February 18th, 2009
One of the most common reasons I hear from theists who are beginning to question their faith is their discomfort with the notion of the absolute rightness of their beliefs. They know and like gay people, they may be liberal politically; something in their life doesn’t quite mesh with the absolute morality of their faith.
Religious beliefs allow, even encourage, people to accept unproven allegations as absolute facts. In most every other aspect of our lives we reserve our strongest beliefs for those things that have the most evidence. The more solid evidence we have to believe something, the more passionately we believe that thing. Except in the case of religion.
Religious belief introduces the concept of absolute without justification. It cannot philosophically justify an absolute state other than to contend that because they believe it, it has to be true. “Absolute” exists in the abstract to be sure, but theism cannot offer physical evidence of absolutes which would establish absolute as more than simply a philosophical hypothetical. “Absolute knowledge” is solely the province of faith.
- Evolving Beliefs (andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com)
- Of Modern Faith (andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com)
- Atheists should get a life and leave our slot alone (guardian.co.uk)
Uncategorized | 
11 Comments »
February 11th, 2009
Every time I encounter that sentiment, and that happens all too frequently, I cringe.
Theory as used by science means something quite different than our common, every day usage. It pains me when someone tries to denounce something without having bothered to learn something about the topic. I don’t ignorantly attempt to say that redeemed, which can mean “cashed in” or “exchanged for goods” means that when used in the Christian context. “I’ve been redeemed” would equate with “I’ve been exchanged for something of equal or greater value”. Is that reasonable? No, because it fails to consider context when using the language.
Most of those who have never tried to learn anything about evolution and the theory of evolution generally confuse the process of evolution with the theory of evolution.
Evolution is a process, observed and documented. The theory of evolution is our attempt to explain how evolution works. The theory is incomplete and ongoing. Does the theory of gravity mean that gravity is “just a theory”? Gravity is a fact of nature, like evolution. The theory of gravitation, like the theory of evolution, is limited and incomplete. But scientific theories are not philosophies, nor are physical processes theories or philosophies.
Education, Science | 9 Comments »
February 6th, 2009
There appears to be, in the minds of many theists, a determination to wed atheism and science, though
unnecessary and not supported.
An atheist is any non-believer in gods. There are atheists who think
crystals hold some sort of magical properties, those who see auras,
Mystics, Buddhists, all kinds of folks who only share in common a lack
of belief in gods. “All atheists worship science or have faith in
science” is as inaccurate as saying “all theists blindly follow their
leaders and know nothing of their own beliefs.”
Atheism does not espouse a set of morals, it does not determine what
else you do and don’t believe. It doesn’t endorse any political party
or manner of determining reality. An atheist can believe the scientific
explanation of the universe and reality or they can believe we were put
here by aliens, they might believe in ghosts and Earth spirits or they
may try to live by logic and reason. Atheists can be really smart and
abysmally stupid, and everywhere in between.
My humanistic attitudes are far more influential on my behavior and
belief system than my atheism. Atheism addresses a single disbelief
among hundreds I hold. It does give me the freedom of mind to
appreciate science while at the same time enjoying medieval polyphonic
motets, to learn from religion while not falling back under its spell,
to examine any claim and subject it to the standards I’ve adopted in my
life. It facilitates these things, but I do none of these things “in
the name” of atheism or even because of my atheism. I loved medieval
music as a Christian and I love it still.
Opinion, Science | 12 Comments »
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