“So much blood has been shed by the Church because of an omission from the Gospel: ‘Ye shall be indifferent as to what your neighbor’s religion is.’ Not merely tolerant of it, but indifferent to it. Divinity is claimed for many religions; but no religion is great enough or divine enough to add that new law to its code.”
– Mark Twain, a Biography
I have chosen to partake in online deliberation on www.politicalhotwire.com, specifically on “Forum: Philosophy & Religion.” There is a lot of political controversy due to religious beliefs. After attending Catholic school for thirteen years and as a result of a year-long course on morality my junior year of high school, I feel I know the Church’s standings on most issues prevalent today pretty well. I would like to understand the viewpoints of those with beliefs different than mine, as I know they are in great abundance. I think there are a lot of similarities between Catholicism and other religions. Last year, my senior class studied religions throughout the world and I found myself agreeing with doctrines from each religion we studied. I hope that by partaking in this online forum I expand my knowledge of different religions and adopt some of their beliefs as my own.
There are political issues related to religion that I feel very strongly about. I hope to make a fair argument for my side that doesn’t insult the other viewpoint but rather provide helpful information for my case. People don’t respond well to attacks at their beliefs. As a proper “online deliberator,” I hope to be persuasive and approachable. I don’t necessarily want to force people to change their opinions, but rather I would like to provide them with adequate information to make a correct judgment on their own. In a sense, it’s a small way to change the world – one forum comment at a time.