So today is gonna get a bit Mormon-y, so if you're uncomfortable with that, tune out now.
For the rest of you who stayed to read on, I just want to talk about something really quick. There's a guy I know from ROTC at BYU, we became alright friends, I've always thought he was a cool dude. A few months ago he said he was taking a break from the church, he had things he needed to sort out and was just done with it. I supported him, because I feel like sometimes people just gotta do what they gotta do. I had no hate for the guy. Well, he just posted about how he's an atheist now, and he said:
"One thing I have discovered is if you think you have the answers or the truth, then you undoubtedly haven't questioned your world view enough. I sometimes envy those of you who can be comfortable with inconsistent, illogical answers to life's mysteries. I don't know how you do it. Every form of idealism I have explored ends up being inconsistent when all the evidence is considered."
For the record, I do not think I have all of the answers in life, or the full truth. In fact, I know I don't; God has said that there are things no man knows, and I truly believe that. But my friend makes it sound like he needs to have all of the answers to believe. I know for a fact God lives; there have been too many things that have happened in my life to prove otherwise, things that are more than just "coincidences." So we don't have all of the answers; so what? I feel like I have enough. And I feel like some of the "evidence" he's talking about doesn't really contradict God in any way. People try far to often to separate science and God, but to me, they support one another. I believe that God is a scientific being, so the science of our universe doesn't dispute the existence of God to me. I remember taking a science class at BYU and having it hit me that everything in science is so freaking perfect, that how could there not be a higher being involved in it? I mean, look at atoms, for Pete's sake, and ionic and covalent bonding; if even one electron didn't bond the right way to another atom, it wouldn't change the entire freaking compound. In science's precision lies the proof of God (for me, at least; I know there are those of you who will disagree).
Look, I know not all of you who read this are religious, or that all of those religious people who read this believe this like I do, but I just want to say that I know God lives. I've felt His hand in my life, and I think I'm just sad to have seen someone who was involved in my church leave it. You don't have to agree with me; but thank the Lord we live in America, where people can worship how they want without getting crap for it, right?
Right, guys?
Guys?
Am I right?
That's another thing I want to talk about. People do not understand what the word "tolerance" means. Too often people think that when someone disagrees with their views, they aren't being "tolerant." Uh, no, that's not being intolerant, that's merely disagreeing with your views. "Tolerance" is when you let people think what they think and don't treat them like an idiot or a horrible person if what they think disagrees with what you think. Read the dictionary, people. I mean, I don't agree with what my friend is saying, but I can respectfully share my view without telling him he's an idiot. In fact, if I have any hope of him one day returning to the church, that is the exact opposite of how I should act. I should just continue to treat him with love and respect, and then maybe one day he'll change his mind. Or maybe he won't, and he will just continue on being an awesome dude that doesn't believe in God anymore. Whatever. I have my opinions, and he has his. And the world hasn't ended. Amazing!
For the rest of you who stayed to read on, I just want to talk about something really quick. There's a guy I know from ROTC at BYU, we became alright friends, I've always thought he was a cool dude. A few months ago he said he was taking a break from the church, he had things he needed to sort out and was just done with it. I supported him, because I feel like sometimes people just gotta do what they gotta do. I had no hate for the guy. Well, he just posted about how he's an atheist now, and he said:
"One thing I have discovered is if you think you have the answers or the truth, then you undoubtedly haven't questioned your world view enough. I sometimes envy those of you who can be comfortable with inconsistent, illogical answers to life's mysteries. I don't know how you do it. Every form of idealism I have explored ends up being inconsistent when all the evidence is considered."
For the record, I do not think I have all of the answers in life, or the full truth. In fact, I know I don't; God has said that there are things no man knows, and I truly believe that. But my friend makes it sound like he needs to have all of the answers to believe. I know for a fact God lives; there have been too many things that have happened in my life to prove otherwise, things that are more than just "coincidences." So we don't have all of the answers; so what? I feel like I have enough. And I feel like some of the "evidence" he's talking about doesn't really contradict God in any way. People try far to often to separate science and God, but to me, they support one another. I believe that God is a scientific being, so the science of our universe doesn't dispute the existence of God to me. I remember taking a science class at BYU and having it hit me that everything in science is so freaking perfect, that how could there not be a higher being involved in it? I mean, look at atoms, for Pete's sake, and ionic and covalent bonding; if even one electron didn't bond the right way to another atom, it wouldn't change the entire freaking compound. In science's precision lies the proof of God (for me, at least; I know there are those of you who will disagree).
Look, I know not all of you who read this are religious, or that all of those religious people who read this believe this like I do, but I just want to say that I know God lives. I've felt His hand in my life, and I think I'm just sad to have seen someone who was involved in my church leave it. You don't have to agree with me; but thank the Lord we live in America, where people can worship how they want without getting crap for it, right?
Right, guys?
Guys?
Am I right?
That's another thing I want to talk about. People do not understand what the word "tolerance" means. Too often people think that when someone disagrees with their views, they aren't being "tolerant." Uh, no, that's not being intolerant, that's merely disagreeing with your views. "Tolerance" is when you let people think what they think and don't treat them like an idiot or a horrible person if what they think disagrees with what you think. Read the dictionary, people. I mean, I don't agree with what my friend is saying, but I can respectfully share my view without telling him he's an idiot. In fact, if I have any hope of him one day returning to the church, that is the exact opposite of how I should act. I should just continue to treat him with love and respect, and then maybe one day he'll change his mind. Or maybe he won't, and he will just continue on being an awesome dude that doesn't believe in God anymore. Whatever. I have my opinions, and he has his. And the world hasn't ended. Amazing!
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