Things you secretly oppose, but don't want other people to know:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Islamic religion.

I'm actually embarrassed to admit this, and my opposition is definitely secret. But yes. I've read the Koran cover to cover, which I'll wager is more than most have done, and my opinion is well-informed.

Having two degrees in religious studies, and having real all the main religious texts as well as supplemental texts, my opinion on all religion is well informed. No thank you.

Outwardly, I don't believe in religion and am quite more tolerant. But secretly, I believe them all to be vile, and that only weak people believe in religion - ie, those who seem to be so scared of life and the world that they need such structure. That their moral code is so flimsy that they can't have introspective human ethics, and need a text. Or have lives so chaotic, that they need concepts like heaven and hell to try and make sense of things. I understand the purpose that religion serves for people, but I believe those people to be extremely weak.

Another of my little secrets is that I often *pretend* that I see eye-to-eye with people like this poster, who have black-and-white views on religion, because I work and play with people who are very well-educated, as am I. Privately, I like more nuance and ambiguity, and I see plenty of room for questions about our place in the universe. I'm the poster above who's read the Koran, and I'm not in favor of literal interpretations of any text. And still.... I have lots of friends with whom I can have honest discussions about belief. But try explaining this to people like the dual-degree poster above, who are convinced it can only be that you're weak-willed or lost or confused ... so I don't.

Oh I totally agree with the bolded above - like the title of this thread, however, we all have our own, private secrets I'm just a little less, shall we say, personally forgiving when it comes to mythologies of today, and mythologies of the past.

I'm thrilled for you that you have friends, of course. But I think you misread my post. Anyway, if the subject here is whether any of us have "secrets", I'm going to venture that your disdain isn't as much of a secret as you think -- just from the language you use above. And that at least a couple of your "friends" just nod passively when you start in. That's their secret, of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Islamic religion.

I'm actually embarrassed to admit this, and my opposition is definitely secret. But yes. I've read the Koran cover to cover, which I'll wager is more than most have done, and my opinion is well-informed.

Having two degrees in religious studies, and having real all the main religious texts as well as supplemental texts, my opinion on all religion is well informed. No thank you.

Outwardly, I don't believe in religion and am quite more tolerant. But secretly, I believe them all to be vile, and that only weak people believe in religion - ie, those who seem to be so scared of life and the world that they need such structure. That their moral code is so flimsy that they can't have introspective human ethics, and need a text. Or have lives so chaotic, that they need concepts like heaven and hell to try and make sense of things. I understand the purpose that religion serves for people, but I believe those people to be extremely weak.

They are not weak. They are artists. Have you never heard a truth in art that can not be expressed in rational words? What a pedestrian soul you must have...

They're not artists if they follow somebody else's Color By Numbers, pre-made pattern.

True. They are the devoted audiences of artists. Most of us don't have the talent to be the leader of an artwork. but we can still love the arts and understand the truths they express that can not be said in rational language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Islamic religion.

I'm actually embarrassed to admit this, and my opposition is definitely secret. But yes. I've read the Koran cover to cover, which I'll wager is more than most have done, and my opinion is well-informed.

Having two degrees in religious studies, and having real all the main religious texts as well as supplemental texts, my opinion on all religion is well informed. No thank you.

Outwardly, I don't believe in religion and am quite more tolerant. But secretly, I believe them all to be vile, and that only weak people believe in religion - ie, those who seem to be so scared of life and the world that they need such structure. That their moral code is so flimsy that they can't have introspective human ethics, and need a text. Or have lives so chaotic, that they need concepts like heaven and hell to try and make sense of things. I understand the purpose that religion serves for people, but I believe those people to be extremely weak.

Another of my little secrets is that I often *pretend* that I see eye-to-eye with people like this poster, who have black-and-white views on religion, because I work and play with people who are very well-educated, as am I. Privately, I like more nuance and ambiguity, and I see plenty of room for questions about our place in the universe. I'm the poster above who's read the Koran, and I'm not in favor of literal interpretations of any text. And still.... I have lots of friends with whom I can have honest discussions about belief. But try explaining this to people like the dual-degree poster above, who are convinced it can only be that you're weak-willed or lost or confused ... so I don't.

Oh I totally agree with the bolded above - like the title of this thread, however, we all have our own, private secrets I'm just a little less, shall we say, personally forgiving when it comes to mythologies of today, and mythologies of the past.

