"I picked up the topic only with the idea that evidence can be presented."
I thank you for your staid response. I had expected some hysteria to go with the territory. Your "Desiderata" (go quietly amid the noise and haste) response is welcomed.
I guess you can appreciate that I will sincerely respond now that if there were any "evidence" I should have heard of it...
"On the other hand this claim has been verified by men believed to be of the highest character, over and over again. In any case that is considered evidence even if it is not strong enough to convince some judges."
This claim (or shall we more accurately say, myriad religious claims) have NOT been verified by anyone. They are just claims. The fact that intelligent people (of "good character") believed (before Galileo) that the sun traveled around the earth, does NOT "verify" that misconception.
It is 2010. Humanity has had time to collate the thousands of contradictory religious dogmas. We have been able to source the primitive origins of myth and culture. We no longer "believe" in slavery. We do not drive pigs over the cliff to get rid of "demons". We don't put "sins" on a goat and drive the goat into the desert as a scape goat. We don't dab blood on our ears and toes to "cure" the demonic leprosy. We have pills for those demons. We don't make our wives drink filthy offal off the sacrificial slaughter floor to see if they get ill in order for us to "know" their constancy or infidelity.
We have come a long way and we don't want to lose that progress.
"I've presented my evidence and you are free as the judge in this matter to throw the case out of your court for reasons you've already mentioned. I rest my case"
You have had a fair hearing (at least in my books). It appears that you are sensitive to a universal yearning for something greater than yourself. This court holds (as did Einstein and Ingersoll) that our world IS an awesome place. In that respect and in that respect ONLY, this court acquits your hubris. If you hold to a PARTICULAR religious dogma culled and collated from the past, you are reminded that the practice of your "faith" must be conducted within and with regard to the rational laws of our community which are strictly SECULAR and which prevail over and throughout the various religious dogmas practiced in our community. This court does not entertain religious arguments for conduct and we do not consider such as evidentiary. The "testimonies" of Moses, Adam, Allah, and Manitou are considered as hearsay and that is our BEST interpretation of such myth and stuff and nonsense. This court recognizes that "religion" has been used in all cultures to control behavior within the community as well as to further the designs of the particular tribe, group, or country. HOWEVER, this court will not entertain arguments that the nez perce, the Navajo, the Jew, or the Muslim is less or more "the people" or "special" than any other.
There are countries and there are closed rooms where you may practice those ideas of exclusivity. Please go to them. This court is adjourned. |
