Dear editor:
As a reader of The Sentinel-Record, I'm in agreement with others who have voiced their opinions over the letters of persuasion of one belief over another, religion vs. science, yoga vs. Christianity, etc. It is getting rather tiresome to re-read the same points being made ad nauseam. Who is right? Well, everyone that has expressed their beliefs is right! For "right" is merely the word we assign to that with which we agree. Nothing (including thoughts and beliefs) in this universe has intrinsic value. It only has the value that an individual assigns to it. There is no absolute right or wrong; there is only that which works and that which doesn't work, given what you are trying to accomplish.
I propose a different conversation. One that does not insist upon highlighting the "right" and "wrong" of one belief or another, but might possibly help us realize that we have far more in common than we often think. At the very least, I invite others to have a conversation with themselves based on the following questions:
Do you believe you have a soul?
If you do, what do you imagine is the purpose of the soul?
What is your idea about the place of the soul in the conduct of human affairs?
What is the relationship of your soul to God as you understand it?
If you believe you have a soul, and that others have a soul, do you think it is possible for two souls to communicate at a level that transcends physicality? Do you believe that our souls have the ability to communicate in the same way with God?
Three persistent questions:
How is it possible for 7 billion people now living on Earth (not to mention the billions that have come before us) to all consistently say they want the same thing -- peace, prosperity, opportunity, survival, safety, security, happiness and love -- and yet be absolutely unable to produce it, for all but the tiniest minority of our species?
Is it possible there may be something we don't fully understand about God and about life, the understanding of which would change everything?
Is it possible there may be something we don't fully understand about ourselves and who we are, the understanding of which would change everything?
Four fundamental questions:
Who am I?
Where am I?
Why am I where I am?
What do I intend to do about that?
Happy pondering,
Karen Malone
Hot Springs
Editorial on 09/28/2014