I'm thrilled for you that you have friends, of course. But I think you misread my post. Anyway, if the subject here is whether any of us have "secrets", I'm going to venture that your disdain isn't as much of a secret as you think -- just from the language you use above. And that at least a couple of your "friends" just nod passively when you start in. That's their secret, of course.

Can you see my "nodding" now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Islamic religion.

I'm actually embarrassed to admit this, and my opposition is definitely secret. But yes. I've read the Koran cover to cover, which I'll wager is more than most have done, and my opinion is well-informed.

Having two degrees in religious studies, and having real all the main religious texts as well as supplemental texts, my opinion on all religion is well informed. No thank you.

Outwardly, I don't believe in religion and am quite more tolerant. But secretly, I believe them all to be vile, and that only weak people believe in religion - ie, those who seem to be so scared of life and the world that they need such structure. That their moral code is so flimsy that they can't have introspective human ethics, and need a text. Or have lives so chaotic, that they need concepts like heaven and hell to try and make sense of things. I understand the purpose that religion serves for people, but I believe those people to be extremely weak.

They are not weak. They are artists. Have you never heard a truth in art that can not be expressed in rational words? What a pedestrian soul you must have...

They're not artists if they follow somebody else's Color By Numbers, pre-made pattern.

The artists analogy is genius. The Color By Numbers slant is just a cheap knock-off.

If the point is that some people don't question their beliefs, that's true. However the strongest beliefs actually come out of questioning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Islamic religion.

I'm actually embarrassed to admit this, and my opposition is definitely secret. But yes. I've read the Koran cover to cover, which I'll wager is more than most have done, and my opinion is well-informed.

Having two degrees in religious studies, and having real all the main religious texts as well as supplemental texts, my opinion on all religion is well informed. No thank you.

Outwardly, I don't believe in religion and am quite more tolerant. But secretly, I believe them all to be vile, and that only weak people believe in religion - ie, those who seem to be so scared of life and the world that they need such structure. That their moral code is so flimsy that they can't have introspective human ethics, and need a text. Or have lives so chaotic, that they need concepts like heaven and hell to try and make sense of things. I understand the purpose that religion serves for people, but I believe those people to be extremely weak.

They are not weak. They are artists. Have you never heard a truth in art that can not be expressed in rational words? What a pedestrian soul you must have...

They're not artists if they follow somebody else's Color By Numbers, pre-made pattern.

True. They are the devoted audiences of artists. Most of us don't have the talent to be the leader of an artwork. but we can still love the arts and understand the truths they express that can not be said in rational language.

Of course - admiring art is one thing as a form of someone's temporal expression is one thing. Taking a piece of art as some kind of timeless, cosmological truth is another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Islamic religion.

I'm actually embarrassed to admit this, and my opposition is definitely secret. But yes. I've read the Koran cover to cover, which I'll wager is more than most have done, and my opinion is well-informed.

Having two degrees in religious studies, and having real all the main religious texts as well as supplemental texts, my opinion on all religion is well informed. No thank you.

Outwardly, I don't believe in religion and am quite more tolerant. But secretly, I believe them all to be vile, and that only weak people believe in religion - ie, those who seem to be so scared of life and the world that they need such structure. That their moral code is so flimsy that they can't have introspective human ethics, and need a text. Or have lives so chaotic, that they need concepts like heaven and hell to try and make sense of things. I understand the purpose that religion serves for people, but I believe those people to be extremely weak.

Another of my little secrets is that I often *pretend* that I see eye-to-eye with people like this poster, who have black-and-white views on religion, because I work and play with people who are very well-educated, as am I. Privately, I like more nuance and ambiguity, and I see plenty of room for questions about our place in the universe. I'm the poster above who's read the Koran, and I'm not in favor of literal interpretations of any text. And still.... I have lots of friends with whom I can have honest discussions about belief. But try explaining this to people like the dual-degree poster above, who are convinced it can only be that you're weak-willed or lost or confused ... so I don't.

Oh I totally agree with the bolded above - like the title of this thread, however, we all have our own, private secrets I'm just a little less, shall we say, personally forgiving when it comes to mythologies of today, and mythologies of the past.

I'm thrilled for you that you have friends, of course. But I think you misread my post. Anyway, if the subject here is whether any of us have "secrets", I'm going to venture that your disdain isn't as much of a secret as you think -- just from the language you use above. And that at least a couple of your "friends" just nod passively when you start in. That's their secret, of course.

