I'm thinking a religion whose emblem is a cross, we should not be surprised were God to put pain and suffering in the way of life.
It seems this is a distinctive in Christianity, that it out of all religions, embraces pain, and in a sane way.
"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." (Job 1:9-11)
For one thing, that question needs to be answered.
As a fellow atheist, I agree with the logic of the example. (It's also quite clever.)
My wife is quite religious. She doesn't push it on me or anyone else. (We are both academics, and she realizes that she is in a small minority.) But she feels bad when people take this sort of cheap shot at something that's important to her.
When we first met, I would make this sort of comment. But I don't any more. What's the point? It only makes her feel bad.
Further, although most people of religion probably won't agree with me I suspect that most of the intelligent people who are religious don't think at that level. They are more concerned about subjective experience.
It's really quite amazing to be alive—and even more so to experience the world, to have an inner life. It seems to me that the real foundation of religion is the wonder at that inner life, the wonder of subjective experience.
Furthermore, this isn't a God of the Gaps. No matter how much we learn about how consciousness comes about—and I expect that we will fully understand it eventually—I suspect that the phenomenon of subjective experience won't ever cease to be amazing.
I'm thinking a religion whose emblem is a cross, we should not be surprised were God to put pain and suffering in the way of life.
ReplyDeleteIt seems this is a distinctive in Christianity, that it out of all religions, embraces pain, and in a sane way.
"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."
(Job 1:9-11)
For one thing, that question needs to be answered.
As a fellow atheist, I agree with the logic of the example. (It's also quite clever.)
ReplyDeleteMy wife is quite religious. She doesn't push it on me or anyone else. (We are both academics, and she realizes that she is in a small minority.) But she feels bad when people take this sort of cheap shot at something that's important to her.
When we first met, I would make this sort of comment. But I don't any more. What's the point? It only makes her feel bad.
Further, although most people of religion probably won't agree with me I suspect that most of the intelligent people who are religious don't think at that level. They are more concerned about subjective experience.
It's really quite amazing to be alive—and even more so to experience the world, to have an inner life. It seems to me that the real foundation of religion is the wonder at that inner life, the wonder of subjective experience.
Furthermore, this isn't a God of the Gaps. No matter how much we learn about how consciousness comes about—and I expect that we will fully understand it eventually—I suspect that the phenomenon of subjective experience won't ever cease to be amazing.
Let me say that I use the dissident philosophy forum and the idiot who does these stupid comments ^^ is in no way representative of the community.
ReplyDelete