Kerry: ‘The Real Face of Islam is a Peaceful Religion’

cns news ^ | September 3, 2014 | Brittany M. Hughes

[A Navy Vet]

Sir, you make some valid points about the New Testament, but still have my doubts.

However, I've recently had an epiphany about what a soul is which I never believed existed...and that is:

While I used to believe it was simple human emotions of compassion/empathy, I now believe that our individual decisions and behavior towards others is what we call our "heart" (good or bad) is our "soul". Anyone who doesn't see the joy in watching a puppy play has something missing in their heart/soul.

Yes, I know that upbringing, environment, life experiences can affect us for good or bad. I grew up in a bad household, but now I believe that my "soul" told me to look for the good and positive in life (joined Navy). I've done some things I'm not proud of, but to this day I try to treat people as I would want to be treated. I no longer think that is just basic compassion/empathy, I now believe because I have tried to be a decent person.

Still, I don't believe in an afterlife as religions profess. Don't really even think we are conscience when we die. Think we just join the universal energy of who or whatever created this universe. It's all beyond any one religious beliefs. Even the brilliant physicists can't figure how the "big bang" happened and how that supposedly super-condensed ball of matter appeared. They call it the "singularity" because they need to put things in terms.

All that said, I firmly believe that this universe was created to manifest a desire, purpose, or destiny for the one or those behind it. Darwin is probably right, but think of ALL the mutations that needed to come before us on this one small rock to make us. Accident? I don't think so. I think those before us did a shotgun affect to see what would take. We were his/their's best of that effort. Maybe there is more within the expanse of the universe...

[plain talk]

Thanks. I see where you are coming from. Everything you state is reasonably stated - from a man’s perspective looking out. Like an ant trying to figure out a human. Not possible. No “religion” has it all figured out - even Christianity has limited revealed data points and not the whole story. We are not even capable of understanding how it all works.

A big step for me was to reduce my ego a few notches, read and allow God to reach me (rather than the other way around). “mere christianity” is a good read for someone with doubts (all of us). I think you might find it interesting. Cheers.