alright, a little philosophy for you kids

 maybe not philosophy…but well yes.  these were thoughts spurred in my ethics class this morning, in passing notes with the girl who sits next to me.  i wish i’d have kept the notes…but i think she was thinking the same thing and grabbed them first.

so i don’t remember my philosophy class just fantastically well…but i remember plato.  i remember him specifically because his theories made me question myself…made me think.  at the time i was a sunday school teacher, also working two other jobs, and just generally burnt out.  specifically, i was burnt out on church.  since i quit that job nearly three years ago…i’ve visited my church less than 5 times.  no, i didn’t stop believing in god, but i did start questioning everything…including all the crazy church politics.

plato basically said that we are merely shadows of our most real self.  that what we call reality is not even existant.  do i subscribe to that?  not necessarily.  but after years of reflecting on it, i DO understand why it changed the way i thought:

i don’t believe in hell.  sorry guys, i really do think its just a "monster-in-the-closet" story to compel us to show restraint in our bad deeds.  i think its necessary to believe that there is an eventual punishment for ourselves or for others…so that we don’t try and take justice into our own hands (i.e. through suicide, murder, revenge-ish stuff).

i know that there is no way that we are born just to live out 70 years on this earth and build/break relationships, love/hate, give/take, just to die and end everything.  there’s just no way that’s all there is.

i also don’t subscribe to the fluffy clouds version of heaven.  i don’t believe we all become angels and hang out at big banquet tables waiting for the kingdom to come to earth.

but i AM willing to believe that there is, in existance after life, a real version of who we are, that may or may not be perfect, from whom we draw our traits.  i AM willing to believe that there is a life beyond this.  i am ALSO willing to believe that there are multiple lives beyond this:  maybe they are on this earth, maybe they are not.  is re-incarnation really such a strange idea?  i’m not saying its what i subscribe to as my own belief, but i see it as more reasonable than the storybook heaven.  why build so many relationships and find love if you cannot keep those people with you forever?  it kinda melts into the topic of soulmates too…but i don’t need y’all to start laughing at me 😉  

anyway, plato pointed out that to put the life cycle in motion, there had to be a prime mover.  that prime mover, to me, is most definately god.  i believe jesus was an amazing person who was certainly influenced in a divine way.  am i commiting my life to him?  i’m sorta out to lunch on that one.  its blind faith, and well…i’m not blind.  i want to know as much as possible.  i can’t believe that anyone could judge me poorly as long as i can judge myself to be a good person.  i don’t believe that anyone is going to hell…and i certainly don’t believe one human has the right to suggest that other humans involved with religions (that came long before their own), or without religion, are going to hell or are wrong or should be punished—–hence my dislike of church politics.  who are they to judge each other and outsiders?  who are they to questionwhat god made?  

you don’t have to like everyone, but you should never assume that you were made smarter, better, or more perfect than them.  we all have a purpose, and most of are helpless to see even our own….what makes us think we can see god’s purpose for others?  (and, oh yes, i’m hinting at the rights of gays here…but only as one group among the world population)

alright.  that’s it.  (don’t worry, i don’t plan on touching politics with a ten foot pole anytime soon.)

goodnight guys!
kate