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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jacques Chitte who wrote (40402)	6/13/1999 6:46:00 PM
From: The Philosopher	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 108807

You did fine up to the next to the last sentence. As to proof of Civil War and Julius Caesar, you still have no proof other than anecdote that those Minie bullets were actually used in a war and not used to kill deer for food; and the maps are still only somebody else's written record. What I was objecting to was your original statement "I believe in what i see demonstrated, and while realising well that my vision and understanding is severely limited, i figure that belief [or worse, faith] in anything specific beyond that is absurd." I was pointing out that the Civil War can't be demonstrated. Maps, bullets, uniforms, etc. can, but the war itself can't; you must rely on other peoples interpretations of these demonstrable things. (Without being told by somebody what a Minie bullet was and how it was connected to the war you would have no idea -- if a Bushman were transported to the United States and shown a Minie Bullet, or even shown ALL the evidence of the Civil War without being told anything or able to read any writings of any persons not now alive, he would have no idea that there ever was such a thing as the Civil War.) These things cannot be "demonstrated" to you. What I think you are really saying is that the "proof" of them is in your mind more convincing than the proof of the existence of God. I accept that with no problem. But I will object if you say that "proofs" of God that rely on non-demonstrable evidence and anecdote are de facto invalid while accepting and believing in other things which rely on non-demonstrable evidence and anecdote. As to your next to the last sentence, I don't know how many "Christians" would recognize my faith, but certainly I believe in a personally engaged deity. After all, I have engaged with him/her/it/them.