Can you see my "nodding" now?

Actually I'm losing interest in you -- this is the second random/dumb comment in a row. I'm starting to agree with the poster who said you have a pedestrian soul. Good night!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Islamic religion.

I'm actually embarrassed to admit this, and my opposition is definitely secret. But yes. I've read the Koran cover to cover, which I'll wager is more than most have done, and my opinion is well-informed.

Having two degrees in religious studies, and having real all the main religious texts as well as supplemental texts, my opinion on all religion is well informed. No thank you.

Outwardly, I don't believe in religion and am quite more tolerant. But secretly, I believe them all to be vile, and that only weak people believe in religion - ie, those who seem to be so scared of life and the world that they need such structure. That their moral code is so flimsy that they can't have introspective human ethics, and need a text. Or have lives so chaotic, that they need concepts like heaven and hell to try and make sense of things. I understand the purpose that religion serves for people, but I believe those people to be extremely weak.

They are not weak. They are artists. Have you never heard a truth in art that can not be expressed in rational words? What a pedestrian soul you must have...

They're not artists if they follow somebody else's Color By Numbers, pre-made pattern.

The artists analogy is genius. The Color By Numbers slant is just a cheap knock-off.

If the point is that some people don't question their beliefs, that's true. However the strongest beliefs actually come out of questioning.

Questioning art is a fantastic endeavor - it tells a story of a time, of an artist, and a moment. But co-opting that art as your own, is the real knock off. Frankly, I have more respect for religious literalism, than those that take the brand name label and slap it on something totally unlike the original, and try and pass it off as "real."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Islamic religion.

I'm actually embarrassed to admit this, and my opposition is definitely secret. But yes. I've read the Koran cover to cover, which I'll wager is more than most have done, and my opinion is well-informed.

Having two degrees in religious studies, and having real all the main religious texts as well as supplemental texts, my opinion on all religion is well informed. No thank you.

Outwardly, I don't believe in religion and am quite more tolerant. But secretly, I believe them all to be vile, and that only weak people believe in religion - ie, those who seem to be so scared of life and the world that they need such structure. That their moral code is so flimsy that they can't have introspective human ethics, and need a text. Or have lives so chaotic, that they need concepts like heaven and hell to try and make sense of things. I understand the purpose that religion serves for people, but I believe those people to be extremely weak.

Another of my little secrets is that I often *pretend* that I see eye-to-eye with people like this poster, who have black-and-white views on religion, because I work and play with people who are very well-educated, as am I. Privately, I like more nuance and ambiguity, and I see plenty of room for questions about our place in the universe. I'm the poster above who's read the Koran, and I'm not in favor of literal interpretations of any text. And still.... I have lots of friends with whom I can have honest discussions about belief. But try explaining this to people like the dual-degree poster above, who are convinced it can only be that you're weak-willed or lost or confused ... so I don't.

Oh I totally agree with the bolded above - like the title of this thread, however, we all have our own, private secrets I'm just a little less, shall we say, personally forgiving when it comes to mythologies of today, and mythologies of the past.

I'm thrilled for you that you have friends, of course. But I think you misread my post. Anyway, if the subject here is whether any of us have "secrets", I'm going to venture that your disdain isn't as much of a secret as you think -- just from the language you use above. And that at least a couple of your "friends" just nod passively when you start in. That's their secret, of course.

Can you see my "nodding" now?

Actually I'm losing interest in you -- this is the second random/dumb comment in a row. I'm starting to agree with the poster who said you have a pedestrian soul. Good night!

It's mutual, friend.

[Anonymous]

Yikes, what's with all the stupid emoticons tonight?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yikes, what's with all the stupid emoticons tonight?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Women who got their "MRS" degree.

There is no such thing in 2013.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes, what's with all the stupid emoticons tonight?

How disapponting! 22:12, the Atheist, is really just incredibly shallow. Oh well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Women who got their "MRS" degree.

There is no such thing in 2013.[/quot

Wrong you are sister. Woman are still looking for men. If you do not knock down a husband in law school or grad school at the latest you are in trouble buoy do not have to marry them fast but you have to snag them Eventually they will marry you
Otherwise you are out there competing for a limited supply of good men

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Indians. Can't stand them-especially if they are my neighbor. I have NEVR seen one that takes any pride in their home. They are property value destroyers.

