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Freedom of Thought
By karen | June 9, 2007
Yesterday I received an invitation to subscribe to a magazine for “Free thinking Humanists”. Yes, that’s right, an atheist magazine. As they flattered me by addressing me as “Intelligent Reader” they claimed to have gotten my name because of “a cause you contributed to, another publication you subscribe to, or a petition you had the courage to sign” they claimed that I landed on their mailing list because it is a list of people who are especially bright-independent thinkers with a social conscience. Well, thank you. I tend to want to believe that I am an “especially bright and independent” thinker also.
But I question their assertions of how they got my name. Legally websites are not supposed to collect your information without your permission. Yet I know that they do. A week or so ago I visited an Atheist website. I spent a short amount of time reading and then I left. I did not contribute to any cause, I’m pretty sure that “Cooking Light” is not an atheist publication, and I haven’t signed any petitions around here lately. They got my name because I visited a website. That is scary stuff there. Sounds like Big Brother from 1984, little late as it is now 2007 but you know what I mean.
So I got this in the mail and I was of course, curious and intrigued. So even though they asserted, “If you wish to avoid spending eternity roasting in Hell, do not open and read this brochure”, I ain’t scared of Hell so I read it anyway.
Whoa, extremism in any form is dangerous. They claim to be defending “freedom of thought” yet the blatant criticism of the fundamentalist Christians and even Mother Teresa was extremely intolerant. Basically it came out as “if you don’t agree with us you are an idiot”.
Sounds exactly like the extremists on the other sides but of course with the opposite message.
So this is what I think. This is what I want to say to the extremists on any subject.
We all have our own paths in this life. We all make decisions in our own way. We need to practice non-judgment.
I allow you your beliefs. You allow me my beliefs. I won’t imply that you are an idiot. Please don’t imply that I am an idiot.
You may believe your way is better. Don’t argue with me or try to convince me of your way, I don’t want to hear it. I will do the same for you.
I choose to live my life my way.
You choose to live your life your way.
Some people make decisions with logic. Some people make decisions with intuitions.
Either way works. Both are okay.
There is no absolute right. There is no absolute wrong. There are just differences.
That is part of the magic of life.
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Related posts:
Allowing Others and Practicing Non-judgment
The Golden Rule
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This post is included in the Blog Carnival of Observations on Life June 17 2007 located at Anja Merret
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This post is included in the July Religion in Everyday Life blog carnival.
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Topics: Personal Development, Living the Power |
June 11th, 2007 at 9:15 am
Good post, Karen. The thing that I find amusing when the very people who supposedly believe in “free speech” work as hard as they can to shut down the kind of speech they don’t like because it’s “racist” or “intolerant”. It seems like whenever a person decides “I’m part of this group”, a natural thing is to defend the group from anything perceived as threatening. And a great technique to bring people over to “your side” is to play on their insecurities, thus the “I’m smarter than you” attitude.
And as an atheist who follows teachings like Abraham-Hicks’… well, NOBODY likes me!
June 11th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Absolutely not true Lyman! I really like you. I consider you one of my best cyberfriends!
BTW, Abraham is okay with atheists!
June 17th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
[…] Karen Lynch presents Freedom of Thought posted at Live The Power. […]
July 8th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
[…] Diversity is part of the magic of Life. We all have our own paths in life, we need to practice non-judgment. Karen Lynch presents Freedom of Thought posted at LivethePower. […]