There was a funeral for a 17 year old boy today. It was a shock to the community, and really caused me to sit and reflect some today. Funerals often do that to me. My friend Scott says that there are two things that you should never miss if possible, weddings and funerals. I think it has something to do with celebration of life. All this got me thinking about life and actually more about death. Another friend of mine speaking of tragic times used to say “I don’t know how people get through these times if they don’t believe in God”.
I found myself thinking, how my life might be different if I didn’t believe in God. What would be different about the way I live and experience things? I don’t know if I can answer that question honestly right now. C.S. Lewis asked how we might respond if as we died we heard God’s undeniable voice say something like ‘I can’t do anything for you, I die now’, would that be a time for switching sides? I believe what he was ask was if we found out that there was no heaven and no hell, and that we weren’t going to spend eternity with God, would that be a time for giving up on our faith. Would I really look back on my life and say ‘I missed out’? I think I’d still be happy with the way I’ve lived my life, because I believe that my faith has caused me to be a more reflective and caring person. It has caused me to listen to the wisdom of Socrates that the unexamined life is not worth living. When it would be easy to be all about myself, my faith has caused me to reach beyond myself and when I’d like to just be happy where I am, my faith has helped me to continue to grow and not never cease to search for faith, hope and love.
Usually when I write I have a purpose or point, I’m not sure I do tonight. I just wanted to get some thoughts out there. Life is precious and today I was reminded to make the most of it.
Izzy Rodriguez 
Awww, my friend – but that assumes that those of us who are godless and religion-less have unexamined, selfish lives, doesn’t it?
I care about the world because I choose to. For me, being without god has nothing to do with my ability to give, to love, to care, to think, to analyze, to have meaning. Nothing at all. The religious among us BELIEVE they are the only one’s with meaning…..the meaning is of my choosing – so free.
The great thinkers in history believed that being without faith brought one closer to a moral and ethical center BECAUSE there was no overreaching faith dictating what to do. No one to ‘forgive’ you so it is all up to you. It’s an amazing feeling, frankly.
I’m glad you have your faith and it works for you…
Good thoughts. I think that, no matter what one believes, it’s important to try as hard as one can to step out of that system and examine it from the outside, as well as attempt to see things through other people’s systems.
This year has been one of exploration for me, and big decisions. And deciding to approach what I believe in more honestly has been one of them. Instead of ignoring many of the problems I have with Christianity, I’m actually stepping back and not committing myself to something I’m not, well, committed to. In my case (and I think I’ve mentioned this before on Twitter) I’ve found that certain moral problems have gone out the window. By this I mean that there are times within the Christian faith that one wants to love someone unconditionally, but it seems conditions are always being put on. Can be a frustrating back and forth game. I think you probably know what I mean.
All of this to say, I think you’re thinking in the right direction. Nothing you believe will be worth anything unless it’s challenged outright, and often.
Always love your comments Kristin. But i hope you know there was no intent to make light of beliefs beyond my own. Been reading over your comments all day and taking them in. It was actually thinking of you as i was trying to think beyond my own world view and started thinking of how might i be different if i didn’t believe as i do. Appreciate your thoughts always.
Ryan, i’ll be intereteted in this convo with you as well sometime. Especially the conditions comment.
Izzy.
As always, thoughtful stuff.
Scott