Reading Lists

I've been doing very little the last couple of days, but I've gotten some embroidery in, some reading in, and a lot of thinking. I tend to vascillate a lot on things like religion. I grew up with such an atmosphere of cultural relativism, and the prevailing politically correct view that if it has anything to do with religion then you have to accept it and not try to criticize it or use rational thought on it.

Ibn Warraq, in his Why I am Not a Muslim makes a bunch of good points which I don't entirely agree with. I'm glad other people have very strong opinions because if they didn't I wouldn't be able to feel so good about being in the middle on all of these issues. There's no point in mediating unless there are people strongly articulating all points of view. But I think it's a book that needed to be written, I'm glad it was, and I'm even more glad I'm reading it. And I don't disagree with everything he says. I'm not done with it yet so I can't make any sort of official statement, but I'm sure I'll mention thoughts as they come up.

Arguments are so much more fun with people who disagree with you. Of course, they have to be people you can reason with, otherwise arguing becomes a frustrating exercise much like bashing your head against the wall. But somebody who likes to reason, and who also believes something completely different from you, will spark an amazing conversation. About pretty much anything. D and I were discussing this out at brunch today because we realized we agree on lots of things.

Either that, or I'm too careful in what I say. I really do watch myself fairly carefully. Around everyone except my family, I think.