Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Should God be replaced? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: cosmicforce who wrote (847)	9/14/2000 10:07:32 PM
From: epicure	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 28931

Wow- great post. We are twins. Or almost twins. My only difference is with this "My first principle is a belief that the world is knowable through reason"- and my difference over that is a small one. In my cosmology the world is, for the most part (but not completely) as knowable as we need it to be through reason. Because we are limited by our bodies, and senses and the dimension in which we live, I think our reason may also be too limited. But reason is, imo, far better than belief. I say this based on the evidence of human history. Blaise was right, imo. IT isn't just religion that makes men do wrong cheerfully- they will do it for communism, or nationalism, they will do it cheerfully when all their fellow men do wrong with them in the service of belief, any belief. So belief, imo, is to be distrusted, and considered dangerous. There really ought to be warning labels attached to belief systems- "use of this thought pattern may be hazardous to your humanity, wisdom and critical thinking".

To: cosmicforce who wrote (847)	9/14/2000 10:25:35 PM
From: Solon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 28931

Great posts Cosmic. Do you mind if I include the text of the recantation here. How alone and betrayed he must have felt of mankind: (A quick edit to bold a sentence. His mind (his life) was not his own. He was FORCED to believe what those bastards decided he should believe) I, Galileo, son of the late Vincenzo Galilei of Florence, being 70 years old [...], swear that I have always believed, believe now and, with God's help, will in the future believe all that the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church doth hold, preach and teach. But since, after having been admonished by this Holy Office entirely to abandon the false opinion that the sun is the centre of the Universe and immovable, and that the Earth is not the centre of the same and that it moves, and that I was neither to hold, defend, nor teach in any manner whatsoever, either orally or in writing, the said false doctrine; and after having received a notification that the said doctrine is contrary to Holy Writ, I wrote and published a book in which I treat this condemned doctrine and bring forward very persuasive arguments in its favour without answering them: I have been judged vehemently suspected of heresy, that is of having held and believed that the Sun is at the centre of the Universe and immovable, and that the Earth is not at the centre and that it moves. Therefore, wishing to remove from the minds of your Eminences and all faithful Christians this vehement suspicion reasonably conceived against me, I abjure with a sincere heart and unfeigned faith these errors and heresies, and I curse and detest them as well as any other error, heresy or sect contrary to the Holy Catholic Church. And I swear that for the future I shall neither say nor assert orally or in writing such things as may bring upon me similar suspicions; and if I know any heretic, or one suspected of heresy, I will denounce him to this Holy Office, or to the Inquisitor or Ordinary of the place in which I may be.