Meditation 737
Important vs Critical
by: Chuck Moreland
Editor's Note: This, along with the first three discussion items following, was originally posted on the UCTAA discussion board - and before that, as the author notes, was posted on Facebook.
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I actually posted this first on a Facebook board, but thought I would also post here to get the opinion of my fellow Apathetic Agnostics. The original questions was if being Agnostic was really just failure to make a decision. They person posting the question felt that if you were Agnostic about such an "important" aspect, that you probably failed to make any decision. This was my attempt to explain my thoughts on that.
It would be great to get more comments and opinions on this... My reply post follows:
When I go into a Deli for lunch my ability to make a decision will immediately impact my life. Failure to make the decision could cause me to go hungry. To take it to the extreme, if I continue to not make a decision for days, I could starve to death.
OK... a little over the top, but that is a critical decision that must be made. In our daily lives we have lots of decision that range on the criticality scale, but in the end we normally need to decide in short order.
On the other side is the idea of "important". If I am looking to replace my current house or purchase my first home that is an important decision. It however is not critical. I still have a home now and for the sake of the example will assume the home is in good condition and there is no real deadline or requirement for departure.
I put the "god" and "spirituality" decision into the important category. Yes something I should maybe one day decide on, but I do not see any deadline requiring me to make that decision now.
The potential of lost opportunity is just to big to make a hasty decision. If I decide one way or the other I could miss out on some wonderful moving experiences. I have had the great opportunity to take part in lots of religious and spiritual experiences. From Catholic to Mormon to Hindu to Buddhist and many more. Even had the chance to look over the other side and talk to those who believe in the dark lord ~~scary~~ . And finally sit down with some good old fashioned Atheists, men of science.
Because of my firm stand as an Agnostic it allowed me to approach and experience these with an open mind and open heart. Able to shut up and listen to what they had to say and what they were passionate about. None of them finally swayed me to one side, but I was a better and stronger person for having the opportunity to truly have an open and honest discussion without prejudice and judgment of their belief.
For me I do lean toward belief in something... I just don't know what that is, and I know I surely do not have enough information to define it. So until I do (which I doubt will happen in my lifetime) I will continue to search and learn and grow.