>>Bill said:
>>This is SOOOO strange to me, it is hard to believe. First off - as the
>>biggest kid in school until high school very few people would challenge
me.
>>The concept that someone could sit idly by and watch another get a
>>beating makes me sick to my stomach, it is the type of thing that to this
>>day I fight.
>Me, too. Do you remember _Brave New World_? There were two alpha
>males. One was confident, beautiful, and popular...but he felt the need
for
>something more. The other was shorter, weaker, and antisocial...people
>whispered about him, suspecting that something had gone wrong during
>his gestation.
>Both were disatisfied. One was disastisfied with the world of experience.
>The other was disastisfied with himself, but expressed it as a hatred of
>everything around him.
>If you are truely one of the former, then I envy you.
Humm - I was popular with the Nerds for sure, since I was the only nerd capable of dominating the "athletes", "good-looking popular folks" and the "freaks". But I accept the picture you have painted. 18 yrs or so ago, I would have stood by people like you. I would today too.
I am one of the
>latter. I think there are far more of us, and that with faith and reason
>we can learn to emulate you.
Why? And are you serious? What I was, and still am has VERY negative consequences and is now much less beneficial than it was when I was a kid. Although I still "fight the good fight" I have learned the value of disguise. Guile is now my tool.
> I'm trying. But I am weak. If I am
>to stand with you and fight the tide of insanity I need a little faith to
>resist the fear. But, please listen to me! If we are to redeem anyone
>else...we cannot oppose faith. I cannot, and fight beside you. You
>need to decide now...If you want me with you, then you have to accept
>my faith as part of me. Otherwise, I need to find a community that can.
>I'm not asking you to accept my faith as yours...you must find your
>own. I'm asking you to accept me, to have faith in me as a person,
>if you will.
>Choose.
>Reed
One thing I do believe in, by choice, is the NEED for people to be whom they choose to be. I don't question other people's choices unless they force these choices on me. I don't question your "faith" or need for "faith". I am not opposed to the concept of "faith" I am only opposed to people using "faith" as a guide to "oppress" me. And I am talking very specifically about religious faith regarding a "god".
What I have "faith" in with you Reed is: I have "faith" that you are a good guy, who is intelligent with much to offer that I cannot or do not see. I have "Faith" that you are on the same side of "reason" as I am, though we may disagree sometimes. Of course I am accepting of you the way you are, you actually have many skills and viewpoints I admire. I respect you based upon writing experience with you over the last two years.
I don't think that you are "weak" though. I would be wary of you in any contest where we were pitted against one another. I am not sure many times if you are serious or joking, patronizing or sincere. But I am sure that though our worldviews are very different, they are NOT that different when pictured against the whole.
Bill Roh