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To: E who wrote (811)	3/2/2002 8:24:14 PM
From: Poet	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 21057

A question for you. It is also in our natures, yours and mine, to harbor and cling to those delusions we find comforting or useful. Is it possible to rewrite this sentence substituting the word 'delusion' for 'belief'? Because if it were, you and I would not disagree. Aside from Fundamentalist Christians, I think that many Jews and Christians would say (as I do) that faith exists outside of reason and that it does indeed give great comfort. There are certainly other ways to get comfort and my implication is NOT that those who don't have a religious faith don't have access to it, only that faith is one of those doors.

To: E who wrote (811)	3/2/2002 8:27:42 PM
From: J. C. Dithers	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21057

It is also in our natures, yours and mine, to harbor and cling to those delusions we find comforting or useful. If we are only dead we will never know they were delusions. That's the best part about clinging to them.

To: E who wrote (811)	3/2/2002 8:53:43 PM
From: jcky	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21057

< It is also in our natures, yours and mine, to harbor and cling to those delusions we find comforting or useful. > Is your concept of "delusion" anymore anthropic than Dither's all-knowing, all-loving, teleologic God? How does delusion apply to amoebas, plants, or ants? Are you implying self-consciousness or intelligence is a necessary ingredient in hypothesizing either God's existence or nature? While I don't agree with Dither's argument, I cannot say, with certainty, that what he says is untrue? How can you be so sure? Are your beliefs based upon smoke and mirrors too?