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process. Fear paralyzes us, it clouds our judgment and makes us BAD people. To be afraid is quite possibly the worst state of mind you can be in. So many people believe everything they are told about all the nastiness that is going to get if them IF THEY DON'T vote for war/believe in the right god/remove certain people from their neighborhood/buy a super-duper alarm system and lock themselves in for the rest of their lives. And as a result, these people do vote for war (killing millions), they do believe in the 'right' god (and hate those that don't - pathetic heathens), they do persecute innocent people based on genetic or cultural characteristics (who can't do the country justice anyway) and they do buy a house made of three foot thick lead and then lock themselves in it (well, it's the best place for them). Is this really how we should be living our lives?

I am a person of faith. By that I don't mean that I am religious. I mean that I HAVE FAITH, something which I find rather lacking in religion these days. I trust people. I trust the world. If I'm going to be afraid of something, I make sure I have a damn good reason for it, and I make sure that I know for a fact that I should be afraid. When I see a slow moving car next to me, I don't think I'm about to be abducted or a victim of a drive-by, I think that someone is lost and may need directions. Perhaps they are looking for the right street to commit a drive-by. Who knows? Not me, but I'm not going to jump to any fear ridden conclusions without having the facts. I live my life in an extremely pleasing manner, I try my best to help people whenever I can, I investigate world issues so that I can make informed decisions with regards to politics and I generally try to have as much fun as is physically possible. Is that not a much better way to be alive than to be constantly afraid and constantly hating?

Perhaps I am too relaxed in my attitudes. Perhaps a slow moving car is going to creep up next to me tomorrow and I'll be taken away to spend the rest of my short life experiencing all forms of unspeakables. All I can really say is if that did happen, I would know that I had spent the best part of my life doing what life is for - living.

Learn more about this author, Angus Macdonald.
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