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Maven said:

I did not insult anyone. I stated my beliefs, and in saying you don't choose your beliefs, I believe that to be true, also. You can't believe a little blue man is standing next to you by choice. Something has to convince you. You can tell yourself he's there, but if, in your heart of hearts, you don't believe he's not there, you can't make yourself believe. I did not mean that you don't research what feels right to you; I meant that you can't choose to believe something that doesn't make sense to you. I also didn't mean you don't choose your religion; I said you don't choose your beliefs.

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I could accept the post if it were written that "I don't believe that you can believe...." or "I don't believe you can choose....", but to be told that "you can't believe"....or that "you don't choose" is stating a fact that is only believed in your own mind as being so....but is not believed by other people. Therefore by stating that "you can't" because you say so is disrespecting others & pushing your thoughts as being a fact rather than your belief.

That is where I have problems with the posting. I feel disrespected when I am told that I can't believe something by choice when I personally believe that the basis of my Christianity is the freedom of choice (which is my free will) to believe what I choose to believe. I can honestly say that for me, the beliefs in Christianity don't make sense at all & most of what I believe is based on faith that it is true without being able to prove anything....because most of it I can't prove. For me, I believe that I have the choice to have that faith or not & that no one can make that choice for me or force me to make that choice no matter how hard they try

I am just thinking that as long as this post continues with people posting what they believe rather than stating something as a fact, that this post will be able to stay open to freedom of expression.

Debbie