Learning to swim.
My friend "Bob" (he knows who he is) and I thoroughly enjoy discussing and debating EVERYTHING! Politics, religion, science, pop culture, etc. Generally, we agree on most things and usually come to an understanding. However, when we discuss the more abstract issues such as morality, ethics and philosophy, we usually come to loggerheads. The problem is that he is a devout Christian and I am more of an agnostic.
Metaphorically speaking, I see our situation in the following light. The world we live in, the reality we inhabit, is not unlike a Sea of Chaos. So many endless possibilities. So many vexing mysteries. So much history that has been lost. Indeed, so much that we don’t know and may not even possess the faculties to properly comprehend.
I swim through this dizzying ocean, free of constraints and limitations because I don’t lock myself into one particular point of view. I look up into the vast, star-filled sky and ponder. I dive below and gaze upon the wonders under the waves and search for answers previously lost or just forgotten. I move with the ebb and flow of the tides. I float along with the currents as they will. I look for patterns in the chaos and try to piece together strands of lore, truths and constants that I can believe in.
And then I look at my friend, "Bob", clinging tenaciously to his Bible, as if it were a life preserver. His stubbornness forcing him to remain stranded on the water’s surface, able only to see the rocking waves that toss him about, for good or ill. He can’t see all the other factors that create the ripples that affect his world. He doesn’t look up to see the weather patterns gusting or down to see the currents twisting. He just grips his life preserver ever tighter, ever faithful that the rough waters will pass and the peace and calm soon come and hope it remains for as long as possible.
He probably thinks me arrogant as hell for writing this, but its not meant as an insult. If fact far from it.
Tis better to have faith in something than in nothing at all, eh?
Its simply and honestly how I feel about our rants and raves. Is he right, am I right or do we both have it wrong? Who knows for sure? All I DO know is that I wish I could get him to loosen-up his grip on that life-preserver and join me for a good swim.
Metaphorically speaking, I see our situation in the following light. The world we live in, the reality we inhabit, is not unlike a Sea of Chaos. So many endless possibilities. So many vexing mysteries. So much history that has been lost. Indeed, so much that we don’t know and may not even possess the faculties to properly comprehend.
I swim through this dizzying ocean, free of constraints and limitations because I don’t lock myself into one particular point of view. I look up into the vast, star-filled sky and ponder. I dive below and gaze upon the wonders under the waves and search for answers previously lost or just forgotten. I move with the ebb and flow of the tides. I float along with the currents as they will. I look for patterns in the chaos and try to piece together strands of lore, truths and constants that I can believe in.
And then I look at my friend, "Bob", clinging tenaciously to his Bible, as if it were a life preserver. His stubbornness forcing him to remain stranded on the water’s surface, able only to see the rocking waves that toss him about, for good or ill. He can’t see all the other factors that create the ripples that affect his world. He doesn’t look up to see the weather patterns gusting or down to see the currents twisting. He just grips his life preserver ever tighter, ever faithful that the rough waters will pass and the peace and calm soon come and hope it remains for as long as possible.
He probably thinks me arrogant as hell for writing this, but its not meant as an insult. If fact far from it.
Tis better to have faith in something than in nothing at all, eh?
Its simply and honestly how I feel about our rants and raves. Is he right, am I right or do we both have it wrong? Who knows for sure? All I DO know is that I wish I could get him to loosen-up his grip on that life-preserver and join me for a good swim.
posted by Kevin Ruesch | 9:28 AM
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