It's a curiosity

What would make an otherwise intelligent person amenable to fundamentalism? I mean, why would someone choose to follow a belief system that is without evidence, defies logic and common sense, and in many cases entails beliefs that are, in fact, refuted by fact?

I am utterly curious as to why we as a species has this prediliction for "undoubted faith" in the absence of evidence. Is it out of fear? Fear of the unknown? Fear of death? Why would a young physician want to murder innocent people going about their business? Is he that disallusioned with his existance or the world in general, or perhaps unfufilled in the matters of love, so much so the prospect of dying and being rewarded with 70 virgins is oh-so-enticing? Really?

What about those who believe that the earth is only 6,000 or so years old (because that's their read on the biblical timeline), when the scientific evidence is that the earth is really 760,000 times that old at 4.56 or so BILLION years? But, the intensity of their belief in a 6,000 year old earth is unwavering. How can this be in the face of insurmountable evidence? I wonder.

Our local Mars Hill Church teaches that yoga is satanic. I suspect that Mr. Pastor Dude Driscoll is far more uptight than anyone coming out of a hot yoga session.

Take Mormonism, for instance. They teach that indigenous Americans are the "lost tribe of Israel" in spite of the fact that a Mormon scientist disproved this belief using DNA analysis. American Indians are no more related to the Israelis than are the Japanese or Tongans. Yet, the LDS continues to attract new adherents dispite this otherwise piece of fiction in their prized Book of Mormon.

And then we have the continued "debate" over global warming. In the aftermath of the blizzard that folks on the east coast find themselves digging out from under, there are new "assertions" that anthropogenic global warming is a hoax. How can AGW be true in light of a blizzard? Of course, you don't hear this from the majority of climatologists. Unfortunately, far too many people are simply more willing to believe the likes of Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck over the majority of reknown and far better educated scientists.

I'm not opposed to having faith, per se. I like to believe that we are all connected, on some sort of quantum plane, perhaps. I like to believe that there is more to life than this existance. I like to think that I will see my dad and grandparents and friends who have died someday. I like to believe this. In fact, I do hope that this is the case. But, would I kill for these beliefs? I think not. Would I want to force my beliefs on anyone else? Nope. Because my belief system is probably more esoteric and geeky that most could appreciate. Does this mean my life is any less meaningful? I don't think so. I certainly do believe that those who spend more time worrying about the hereafter are most likely less fulfilled in the herenow.

Fiction will never be fact, no matter how many times one repeats it.

Random ramblings on the 28th of December

I will think of 2010 as a strange year.... A year of conflicts and contradictions. A year of utter sadness, wildly unexpected discoveries, and many gratitudes.

I celebrated my 51st Christmas three days ago and the first Christmas without my dad. The loss of my father still seems surreal, as if circumstance keeps us from our almost daily telephone converstations. It still has yet to feel "real." I miss my dad. I miss simply picking up the phone to share with him something I just read about, or saw on news; or, to ask him for computer help; or, to get into one of our heated political discussions. It's still so very strange.

A wildly unexpected experience because as I was reading a blog of an old friend, or maybe acquaintance is a better discription. We recently had a falling out. Apparently, he could handle the fact that I was gay, and I couldn't handle the fact that he turned into a judgemental, holier-than thou, Glenn Beck lovin' bible thumper.

It's crazy, actually. This was a guy whom I met when I was first away from home after joining the Navy. I kind of looked up to him. Maybe it was more than that. I was 18, away from home for the first time, confused about my sexuality, and lonely. We became friends while attending school. But, we had a lot of fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed the times we had.

After many, many years, I finally made contact with him on Facebook. I found him to be totally and undeniably morphed into someone I could not recognize. Now, I understand the need for personal evolution. It should be our nature to better ourselves. (At least that's what Captain Picard always said.) But, what is this preoccupation with the Bible or the Koran or any other ancient piece of literature? They can't all be the dictates of an almighty, right? And, most likely, none of them are. They "could be" inspired by the divine - and I say that with a bit of trepidation.