You've obviously never been acquainted with Indians who have their MILs living with them. The only possible objection there is cooking smells, and I can tell you, I used to live upstairs from a couple of off-the-boat Italians and it was no better.

I'm unfortunatly acquainted with far too many of them. I live in Herndon and am surrounded. Not ONE of thrm maintains their home. I also travel to India for work and the country is filthy. I have never been to a more filty country and I've traveled all over China. As far as MILs I have no IIdea on that. My indian neighboneighbors have som many people crammed into their homes I cannot sort out who lives there.

I live in Herndon too and have Indian neighbors who have lovely, well-kept yards.

+1. Not sure where there is a street in Herdon which has such a shabby group of Indians, but my experience has always been that most Indians take a LOT of pride in their homes, yards, cars etc. Lots of Indians who are first generation did not have that much in India -- even if they were professionals, they weren't rich so they decided to take a chance to come to the U.S. and re-establish themselves; having done that and made some money, they are near obsessed with having McMansions, nice cars etc. and then really take care of those things because they realize how hard/expensive it is to buy them. Yeah the old country may be flithy but most I know wanted to get away from that and have a nice home, yard etc. that they may not have had back there. Don't know where you are seeing such shabby Indian properties unless you are in Edison NJ, Jackson Heights NY etc. -- the places where many don't have a lot of money and don't worry about their yards bc they are making ends meet -- wouldn't think of Herdon as such a place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm opposed to the way Indians come over here and then basically refuse to have anything to do with Americans. They live in the same neighborhoods (and God help you if you accidentally end up in one; my friend lives in one and has actually had the police called on her because she let her dogs into her yard) and refuse to associate with the Americans. Why?? I actually moved because the school my daughter was zoned for was 77% Indian and I feared she'd be ostracized and excluded for not being Indian. I like diversity, meaning nobody in the school, white, Indian, or otherwise, makes up 75% of the population, so she's zoned now for a much more diverse school. But I admit I wouldn't have had as much of a problem had the 75% not been Indian, because I think other groups would have been much more inclusive even if they were the majority. Indians just want to have their neighborhood and school and social circle be India in America and I don't get it.

I'm Indian and I married an American. In fact, a lot of us do. We also have American friends, we speak English, we work and pay taxes. I cannot believe this is an actual concern.

I also refuse to believe that ANY school in this area would be 77% Indian. I'm thinking you might be from Edison, nj and if that's the case you are talking about a pocket of Indians that most of us can't stand. If you go to any other part of America, you will find assimilated Indians who are inclusive and are doing a great job at embracing both cultures.

Agree with both PPs. I'm Indian-Am -- born and raised here -- and I definitely think that most Indians who come over to the U.S. whether the generation that came in the 70s or the computer professional generation coming now really do not want to mix and mingle with Americans. Some will tell you that they came over here to make money and have no interest in anything "American" -- they have no interest in watching a baseball game or eating apple pie because in their own mind that takes away from watching cricket and eating gulab jamun; they will tell you they are smarter and better educated than Americans etc. As someone who was born and raised here but of Indian origin, I find it offensive because my view is that if it's so terrible then why not make your money for 5 years and go back -- what is keeping you here for a lifetime complaining about how bad it is. Personally I think these people are scared to death that if they/their kids assimilate, they will be "less" Indian -- so they go overboard to prove how America cannot and will not change them. I find it weird that you could move here and be SO obsessed with your roots that you have to shop at the Indian grocery stores for absolutely everything, including the same brand of cookies you used to eat in India; I don't think eating chocolate chip cookies like the rest of the population will make your kids "too American."

No matter how hard these parents try, their kids do assimilate so if you get those born-and-raised in Am. kids as your neighbors, you'll find the experience to be different' most of them went to high school and college here, probably like the same sports/music you do, may be dating the same kinds of people you do etc. I have Indian friends but more Am. friends; I gravitate more towards issues important/relevant in Am. and have no idea or interest about Indian news or politics, despite my parents 24-7 watching of Indian TV in their home. And while I'm an anomaly, I couldn't sit through a bollywood movie if you paid me. That doesn't mean that I don't like getting dressed up for an indian wedding once in a while or having good home cooked indian food every so often, but it doesn't define me the way it defines the first generation that chooses to believe that the only good thing about America is the U.S. dollar.