thanks jennifer

Submitted by Jules (Australia), Sep 9, 2008 at 03:26

Thanks for your comment about my essay. My teacher gave me a rough grade the other day when I handed over a draft. He said if he was being tough he'd give it a C+, B-, a little disappointing but apparently I haven't gone into enough detail about modern catholic opinions on the afterlife so I'll see how the end result goes.J

The information you replied to me with is of great interest to me. I completely agree with you but again it is a small minority, although I do NOT defend what they believe or do. I love learning and reading and especially about religion and science. I was watching "Four Corners" – a BBC program we receive here in Australia, last night about the World Trade Center Tower 7 Collapse conspiracy of 9/11 and the video ‘Loose Change'. The conspiracy is as to whether or not the American government blew up this building on the same day of 9/11 on purpose in order to destroy government documents. Although the evidence was interesting, I must say I'm not convinced. I don't believe that the American government would do such a thing and risk the lives of so many. No one was hurt in the building because everyone was evacuated in a fire drill practice and the building collapsed later that afternoon.

The report released after 9/11 stated that the building collapsed because it was ravaged by fire but the belief that it was destroyed by a controlled demolition won't go away. I guess no one will ever truly understand or fully comprehend what happened on September 11, the anniversary's this week. As I have said before it's awful to know that people intentionally killed over 3000 people to go to heaven. Why is it that some religious beliefs lead to the harm of if not followers themselves but others too?

Look at the Christian sect of Heaven's gate. Followers hold the belief that if they commit suicide they will be able to board a spaceship and go to heaven. So too, is this beyond my comprehension.

Throughout my schooling, but more so in the last two years, topics I have covered for essays include liberation theology, the afterlife, honor killing and a number of other issues such as stem cell research and genetic modification. Such issues I suppose I find so fascinating is because I for one cannot comprehend them and the diversity of world beliefs is amazing. I am quite agnostic about God although I am a Catholic. I do however; believe in the big bang theory. I hate the argument that science is better than religion or vice a versa. I think the world needs a balance. Science tells us where we are going, but religion, in my opinion, tells us how to get there.

I also recently studied the novel ‘Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley and the film "Gattaca" by Andrew Niccol. Both items are cautionary tales warning against the future to which we are heading and the misuse of science and world conformity etc. Science is great but crossing the line from health to enhancement is wrong and the question will always be asked as to where we draw the line.

But sorry I might be boring you. I could go no forever about this sort of thing as I said it's fascinating. Any topics you could think of that might be of interest to me would be great. I'm willing to learn as much as I can about the world and although I might not be able to change some things I'd rather be aware of them than be ignorant.

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