Respond to other quotes. We also invite you to visit our Take Part section where you'll find additional opportunties to offer feedback and engage in dialogue with other viewers.

Poster: Mary Soufi
Caption: Why to suppose that living in a world of believers means that we would all be in agreement?

Poster: SHERWIN S. LEHRER
Caption: Mary Gordon sounds like she needs to do some more thinking about suicide bombers and Osama when she said that she understands what they are doing. She may think that they are disgusted with certain excesses around them (as she seems to be), but aside from her being quite naive about their opinions, does she agree with their methods and goals?

Poster: B.Harry Dyck
Caption: If we allow that God is bigger or more or beyond our presumed 'theological omniscience', then all humankind believing still allows for difference without 'belief' becoming a mushy comfort zone. Ms Gordon's statement seems very provincial and only minimally perceptive in encompassing the subject she would endeavor to expound upon.

Poster: A Roger Boriel
Caption: Marys Comment Resonated Deeply within Me. As A Spiritual Catholic Man, Dating A Jewish Woman for the First Time. We Have Had Many Religious and Spiritual Discussions, Where disagreement has been Ripe. On Many Occassions I have often felt that this relationship was not for me. However as I Listened, allowed Compromise and another Viewpoint in. I realized that Change is Healthy, it Complements Growth.

Poster: MANDY GOMES
Caption: I so believe in what ms. Gordon says that listening to her tonight brought me to think that in looking into our souls we will all as humans realize that there has to be a higher being which is god, to look up too and pray, cause if not we are lost in this so called world of me me me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Poster: Cynthia Steel Burke
Caption: I believe you are describing Heaven--and for that my soul sorely longs, because the Bible says that IT will be so much more richly textured and enticing than words can describe from this realm.

Poster: lana deym campbell
Caption: Belief, true belief, is based on inner certainty, knowing. Knowing goes beyond the question if there's a thousand angels dancing on a pin. While no, I would not like to live with indoctrinated or dogmatic company, I would appreciate and enjoy being with those attuned so finely, so deeply, so caringly with life itself, that in the search for truth, would recognize it, in whicheve form it came, a melody, a poem, the organic form of a tree, the design inherent in our interdependence with multiple ecosystems on multiple levels, the attraction of a newborn of whatever life form, the dominance of cycles and natural laws, our general recognition of harmony even if we cannot define it. True belief comes from insight, inspiration, yes knowledge, and while it may be shaped, expressed and dressed within the limited context of culture and therefore may have on the surface different costumes, when examined naked, it will stand. For knowledge transcends period and fashion, it carries reality on feet made out of cosmic dust and strings.

Poster: Susan Anderson
Caption: Eric Butterworth has an interesting saying about man's comfortzone--why we continue to do the same thing over and over again. Butterworth feels the reason we can't perceive spirituality is due to remaining in that comfortzone. I would personally not like it if everyone was the same--I need to be challenged. Susan Anderson

Poster: Mark Svensson
Caption: Mary Gordan speaks of her desire for a world where people do not always agree with each other on how life should be lived. Yet she has stated that she struggles to not force Hummers off the road and execute their drivers. So much for an acceptance of other people and how they live their lives. I realize that to her the Hummer is merely a metaphor for rampant consumerism but if consumerism has become another form of faith shouldn't it be accepted along with other beliefs? Further to her abhorrence of consumerism, does Ms. Gordan own a home and perhaps a second country property? Most people do not. Sometimes the faith of consumerism does not represent itself with 4 oversized wheels and a ton of chrome. I'm afraid that Ms. Gordan arguements are not only intellectually lazy but also intellectually dishonest.

Poster: Julie Stewart Stringer
Caption: I was delighted for the opportunity to meet Mary Gordon via your program! I identified completely with her childhood and current faith experience. As a fellow writer, I was inspired and encouraged by her thoughts. I found her to have a 'beautiful Catholic soul and intellect'. God bless you, Bill Moyers, for all you have done & are doing for our world in your lifetime! To me, it wasn't coincidence that led me to your program today, it was fate. I hope to find a way to correspond with, and/or learn more about Ms. Gordon. Thank you again!!

