Escaping Indoctrination - Faith Isn't a Virtue. (page 9)

mrhhome

Cofty,

Loyalty to a real person is a good thing until it begins to cause us harm.

Interesting statement. If our standard is that loyalty is a good thing until it causes harm, why does that only apply to a "real person" and not God?

jgnat

We read fairy tales to our children. Why?

Mrhhome and jgnat - When believers are honest enough to acknowledge that the benefit of religion lies in the positive infuence of myths I have no problem with that at all. In my case I find Shakespeare always causes me to reflect on profound things.

My comments are about asserting that certain things are objectively true when the evidence says otherwise - and pretending that is a virtue.

TTATTelder

We read fairy tales to our children. Why? - jgnat

I would say to that - leave children's stories to the children.

At some point, adults need to get out of the intellectual playground.

With that said, I know, like most things, it is easier said than done.

If our standard is that loyalty is a good thing until it causes harm, why does that only apply to a "real person" and not God? - mrhhome

I think in terms of trying to deal in reality. Some would say believing in an imaginary friend would be permissable unless it caused harm.

I don't think many would call such behavior mature, though.

I can't help but think of the writings of Ayn Rand when topics like this come up.

-TE

Phizzy

So, mrhhome, is your god knowable in any way ?

jgnat

TTAT Elder, why do we go back to the movie theatre to see the same story played over and over again, even though it is all fictional?

jgnat

I would reach across and shake hands with you cofty, if I were to say that faith is a poor stand-in for fact.

But faith, when applied in the appropriate setting, builds up people. In that setting, faith is a virtue.

jgnat

TTAT Elder, thank you for broadening my education today. Ayn Rand on C. S. Lewis.

TTATTelder

TTAT Elder, why do we go back to the movie theatre to see the same story played over and over again, even though it is all fictional? - jgnat

Cool question.

A movie is a temporay experience that engages our intellect and emotions. It can take us away for a moment from our complicated lives and give us something else - usually simpler - to focus on and enjoy. It can even be inspirational.

Religous faith, as described by Cofty, is like deciding that Superman is real and basing your life decisions on that "truth". Big contrast there.

Just some thoughts. I don't claim to have anything figured out.

-TE

steve2

mrhome, it is humbling to see you say you "subscribe to a traditional set of beliefs about what lies in the unknown, because it has proven to work in my life..."

As I had said earlier, what people believe or have faith in is largely determined by their (socio)cultural group. What "works" for one culture - or for that matter one individual within a culture - dose not necessarily work for others.

Escaping Indoctrination - Faith Isn't a Virtue.

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