Curtis: Then how about *this* quote (TN):
" I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers. It isn't just that I don't believe in God and, naturally, hope that I'm right in my belief. It's that I hope there is no God! I don't want there to be a God; I don't want the universe to be like that. My guess is that this cosmic authority problem is not a rare condition and it is responsible for much of the scientism and reductionism of our time. One of the tendencies it supports is the ludicrous overuse of evolutionary biology to explain everything about life, including everything about the human mind. Darwin enabled modern secular culture to heave a great collective sigh of relief, by apparently providing a way to eliminate purpose, meaning and design as fundamental features of the world." --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" <curtisdeltablues@...> wrote: > > Hey Robin, > > Thanks for turning me on to Thomas Nagel. I am doing some research for my > reply. This is fun and good research for me to integrate into my POV. > > Curtis > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, maskedzebra <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > Curtis, here is what one the greatest philosophers in the world says about > > evolutionhe a determined and committed atheist: > > > > My own situation is that of an atheist who, in spite of being an avid > > consumer of popular science, has for a long time been skeptical of the > > claims of traditional evolutionary theory to be the whole story about the > > history of life. The theory does not claim to explain the origin of life, > > which remains a complete scientific mystery at this point. Opponents of ID, > > however, normally assume that that too must have a purely chemical > > explanation. The idea is that life arose and evolved to its present form > > solely because of the laws of chemistry, and ultimately of particle > > physics. In the prevailing naturalistic worldview, evolutionary theory > > plays the crucial role in showing how physics can be the theory of > > everything. > > Sophisticated members of the contemporary culture have been so thoroughly > > indoctrinated that they easily lose sight of the fact that evolutionary > > reductionism defies common sense. > > > > A theory that defies common sense can be true, but doubts about its truth > > should be sup- pressed only in the face of exceptionally strong evidence. > > > > I do not regard divine intervention as a possibility, even though I have no > > other candidates. Yet I recognize that this is because of an aspect of my > > overall worldview that does not rest on empirical grounds or any other kind > > of rational grounds. I do not think the existence of God can be disproved. > > So someone who can offer serious scientific reasons to doubt the adequacy > > of the theory of evolution, and who believes in God, in the same immediate > > way that I believe there is no god, can quite reasonably conclude that the > > hypothesis of design should be taken seriously. If reasons to doubt the > > adequacy of evolutionary theory can be legitimately admitted to the > > curriculum, it is hard to see why they cannot legitimately be described as > > reasons in support of design, for those who believe in God, and reasons to > > believe that some as yet undiscovered, purely naturalistic theory must > > account for the evidence, for those who do not. That, after all, is the > > real epistemological situation. > > > > Thomas Nagel > > > > P.S. I have urged him to run for office in Alexandria. > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, maskedzebra <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > > > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Loved it, thanks. Backacha! > > > > > > > > > > Jesus and Vishnu on Christmas eve. > > > > > > > > > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X7x-DHKHW0 > > > > > > > > > > RESPONSE: Somebody secretly is fighting off doubts about evolution > > > > > here. Too worked up metabolically. Serenity, irony, quiet confidence, > > > > > respecting what makes it hard for some people to take the idea of > > > > > macroevolution as proven: much better. > > > > > > Agreed. It needed a final edit and cooler delivery to be more effective > > > communication. But that said, I know plenty of guys like this and it > > > doesn't really mean anything about the content of what he is saying. It > > > is our emotional reaction to to a person being too self indulgent that > > > makes it poor communication. He went to far into the dickish lane for me > > > too. > > > > > > < If someone was holding out for flat earth theory, how would be treat > > > that person? Not like this. Brilliant as it is. Some people want > > > macroevolution to be true so much they become much too aggressive and > > > abusive in their denunciation of the persons (like John Lennon) who > > > balked at the sweeping claims of Darwin. This is evidence of metaphysical > > > anxiety: You mean macroevolution might not be true? I don't think it has > > > been proven beyond the right to ask question about it. Although > > > microevolution is a no-brainer. > > > > > > There are questions within the thoery that are still being discussed. > > > And the understanding has advanced far beyond Darwin's initial > > > formulation due to the spirit of questioning. In this year's election > > > this is gunna be a lowest bar litmus test for me. If you understand > > > science, you understand how the theory of evolution is the basis for our > > > whole understanding of biology. It is is more than key. > > > > > > > > > > > As for the Christmas boast of Christ, I think Jesus prevails here. He > > > > has all the cards. However facetiously presented, his arguments against > > > > Krishna win out for me. It's a bloody good argument. Besides where does > > > > your irresistible love of Christmas come from, Curtis? > > > > > > Well we have to be realistic that most of what I love about Christmas is > > > not Christan but Druid and Mithra worship. My neurons got bribed into it > > > pretty early. But I still enjoy the nativity myth perhaps even more so > > > now that I know some of the sources it was cannibalized from > > > historically. These are archetypes to be enjoyed. > > > > > > > > > > > Me: I say it comes from the fact that it is true. God became a tiny > > > > infant. > > > > > > I would go with: God becomes every tiny infant. Jesus was really not so > > > unique in his time. There were other messianic guys whose philosophies > > > were less able to be turned into an empire builder for Constantine, but > > > who in their time were as popular as Jesus during his life. > > > > > > > > > > > If only he was around somewhere now. > > > > > > > > I'd like to hear his response to Rick's post. Smugnessabout > > > > anythingit is a dangerous thing. Sounds a little like an Oral Roberts > > > > prayer tent with the ritual denunciation of the evils of > > > > atheismalthough Oral never got that good of course. And didn't know > > > > the first thing about irony. Or beauty. Jesus, you there? > > > > > > > > Nope. > > > > > > > > But we still celebrate your birthday. Krishna, you could have done a > > > > lot better. What happened? > > > > > > > > Hey, Curtis. I like that you like Christmas. > > > > > > > > No neurobiological explanation there. > > > > > > Neuron bribing pure and simple! My folks took the Santa thing seriously > > > and we were very spoiled at Christmas. > > > > > > A purer form of Christmas spirit is the feeling I get when I hear, > > > walking along crunching on new snow, in my Pocono mountain hometown, the > > > clear song of a Chickadee through the pine trees. It is my version of a > > > Christmas carol and always means Joy to the World to me. > > > > > > Oh yeah, and German Lebkuchen Christmas cookies washed down with a little > > > Balvenie doublewood single malt. (the fist aging is in oak bourbon casks, > > > the second in port wine casks) Now THAT is the body and blood of Christ! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Rick Archer" <rick@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LJYLT9TbRew > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