Poster: andrea
Caption: This quote from Ms. Gordon makes no sense for someone who is a true Christians and especially a Catholic. She must, as the lable says, be sure that those who don't believe as she does, as being totally wrong. And as Mr. Svensson as already stated, she's is this militant, but only stops from killing people that don't agree with her because she would be sent to hell for murder. She is really a scary person and simply seems to be yet another salad-bar Christian, picking and choosing what she wants to believe.

Poster: Tim McIntyre
Caption: A world of believers, though not in the same thing, can still generate discussion and contrast of thought for contemplation. Believers with the same uniform of thought and conformity would sadly miss the mark of being human. Faith and Reason does not need to follow the same path. Reason is more logical, faith is more conviction of purpose toward a greater concept. Believers would follow the second, but not necessarily together.

Poster: Ted Copple
Caption: Prayer is the need we feel to give God incarnation in the world. Unfortunately people who kill or die for God have missed the most basic religious tenet, that creation is absolutely precious. No sacrilidge, no dogma, no tenet supercedes this. I believe God is appalled at the puposeful destruction of any life, and most especially in his name. Surely life is the point, not the means to some greater end. It would be good if religious people stopped seeing life as some inferior experience before the real reward in heaven. The kingdom of heaven is within you, somebody once said. If we kill or die for some religious idea we desecrate that kingdom absolutely. There is a book by J Cayne called a Profane Gospel about a woman who is a moral genius, and has given her body to thousands of lovers so they can feel the sacred beauty of the human body and the heart. That's my kind of sacrament. That's my kind of reality. That's the kind of person who is a real incarnation of the divine. It made a profound impression on me.

Poster: Marcus Stephanus
Caption: Mary Gordon's remark at the beginning might be interpreted by some, for example Pope Benedict XVI, as a form of deplorable relativism. In fact it need not mean that at all. If I understand her correctly, she is resisting the kind of insistence on uniformity and conformity that is based on the false religiosity of those who believe that all questions that can be asked have been answered, and to reject those answers is a sign of sinfulness. In fact there are all kinds of questions that the various religious traditions cannot answer definitively. And to be honest to that reality, we need a world in which different people saying radically different things can be heard, and are given the chance to influence and encourage us all.

Poster: Susan Anderson
Caption: I thoroughly agree--we are becoming a secular society in which most need to be comfortable with no disagreements or differences--we are not open to people whom are different in terms of their ethnicity or religion.

Poster: Ian Thomas
Caption: What is the problem with agreement if the conclusion truly benefits everyone? I posit that questioning, not disagreement, is the force that allows for positive change. Then of course, action must result.

Poster: Josette
Caption: I took the statement to define believers as one who believes in god. However, I feel the heart of her statement is her aversion to a world where everyone agreed with one another. Therefore, I, ironically, agree with Ms. Gordon. I think Colin McGinn also touched on this topic particularly when he spoke of freedom of speech. Disagreement is valuable. It starts a discussion which moves us forward, keeps us progressing. How can we as a society really know something if we do not dissect it? And in doing so this may lead one to a further or different conclusion. If we are all agreeing, you may wonder if we are even thinking at all.

Poster: doug weaver
Caption: If it's contradictions and nonsequiturs you're looking for in ontological debate, you'll find them covering all the rooftops. But I took Ms. Gordon's statement to be in the spirit of the real world where faith is often relied upon as a tool with which to narrow the debate and stifle dissent.

Poster: mccardey
Caption: I did enjoy the Mary Gordon interview. The only problem I have is that she seems to infer that bin Laden is, or should be understood as, a martyr. If he was a martyr of course, he'd be dead. What he is, is a manipulator.

