Hi everyone,
 
I know BIG requested that posts which are solely about religion not be
sent, but it seems he has let a few borderlines through, and I thought he
might let this one through as well, since it poses another, completely
different viewpoint.
 
I am agnostic.  Yet for some reason I take NO offense to any religious
posts, no matter what the religion.  Why you ask?  Because to me, everyone
is entitled to their beliefs, and whatever helps them through something as
painful as the loss of a fuzzy friend is more than OK with me.  I write
about Rainbow Bridge, the story made me cry the first time I read it, and
I read the posts about it on the FML.  I read the good Reverend's posts as
well.  I love Sandee.  She is an endearing character, to say the least.
 
Reverend Sims, though I feel it might be misplaced, I thank you for your
prayers, for my soul and for those of others like me.  As an agnostic, I do
not deny the exsistence of a god.  I simply don't believe that as humans,
with the current evidence, we can tell what the truth really is.  Your
beliefs are important to you, and because I know you mean the very best by
your words, I thank you for having me (though not me personally, until now
perhaps,) in your good thoughts.
 
No matter what a person believes, it can't hurt you for others to pray for
you, for your fuzzies, etc.  Let them, they believe it will help.  They may
or may not be wrong, but for whatever reason they are sending good feelings
your way, and they have you in their hearts.  I can see nothing wrong with
that.
 
Each of us has our own beliefs.  Many of us have similar ones.  Our beliefs
help shape the person we are, and should be reflected in how we think, what
we write, and how we relate to others.  That is important no matter what
your religion.  And it is equally important to respect others' beliefs, and
the reflections thereof in their posts.  It is not, and should not be taken
so, a personal insult to all atheists that Sandee greet their ferret at
Rainbow Bridge.  It is rather, simply one person's (or ferret's) way of
expressing their shared pain at the loss of a friend.
 
With a few notable exceptions, I think it safe to say that every person on
this list is interested in supporting and helping every other person on
this list.  We are a community, a vast, world-wide community, with so many
individuals, and so many differing viewpoints, that it would be impossible
for all of us to agree all the time.  But we have one thing in common, and
that is the best interests of our ferrets, all ferrets, in mind.  If one
person on this list thinks that a comment they make would help another,
even if it is spiritual in nature, it is a testament to the kind of
good-hearted people we have in our community, and should be cherished,
not bickered over and picked apart.
 
I don't know what BIG's personal beliefs are, but as with all other matters
of opinion, he remains the moderator, and a darn fine one at that.  If he
deems it appropriate to let certain spiritual posts through, I think we
should all remember what position he is in, and what a good job he does,
and that he does what he does for the good of this list.
 
Melissa Barnes
www.geocities.com/lostferrets
[Posted in FML issue 3241]