[pf] A compassionate and reverential attitude toward everything

**  In order, edited:

At 10:34 19/01/00 -0800, Molly wrote:
>I think animals and people can connect at as deep a level (or deeper)
>than humans can with each other. I don't think I'm unusual. 
>
At 18:37 19/01/00 -0800, Arianna wrote:
> I believe that all life is self-aware and has as much soul as humans. 
>Therefore I try to treat all creatures with respect, particularly
>the many dogs and cats who are a regular part of my life.  When I treat 
>them
>the same way I do another human, they respond in a completely different way
>than they do to humans who look down on them.  Dogs treat me as equals, 
>cats
>treat me as a beloved inferior.
>  Which my Siamese companion says is as it should be.  :}  Arianna 

At 22:22 19/01/00 -0800, Kaleopono wrote:
>I'm inclined to perceive the entire universe as self-aware, even
>rocks and other inanimate substances.  A compassionate and
>reverential attitude toward everything in our environment is
>worthwhile striving to attain.
>    My experience is similar to Arianna's and others who have
>commented ...  I give animals respect as my equal, just as I do 
>other humans.  And the animals definitely respond in like kind!
>
At 07:35 21/01/00 -0800, Matthew wrote:
>Exactly.  That which is Divine, by whatever term cannot be any less than
>Itself, despite the multitude of expressions.  The existence of this
>self-awareness, soul or Divinity of all Life is the fundamental assumption
>on which the notions of  Truth, Reality, and the Good are based.
>


**  I agreed with most of what Molly & Arianna said (though I don't believe
a family pet with the damage potential of a large dog should feel itself
the equal of /any/ human, even a toddler), but started disagreeing at
Kaleopono (there's no way a rock can be aware; Gaia: maybe), and I'm
writing this to totally disagree with Matthew's statement that Truth,
Reality, and the Good would not exist if The Divine did not exist. At
least, that's how I interpret what he actually said.

**  I know I'm away out in left field on this, so I explicitly do not ask
for response; I simply assert the value of atheism as a philosophy.

David.
(David MacClement) davd@ihug.co.nz 
www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/3142/Pg1-AD11.html
 or better: http://www.emucities.com.au/member/davd/
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