Poster: Matt L.
Caption: The post by Ian Thomas (above) is an excellent example of understanding the benefit of discord. I, however, contend that the particular benefits of disagreement are unique to those of simple questioning. While questioning provokes thought it does not motivate action the way heated debate does. Challenges fire people up—galvanizing them. Moreover, when there is active, fluid and open dialogue regarding poorly understood issues it is competition that drives the discovery of truth. Indeed, without competition in the market products would be poor. Without it in nature organisms would be weak. And without it in science the truth would never be discovered. Also, I think too often an audience reads statement as if could stand alone. True, quotes can be prophetic and profound. But I feel we as active participants in society, academia and business must learn to acknowledge that one sentence is not ever going to be as cogent as two. This is of course why people write essays and books; to defend their hypothesis. Lastly, while all humans have the propensity for being dogmatic I contend that holding an immutable belief is inferior to holding those that are flexible. Clearly, humans have been wrong about a few things throughout history. Perhaps this is the reason why so many find “faith” destructive. After all, science is not a religion for many reasons including the fact that in science you falsify ideas instead of setting out to prove them.

Poster: Gail Dawson
Caption: Ms. Gordon, I found your statement comparing Donald Trump and a suicide bomber, extremely disturbing. I am getting the impression that you think that the suicide bomber is a type of martyr , much as you say that you wish you could be, but a suicide bomber may look and act like a real martyr, they are the opposite. First of all, suicide bombers are killing themselves for selfish reasons--they will go immediately to heaven and have 7 virgins, etc.. This in itself is puerile and infantile. If suicide bombers took only themselves, that would be something a little different, but their motives are vindictive. They insist on taking innocent victims with them in order to hurt their enemies as much as possible. They are not really religious, because their ideas come not from themselves, rather they are members of a cult in which they are brainwashed by others. A person who has no integrity can have no power to do any good by sacrificing himself. I think a proper use of self-sacrifice as self fulfillment would be, for example, if during Nazi occupation , a German soldier was ordered to kill an innocent Jew and, who, knowing that to be morally reprehensible refused and allowed himself to be killed instead. I agree with you that Donald Trump is not someone to be admired. He has a neurotic need for power, but his neurosis is harmless compared to the suicide bomber who is not even human.

Poster: L Radical
Caption: I agree. Though an atheist I am comfortable discussing faith and my lack of it with both those who agree and those who do not. I do find that those on either side of this discussion who believe that they and only they are right and all those who disagree with them are either fools or evil, can bring little to the discussion. How else can one learn other than by intelligent discussion and the ability to take a second look at their beliefs or lack of them. Also If a person is so adament that what they were taught was correct and above question, can they really be sure or are they really afraid to look at their faith for fear it may not stand up? I strongly feel that we should all constantly question our beliefs to preserve them.

Poster: Lucy
Caption: But, wouldn't that be so peaceful? And, wouldn't that be worth it?

Poster: Patricia Ranney
Caption: My spiritual journey has taken me to a chosen faith, Unitarian Universalism, which allows for tolerance of other's faith. We would have a more peaceful world if tolerance was the order of the day. Radical fundamentalism of any kind keeps our human history in turmoil and violence. It's not my understanding of what God expects from it's creations. At this point in history, mankind is disappointing God and perhaps making it/him regret giving free will.

Poster: Jeanie
Caption: Sounds like heaven to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Poster: Ray Reeves
Caption: If a belief is the same as religion then virtually all conflicts and wars since the begining of time can be blamed on religion. I do think if there was only one religion in the world there would be much less conflict but you would still have to deal with those who did not believe in that one religion. The easiest way for everyone to better understand each other would be through a common language. We know that is never going to happen. Since there is never going to be one religion nor a common language then we each just have to deal with life in what each person believes.

Poster: WM OBRIEN
Caption: God to me is nature. I do not find God in a church, or other place of religious dogma. I believe that I am a Deist,such as Jefferson , Washington, or Ben. Franklin. Many of the great people who contributed to the greatness of this country were not Theists but free thinkers when it came to religion. The Masonic tradition was very strong. I believe religious extremists are a threat to the world.

Poster: L.C. Smith Jr.
Caption: Mary: only believers can live in a world of only believers and that world is called heaven and that comfort zone you refer to only means negative thoughts does not exist.

