Hypocrite?

You're not intruding. Keep posting

miney, your post two up was lovely, I thought. I enjoyed reading it .

Just read the latest posts (which I hadn't, when I posted the above in good faith).
I feel as if I've eavesdropped on some supernatural (yes, supernatural!) secret society with its own language. Or maybe just a fringe group from the Scottish Play?!

Forgive the intrusion Taking life a bit seriously is one of my longstanding faults which I've been working on for years--obviously more work needed!

Really interesting discussion, I found everyone's thoughts interesting. Re-reading absentgrana's original post, I think Greatnan's solution is the wisest.

But I quite admire the host for two reasons. First he is making it clear he does not want guests to waste money on presents (presents for '0' birthdays tend to be either expensive or silly) and second, he had the guts to name a charity he believes in, maybe knowing it would not be universally popular. To his credit, he did not know if or who donated, or how much. Thus leaving his guests free to follow their own consciences.

However the principle absentgrana identifies goes deep. How far do we let our own beliefs influence our lives and actions?

I am nominally an Anglican Christian, and I do believe in a loving, creator God, but I have a problem with institutionalised religion and its politics (with both big and small 'P's) and pettiness, which makes me a non-churchgoer. Pity, because I love the architecture and music in great cathedrals.

Over the years I can no longer believe that there is only one way of understanding the great issues of Life (why are we here? what are we here for? do we have a purpose? etc etc)--and Death (is it The End? etc etc). I am interested in the beliefs of many different cultures, as well as the monotheistic religions, Buddhism and the Tao. This is why I took a degree in Medical Anthropology in my 50s--to help me explore different peoples' ideas about 'health', life and death. And I'm still exploring what I believe!

But I would draw the line at donating to a charity whose aims I had thought about, but was opposed to. And I have problems with proselytising too.

Maybe I should change my username to 'confused.oap'

Going back to my original post – although I am pleased that you have finally got the crescent moon that you craved jeni – Mr absent is completely bemused by my concerns about this birthday charity donation/gift. It has truly been a dilemma for me which is why I posted in the first place.

I do hope that my lovely sister-in-law (or even, unlikely that it is, the brother-in-law at the centre of the issue) is not a member of Gransnet.

What colour do you think they are jing? Blue?
I've seen a bright orange one once. It seemed weird!

It's lovely.

bags at the moment I'm trying to remember all my crochet stitches

moons aren't grey

Well, they snook that in!

It's grey.

Look above--- the thread not the sky!

Yeah. I'm more like a domestic pig.

How's the GD cardi coming on, jeni? I thought you'd started a Bagsism topic!!

AND HAVE YOU SEEN THE CRESCENT MOON?!!!!!?

to GNHQ AND TECH

We...eeelll - O.K. jeni, I will make an exception for you - certainly you are a domestic goddess, whatever anybody else says. Ignore that nasty bags, she is just jealous.

bagsim very hurt.
I shall go and sulk in a corner with my Turkish delight and crochet!

Pigs eat people too. Have you heard about that farmer in Oregon?

When I say gods, goddesses are understood, just as when one talks about mankind, or 'man', women are understood. You know that, jeni. You,re just making mischief!

You mean you don't believe in me? after all I am the ORIGINAL domestic goddess!
And pigs DO fly

Nope, not even goddesses. I think the earth just happens to be the right distance from the sun for life to begin. No planning, no purpose - just blind chance. I find that strangely comforting!

Goddesses?

You are not alone, Bags - I don't feel that anything is missing from my life because I don't believe in any god.

Just made myself a coffee and realised that I don't feel any need for there to be a god (or gods) either. I expect that's significant in the way I approach life.

And who could argue with that, Bags? What a clear and honest statement of your position.

I don't know either but I'm still an atheist because I don't believe in any gods. That's all atheist means. It doesn't mean you know there are none, just that you don't believe in any.

Most atheists think it highly likely that there are no gods, but that's not the same as knowing.

So I guess I'm an agnostic as well, but I think atheist is clearer for my position.
A-theist = no belief in gods so far.