I apologise if my last post left the impression of a teaser. It wasn't my intent, but perhaps if I may be so haughty as to claim so, an unintended consequence would be to stoke the curiosity of my very few readers for what's next. :-)
As part of an intellectually exploratory exercise, I have been wandering outside the stereotypical comfort zone for "granola girls" and conversing with two very interesting people:
# A former atheist via e-mail, who acquired a Ph. D. in divinity after his "born again conversion"
and who seems convinced with resolute certainty that I'm doomed to the toasty side of the hereafter if I don't see the light. He says he loves me (thanks) and wants me saved (if that's the result, no thanks). Very fascinating fellow. I'll call him "Brimstone", though my partner has other not so nice names involving private bodily parts. Now now...
# A former Christian who now is an atheist, via some blog comments. He is equally convinced that "science logic and reason" is the only valid track of thought and uses some of the most profane, violent, intolerant, and insulting language one can imagine toward those who are religious. Though his diatribes are all about "evidence" and "proof" he offers no evidence at all for the nonexistence of God or Goddess, by the way. Then he tries to justify his abusiveness by claiming I am a pollyanna pacifist and Gora's Positive Atheism, which I would advocate were I "fully" atheist, is merely one approach among many. I'll give him the pseudonym "Wildman" even though I'm hearing requests to call him a hateful atheist jihadist.
What I want to do is get past all the name calling and explore the character of these true-life characters. They both are brimming with intellect and insight, but seem so narrow minded in their zeal for their own ideas and disregard for each other's. More soon! [Teaser alert...]
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