Poster: E.K.
Caption: Obviously, as lack of the proper mix of nutrition bears the potential to arrest normal growth of the physical body, so would shortage of variety of points view to the metaphysical aspect of life. The problem so far has been, however, how reason and faith can be made partners rather than underminers of each other, more often than not. I think religion might be made less destructive if more than believing in something, we also possess sufficient but undogmatic understanding of the subject matter of our faith to generate suitable lifestyles that we would like to experience. This, however, has not happened, perhaps, due primarily to religious institutions’ vested interest in keeping the populace unapprised.

Poster: Robert Parker
Caption: It seamed that the Interviws were one side, the women are all towards the left not one conservative female in Moyers interviews in this. There for there is only one way to think according to Moryers?

Poster: Claire Vreeland
Caption: Of the interviews I have seen on Faith and Reason, I enjoyed Mary Gordon the most. As a Baha'i what attracted me to the Faith was that it allows for, indeed reequires, the private investigation of truth, encourages questions and teaches that all religions are one. God is one. Mary Gordon seems to recognize the reality of man as being of the spirit. Hence her remark about Donald Trump. I felt that I understood her totally. As a reader and a writer, I had somehow confused Mary Gordon with Mary McCarthy whose books I did not enjoy. Now I look forward to reading Mary Gordon's books.

Poster: Robert Parker
Caption: You cant Reason Faith!

Poster: Bob Nunz
Caption: Faith is a risk and a lifelong struggle and journey - hence, I agree with Ms. Gordon and disagree with those who think they've got it all down. Her ana;logies were provocative, but her targets, consumerism and fundametalism, were right on the money!

Poster: Ginny
Caption: Perhaps Mary Gordon is referring to the insular fold of Irish Catholicism, pre-ecumenism?—maybe in a large urban neighborhood where one could get the sense that everyone ‘agrees’? For me, a white-bread country upbringing in the same era was rife with differences, class- and belief-wise. Many yearned to break out of stifling cultural pockets, & found regional high school an oasis of open talk. Lots of lively discussion among Bible-thumpers (not allowed to dance), ‘regular Protestant’, those Catholics and the Greek Orthodox. We were a leftwing college town in ‘John-Bircher territory’, and disagreement was rowdy. I find my existence today, in a NJ suburb made rich by pharmaceuticals, far more dangerous and quietly ‘in agreement’. Everyone ‘believes’ in a secular, Orwellian ‘normalcy’, with aberrations hidden behind neat housefronts and medicated into oblivion.

Poster: Allen Taylor
Caption: I would not wish to be in a world where we were all alike, though I would rather say that it continues to be relevant and necessary to question and to search for the mysteries that abound for the believer. As the Holy Spirit leads and teaches us about God's miracles and will so are we, in faith, enriched and humbled!

Poster: David Street
Caption: I do like your above quote about not being in agreement and why people compromise by taking a safe space stance. I, however, have to say people are afraid to express truth because they would be seen as anti-something and they do not want this stigma attachment. To illustrate this point lets look at the present situation in the Middle East between Israel and Lebanon. Let’s begin by asking the question: is the present devastation and lay wasting of Lebanon worth the lives of so many innocent children on account of two abducted Israeli soldiers? If this is so merited, what about the 2500 soldiers USA has lost? Should the USA be also lay wasting Iraq for so many? And what about the Americans soldiers who are presently being charged with heinous crimes for murdering Iraqi families when they reacted to seeing their comrades blown apart by Iraqi's IEDs? Israel has a right to defend it's self against terror and being attacked by Hezbollah. Israel is also very militarily equipped and superior; this makes their response exceed justification. But the silence of America and Britain, and the existing political climate create for them a safe space here. This validates your point.

Poster: Elmer Eisner
Caption: My faith, no matter what its origin, is that the highest priority is to ensure the long term survival of human civilization. Science assures us that the Sun will explode and swallow our earth in a few billion years, so my faith is not based on science. I would welcome discussions of how this fits in with others views of faith. Since there is no mention of GOD, is it consistent with current religious views on faith?

Poster: Robert Gordon
Caption: Believers have their disagreements. Just look at all the different sects of Christianity. Our experiences, cultures, and traditions are just the beginning of our differences. The depth of one's faith and relationship with God is evident in one's response to differences. Tolerance rises from a deeper faith. If we were all contemplatives then I believe we would live in a peaceable kingdom as far as it is possible in this created world.

