Dogma is the only thing that really bothers me. I have close friends who are deists, Christians, and some who are Evangelical, Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish.
I respect people who have their faith, don't take it too fire & brimstone seriously, and aren't trying to convert you at every opportunity.
Some of them read the Bible as an historical document that contains thousands of years of cultural experience and general life rules, and apply them with in reason with consideration to the time period.
Praise God. It doesn't bother me. The only time their beliefs bother me is when they use them to be willfully ignorant, which thankfully, I'm not surrounded by people who do that.
I've even heard people describe "faith" as a general attitude or belief that things will work out, and no matter how many obstacles there are, the solution is just around the corner.
If someone wants to call the incredible beauty and complexity of the world we live in as "God," that's fine. I've always been the optimistic order-from-chaos type.
Just don't start telling me lists of what your God wants me to do, because in my experience, the people who really need a cheat sheet are the ones who worry me.
I respect people who have their faith, don't take it too fire & brimstone seriously, and aren't trying to convert you at every opportunity.
Some of them read the Bible as an historical document that contains thousands of years of cultural experience and general life rules, and apply them with in reason with consideration to the time period.
Praise God. It doesn't bother me. The only time their beliefs bother me is when they use them to be willfully ignorant, which thankfully, I'm not surrounded by people who do that.
I've even heard people describe "faith" as a general attitude or belief that things will work out, and no matter how many obstacles there are, the solution is just around the corner.
If someone wants to call the incredible beauty and complexity of the world we live in as "God," that's fine. I've always been the optimistic order-from-chaos type.
Just don't start telling me lists of what your God wants me to do, because in my experience, the people who really need a cheat sheet are the ones who worry me.
