner
Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Posts: 1861
Location: Slagelse, Denmark
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| Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:08 am Post subject: |
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I won't say I'm speechless, because then it'd be pointless to answer this post...
But I AM touched and happy that my words can have that kind of impact on people.
I won't write a whole lot to this, because I think the original post deserves to stand on it's own. But I will say one thing, SC...
You say you're not a very good Christian, but that you're trying.
I say you're an -outstanding- Christian. The very best kind...and you can quote me on that any day of the week. I wish there were more people like you in the world. It'd be a nicer, happier...and slightly sillier place if there was. |
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Valaina
Registered User
Joined: 18 Aug 2005
Posts: 45
Location: West Yorkshire, England
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| Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 8:18 am Post subject: |
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I have to add my 2 cents worth here, but I'll keep it short.
Here's a snippet from one of my faith's important documents, which sums up the importance of tolerance and acceptance better than any half hour waffle from me.
"Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.
Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give."
Regardless of religion, you are both good people. And who knows? Maybe the various afterlifes have a connecting bus route! I certainly hope so 
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A quote from my mother: "You know, over the past few years, you've -really- developed a prickly exterior..." |
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