I think you are being overly sensitive, Greg. Think about how the pickerel feels.
You have correctly (good for you) touched on a problem that philosophers have tried to get around from time immemorial: Regardless of the philosophical systems put together, they must all, ultimately, assume the truth of a first principle. So far, nobody has found a way around this. Having assumed a first principle, however, it has been found that the philosophy of logic has enabled humankind to understand the universe in which we live. We have found pragmatic benefit from accepting reason as a guide to staying alive, and as a guiding principle to the quality of that life. It has worked as the engine of wonderful achievements in every field of human endeavor. By contrast, superstition and irrationality have always been capricious destroyers that have justified everything from human sacrifices, to punishment of innocents, to Nazi death camps.
If you wish to believe in a miraculous world that does not require reason, please do so. Just be aware that it will not secure your food supply, it will not cure your family of sickness and disease, it will not give you clothes to wear, or toys to play with, or cars to drive. It will not free you from the dangers of earth, and it will not lead you humbly into the stars. Nor will it provide a moral code for your protection in society, other than one that is ephemeral, and dependent upon the mercurial winds of subjectivity and might. The history of religion demonstrates this in the most poignant way.
You have a right to believe in your God, Greg, and I think that most people on this thread have confirmed their understanding of that. So--does it bother you that other people have different opinions? Does it bother you that Muslims exist, that Hindus exist, that Sikhs exist, that Buddhists exist, that agnostics exist, that humanists exist?? If you consent to their right to exist, then will you not also consent to their right to think, and to believe as their autonomy dictates??
We on this thread are not against Christians. We are against extremism and fanaticism--where it intrudes on the right to life, that all individuals enjoy, and where it is a threat to the peaceful advancement of humankind. I can say much good about individuals from any social collective. Truthfully, I have tremendous admiration for much that has been done by Jews, Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, etc. If you will check the Nobel Laureates, you will recognize, also,how humanists, atheists, agnostics, and others have improved the quality of your life, and have protected your freedom to think.
You happen to be on a thread that the introduction clearly shows is not a love-in for people of extreme religious views. Nevertheless, you have been welcomed to your say here: Welcomed by people that know they can always learn from anyone because, we do not have the truth, we merely seek it. You should not be surprised, though, on a thread that asks the question: "Should God be replaced", to find that your ideas are often anathema to the thread consensus. Now go fry that fish... |
