Criticism of belief systemsA. e-mail -- My reply:I wasn't going to reply, but your expression of disagreement is important. In science, criticism of everything, especially of itself, is fundamental to its health. So it is also in all other human endeavours. This is one of the reasons for putting my belief system on the internet so that it can go through a process of constructive criticism by the public. Some comments about your e-mail follow: A. e-mail:>THE BIBLE IS SYMBOLIC. Never take the bible as to be completely accurate and truthful. A man wrote down what he saw, and that was death and destruction. Hmmm, he thinks, God must be destroying the evil he sees around him. He makes this flood into a great story. To him it was real. My reply:We agree on this. However surveys show that to most people in North America, the bible is the inerrant, literal TRUTH, and they do not take the BIBLE AS SYMBOLIC. So, I have in my website, constructively (with available evidence) criticized this belief. A. e-mail:>The bible is to be interpreted to your liking and to be interpreted as you see fit. You use the bible for your own good. My reply:This would be the best way to use the bible -- personally I do take certain "what I think are GOOD verses" out of the bible. I also know I am deliberately choosing and interpreting. As long as people know they are doing just that and realize it is not God-ordained, there is no problem. For most people though the bible is interpreted as their religious leader interprets it; which I think is potentially dangerous. If the leader uses it as a power base and applies this power to cause intolerance, to hurt others, to physically destroy other belief systems, etc. A healthy society is one where there are many different belief systems in a secular, democratic system. A. e-mail:>What I truly believe is that we should try to do our best. Whether there is or is not a God or higher power, we should all try to do the best we know how. If we can learn to find true happiness and meaning in our lives, we should not be criticized. My reply:I have no criticism with this. Although, in a healthy society all beliefs should be allowed to be presented and promoted as long as they are not imposed on others, and they should be allowed to be criticized. People can then choose what they think is worth believing in the marketplace of religious thought. To criticize their beliefs, the people themselves don't have to be criticized! I would think all people must be accepted as equals and their beliefs tolerated, even though their beliefs are criticized. A. e-mail:>I would rather blindly follow a perhaps non-existent God than live without a God at all. My reply:I am 100% in disagreement with you on this. I think this is very dangerous! The part that bothers me is the word "blindly". Historical evidence indicates much harm has been done to men by fellowmen because of blindly following a perhaps non-existent God or, I might say blindly following a leader or system (e.g. Russian Communism) that knows the "TRUTH", and will not be criticized. Again, I repeat, the critical attitude is essential to the welfare of people in any society. Your statement sounds very much like an appeal to Pascal's Wager. See my page called Pascal's Wager -- [e-mail response]. A. e-mail:>for there are too many of us who have lost faith in everything. My reply:I again disagree completely. I have yet to meet someone that has lost faith in everything. For instance, I find atheists tend to have not lost faith in life, in the here and now -- they are enthusiastic believers in life, and it shows. Humanists (secular and otherwise) have a great faith in the potential of humanity and promote living to the fullest. They are some of the happiest people I have met, and I admire them for that. Thanks again for your critical thoughts, An interesting quote in Thomas Jefferson's 1786 Act for Establishing |