"Now? I'm getting it?"
Yesterday, I thought you were, too.
"You are simply living on borrowed capital Solon"
Whatever this means to you, it certainly informs nothing we are discussing.
""Rational people" if they follow your monistic principles rationally, would be social Darwinists like Hitler and Stalin."
That is a bizarre statement.
Firstly, let me disabuse you. I have no opinion on monism. When I refer to a greater whole I am referring to a conceptual grasp of totality in relationship. Although you are unaware of it, it is YOUR concept of God which is synonymous with monism. If God was ALL then everything that IS sprang from His Essence. If you go OUTSIDE of ALL for either matter or spirit, then you most assuredly are NOT ALL. Thus the one substance of the universe is God.
Secondly, although Social Darwinism still has adherents, it is certainly not synonymous with rationality--nor does it advocate cruelty or lack of compassion. Stalin's opinion that might is right is certainly not a prevalent one, no more than the Church murdering millions over the centuries has the support of civilized, rational, and humane people.
Although your remark was a red herring, nevertheless I will remind you that the Church did not disown or excommunicate the Catholic HItler--as they would have done a Catholic who had renounced the practice of the faith.
"Unless you can justify compassion through reason, you have a self refuting and obviously false world view".
Emotions are qualified by interpretation and belief. It is natural to feel far greater compassion and grief when your sister has cancer than when somebody you have no relationship with (say in Shanghai) comes down with a disease. Beyond instinctive impulses of flight, fright, and so forth...most emotional stances stem from culture, experience, and trained belief. For instance, a follower of Islam may look at the death of a loved one with composure and peace--as being the Will of Allah: likewise, the Christian.
"Atheistic Monism, rather than elevate creation to the level of Humanity, destroys the uniqueness on Humans and bring us down to the lowest common denominator"
That is ridiculous. Monism is a philosophical belief. It is morally neutral. And although atheism may preclude believing in particular dogmas by virtue of blind faith, still it is morally neutral as well. Neither belief has anything whatsoever to do with rather or not people are unique.
You have already admitted (indeed, insisted) that people choose values based on belief. You've mentioned Stalin, and in past times you have mentioned yourself. Now maybe you hold your beliefs because you would rather follow others than reason out what they tell you. But please do not pretend that the rest of us cannot determine what is good for ourselves, our loved ones, our community, and our home, the earth (to which we are attached by interdepedence, need, and many emotions) without we annihilate the demon, REASON. You sound like Martin Luther, and believe me...that is nothing to be proud of. |