Poster: Andy
Caption: I really enjoyed your show, and thoughts...i love learning about religion, and continue to fall in and out of love with God if there is one. Thanks for your enlightment on the subject.

Poster: K.R.Raman
Caption: I suppose this refers to 'belief in God'. Now, either God exists or He does not. That is a statement of fact - not a matter of opinion for someone to agree or disagree with, without being wrong. That one does not know this fact is of course, a different matter. That most of us do not know how to discover this fact is yet another matter. Now, talking about 'falling into comfort zones' .. what would we say about someone who avoids the comfort zone of 'everyone agreeing with the fact that the earth revolves around the sun' !! A fact does not cease to be one merely because someone chooses not to believe in it.

Poster: frank simari
Caption: if there is one godhead, it should be that way; that is, all should believe it. as it is a matter of blind, taught faith, you are on safe grounds with your premise. if we were not taught any faith, how would we all think the same way. as we are taught by different teachers, the very uniqueness of that foundation again puts your premise on safe grounds.

Poster: Tommy Martin
Caption: Dear Mary; We have never lived in a time when we all agreed with each other according to what I know about the Bible and history, why do you think we have so much crime and war after war? The reason for such conflict is the fact that the greater percent of the human population do not really believe in God to the saving of the soul, (Heb.10:39). If those who disbelieve that their soul actually died when Eve purtook of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and they inherited this death, then they too would believe that Christ can put life back into their dead soul. The disagreements between people are deeper than the fleshly mind, it is spiritual. The body of flesh wars against the spirit and the spirit wars against the flesh, and those who know this to be a fact are those who have experienced the new birth. The Holy Spirit always brings guilt to the heart of the lost through true saints that are filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the purpose for being full of the Holy Spirit, otherwise the lost would not know they are lost. Jesus made these truths very evident in the book of St.John. Those who live in the flesh only cannot receive these truths. The flesh will never agree with the Spirit of God, it must surrender to his control as a servant, only then can it find true peace and contentment.

Poster: Lisa
Caption: I am a devoted and practicing Catholic. I am surrounded by believers - we worship together in a comfort zone of faith but when it comes to reason, even though we are all believers, we agree to disagree. I very much enjoyed Ms. Gordon's interview and look forward to the rest of the series. Thank you.

Poster: Rand M. Ellison
Caption: Mary Gordon's religious zeal to the point of sympathizing with Osama Bin Laden is insane. Her veiled arrogance, intolerance and Holy War mentality is self-indulgent drivel. Kill Donald Trump and people who drive Hummers? Even in jest her self righteousness and oppressive world view is alarming.

Poster: Benny Gutierrez
Caption: Whay do you believers believe in? What I think is that you all are christians,there is a difference between a believer and a christian.A christian is one that is moved around by the passions of a denomination,a believer is moved around by the revelation knowledge giving to him by the holy spirit no denominations involved.

Poster: Terry Johnson
Caption: I believe different beliefs are natural, even intrinsic, in the human condition. If everyone shared an identical belief, it would soon slip from our conscious thought, and then would disappear. I don't believe mankind thought the world was flat, until the glimmer of an alternate view appeared.

Poster: Tomas de la Milera
Caption: If we all practiced Love, Compassion, Equanimity and Joy, what need would there be of belief. If we put these practices before even are religious preference, we would not have to search for the divine, the divine would surely find us. How could you not swim in the heart of God with theses practices? Are not theses practices the nucleus of every major faith?

Poster: Edward Z. Rosenthal
Caption: Miss Gordon THINKS she understands suicide bombers. How could she, or anyone? Its a total denial of the most primal natural instinct, and then the performer isn't even around to asses the impact of his or her bizarre act. As an artist, she must have considered that all of her public acts are really just done for her own benefit, to be considered and reflected upon again and again. Having children is material proof of this instinct. Books are her children. Tombstones are not very good critics.

Poster: John Sudic
Caption: Not having Faith is a matter of being blid.Being in the spirit means having the blids off not on.