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From: christian@topaz.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Tunnel Vision
Message-ID: <11066@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Wed, 15-Apr-87 04:07:39 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.11066
Posted: Wed Apr 15 04:07:39 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 17-Apr-87 05:26:23 EST
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Approved: christian@topaz.UUCP
In-Reply-To: <10785@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>

[This article quotes from an original which describes a teenager who
 doesn't know what "atheist" means. --clh]

Steven,

I applaud your open-minded stance concerning the idea of having
"Tunnel Vision".  Your respect for those who have "faith" (whether
they question it or not) is admirable.  Moreover, I like your
statements from J. S. Mills.

I, too, had a similar experience with someone of a different faith.
Having been raised a Catholic, I was rarely exposed to people with
opinions very different than mine.  I never meet an atheist nor even
a non-christian, for that matter.  My "Christian" faith was based on
years of ritual church attendence to please MOM & DAD and because I
was ignorant of other beliefs (faiths).  I was never challenged.

To make a long story short ... a young lady opened my eyes to the
variety of beliefs and the hipocracy of organized religion.
She basically ask me "Why do you believe what you believe?"

Needless to say, this was a SHOCK to my system.  I didn't have
an answer on which to stand.  How could I argue "faith" in God and
Jesus Christ when I didn't know why I even beleived in them.
The best answer I had to offer was, 
"MOM & DAD, priests, teachers ... said I should beleive."

I've since begun to question why I believe as I do;  and
what and why do other believe ....
I think God enjoys being questioned.

Thanks for the opinion and I hope your days ARE filled
with love and bliss.


Bruce E. Weimer

(sorry, I don't know my UNIX address)  [lzaz!bew seems to work from here --clh]