That the text is the work of human hands does not make it less divinely inspired. I could show you a hundred inconsistencies in the fabric of anything, but it's still a fabric, a story, and as such should not be discounted. This is a little like saying that since the constitution only counts black men as 3/5ths of a person, the whole document should be discounted.
/MY/ religion does not teach that unquestioning faith is a virtue. I think what I resent most about Dawkins is his extrapolation from the part to the whole. It is a vast logical fallacy that to say because some Christians believe such, the whole faith is held hostage to their illogic.
The book discusses morality, and argues that morality doesn't have much to do with religion.
Personally, I don't think that people are evil or corrupt as a rule. The motivation to do selfish things is obvious, there are material benefits, so of course people do selfish things sometimes. There is often little material benefit to doing helpful things for other people, but I think people do them quite often. So I think we have an innate sense of empathy.
Children -are- Muslim, Catholic, and Protestant; religion (and religious bigotry) is absorbed very early into a child's conciousness- there have been several studies done on the sectarianism found in Northern Ireland manifesting as early as pre-school. Sectarianism is very closely linked here to the child's religion, and how that child thinks about that religion, and others who are not of the same faith or background.
I am too much of a chickenshit to be an atheist, completely. I'm enough of a softie and probably lacking in essential logic processes enough to believe in the possibility of the existences of the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus, though they may not be what I expect.
The answers: they may not be what I expect. That is why I'm an agnostic. That, and I'm scared of death, like most living creatures. And I've a big enough ego to fear that sort of obliteration.
But you know what? Faith is a good thing. Especially if it's faith in people. Especially when it's well-placed faith in people and not, say, in deus ex machinae. Though I've personally witnessed what I would consider a handful of such things, they're extremely rare... and only are considered such from a certain specific point of view: mine.
Comments 6
/MY/ religion does not teach that unquestioning faith is a virtue. I think what I resent most about Dawkins is his extrapolation from the part to the whole. It is a vast logical fallacy that to say because some Christians believe such, the whole faith is held hostage to their illogic.
Reply
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Personally, I don't think that people are evil or corrupt as a rule. The motivation to do selfish things is obvious, there are material benefits, so of course people do selfish things sometimes. There is often little material benefit to doing helpful things for other people, but I think people do them quite often. So I think we have an innate sense of empathy.
Reply
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/2063934.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/6755455.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6761765.stm
Reply
The answers: they may not be what I expect. That is why I'm an agnostic. That, and I'm scared of death, like most living creatures. And I've a big enough ego to fear that sort of obliteration.
But you know what? Faith is a good thing. Especially if it's faith in people. Especially when it's well-placed faith in people and not, say, in deus ex machinae. Though I've personally witnessed what I would consider a handful of such things, they're extremely rare... and only are considered such from a certain specific point of view: mine.
Reply
Leave a comment