Comments on: Poetry Sunday: Thanksgiving http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/12/poetry-sunday-xx.html NIGHTTIME IS FOR DREAMING. DAYLIGHT IS FOR ACTION. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:09:52 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Peter N http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/12/poetry-sunday-xx.html#comment-42418 Peter N Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:31:16 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/?p=905#comment-42418 Cerus wrote, "It's unfortunate really, to be unable to express any thoughtful appreciation of nature without getting labeled a nature "worshipper", how can I explain the difference to people with such a narrow viewpoint?" First, I would refuse to be put on the defensive. Ask them to define this "worship" they mention. Can they really explain what it is, and what it's for? Why does the all-knowing, all-powerful creator and destroyer of universes care about their flattery? Can they persuade you that their worship is being perceived by their deity at all? The difference is that appreciation is a feeling you hold in your own heart -- you know it's real, as much as any of your feelings are real. "Worship" can only mean anything if there is a mind on the receiving end. -- Peter N. Cerus wrote, "It's unfortunate really, to be unable to express any thoughtful appreciation of nature without getting labeled a nature "worshipper", how can I explain the difference to people with such a narrow viewpoint?"

First, I would refuse to be put on the defensive. Ask them to define this "worship" they mention. Can they really explain what it is, and what it's for? Why does the all-knowing, all-powerful creator and destroyer of universes care about their flattery? Can they persuade you that their worship is being perceived by their deity at all?

The difference is that appreciation is a feeling you hold in your own heart -- you know it's real, as much as any of your feelings are real. "Worship" can only mean anything if there is a mind on the receiving end.

-- Peter N.

]]> By: Cerus http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/12/poetry-sunday-xx.html#comment-42385 Cerus Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:57:31 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/?p=905#comment-42385 Lovely poem, it'd cause a lot of my religious friends to point and say "SEE! SEE! They worship nature! It's a religion! La La La lala..." It's unfortunate really, to be unable to express any thoughtful appreciation of nature without getting labeled a nature "worshipper", how can I explain the difference to people with such a narrow viewpoint? Lovely poem, it'd cause a lot of my religious friends to point and say "SEE! SEE! They worship nature! It's a religion! La La La lala..."

It's unfortunate really, to be unable to express any thoughtful appreciation of nature without getting labeled a nature "worshipper", how can I explain the difference to people with such a narrow viewpoint?

]]> By: Christopher http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/12/poetry-sunday-xx.html#comment-42383 Christopher Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:24:31 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/?p=905#comment-42383 Giving thanks to our pre-human ancestors for our existence is essencially giving thanks to causality for arranging the gene pool in the proper manner that would allow humans to evolve - and thanking causality is completly pointless as it neither knows about out it or cares. Instead, why not give your thanks to something tha's capable of appreciating it? On that note, I give thanks to my compatriots, my family (both by blood and by my own say so), my mentors past and present and my dogs for making my existence as as rich and full as it is today. Giving thanks to our pre-human ancestors for our existence is essencially giving thanks to causality for arranging the gene pool in the proper manner that would allow humans to evolve - and thanking causality is completly pointless as it neither knows about out it or cares. Instead, why not give your thanks to something tha's capable of appreciating it?

On that note, I give thanks to my compatriots, my family (both by blood and by my own say so), my mentors past and present and my dogs for making my existence as as rich and full as it is today.

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