OK folks, here is the new, revamped, version of The Skeptics Corner. I have changed the name because this is about more than just skepticism now. I am much more at peace with what I believe or try to believe (in some cases). Nevertheless, I am still, admittedly, quite open to new religious ideas and spiritual reflections and very much doubt the modern christian church that seems to think it has all the answers to all the questions worth asking.
Because, yes, I am a christian (though I hate the connotations associated with that word nowadays). It took me a while to be able to say that. I wasn't quite sure of anything for the longest time, but have slowly come to accept the teachings of Christ as the most viable path to cosmic truth and spiritual fulfillment. Now, as to what that means I am still trying to figure out. It certainly doesn't close a bunch of doors, or limit truth to a small group of people. I believe it is much bigger than any denomination, bigger than Protestantism or Catholicism, bigger even than "christianity" if that makes sense. I am still very much a skeptic when it comes to many of the things people seem to take for granted and dont mind saying "hang on a minute..." when something doesn't seem to "click."
So anyway, I am calling this blog "Tea with Thomas" in honor of the doubting disciple. I always liked him. Perhaps because I also am a doubter, a person who needs to figure things out for himself (sometimes to the great irritation of those who seem to "get it" without any apparent process). People usually treat Thomas with a bit of contempt for his "lack of faith", however, I love the fact that he was so brutally honest and upfront about his doubts. Imagine being in a room with 10 of your best friends all flippin out about how excited they were that their spiritual guide had come back from the dead. In a 1 against 10 move, he had the gall to say "hang on a minute". Who knows, perhaps other disciples were also having their doubts but were scared to admit them, we will never know I guess. And in the end, who's questions were answered? and more interestingly, who was it that felt Christ's wounds? Experienced an intimate understanding that others probably never had?
So anyway, this blog will be used (much as it was before) to say "Hmmm" about religious issues. I sure don't have it all figured out yet. By the way, I have included some of the older posts from "The skeptics corner". Some I left out, some I included. Some still reflected many ideas and thoughts I still have, other petty ones were discarded.
3 comments:
it's nice that you talk about this stuff. It really makes me mad when christian people just believe in things 'cause somebody taught them in some way without a bit of reflection
Ryan, thanks for opening this again. I have been pondering my own beliefs for some time now and still don't know what I really believe because I believe it and what I believe because I've never bothered to challenge the belief. There are a lot of little values lurking in corners that rear their heads and make me wonder, "where did that come from and can that possibly be what I really believe?"
This is great timing for me because I'm contemplating what values Charles and I are going to want to help instill in our children and mostly I feel afraid that I'm going to burden my kids with a bunch of crap that got handed to me when I was too young to know to throw it out. So thank you for opening this up again!
I am glad you started this up again! Yayness!
I think that dialogue is important. I can't go too far if I just read books on my own and write about them. But here in Maryland, whenever I try to dialogue about spiritual issues, I feel like I have to qualify everything and people still think I'm really cynical. So I'm looking forward to all of your posts.
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