Watching the election coverage unfold over the last few weeks has lead to some interesting thought processes on my part. One of the more interesting ones is that Trevor, the atheist, has a far easier time accepting and understanding theistic views than Trevor, the Kerry supporter, has of understanding and accepting the thought process employed by Bush supporters. It's counter-intuitive but it's true.

As an atheist my world view is relatively narrow. To me there's basically just the physical universe we are currently experiencing and that's it. By contrast, many have a much broader world view which includes a god or gods, eternal life and more.

You would think that this would make for a high level of incompatibility but it really doesn't. The vast differences between views don't even occur to me most of the time. And generally speaking I think that is true of most atheists (certainly not all though, I've known some without a rather negative view of anyone who didn't accept the atheistic view).

Bush supporters (and right wing types) in general, on the other hand, are much harder to conceive of. It's much harder for me to understand how people could think Bush is a good leader and that he's made all the right choices these last 4 years.

I think the reason it's so much harder to accept the right wing view is that it conflicts directly with my own view. I can look at an action or event and see it as having one meaning, whereas a right wing believer could see it having a different and contradictory meaning.

By contrast, my view of the world on religion usually fits inside of a theist's view of the world. We both believe most of the same things about the physical world and when you get outside of that realm I have no beliefs to conflict with.

I'm not sure if I'm explaining this very well but Daily Show is on so I've got other things to do. :P

Quote of the YesterDay: non-existent thanks to my being tired (Fun Fact: I couldn't sleep last night and ended up staying up another 3 hours or so after that post)

Quote of the Day: "Stop him! He's supposed to die!"
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