David M to Gav: Quite right. Religion will not disappear, science is not the only form of knowledge, there is a progressive possibility for both of these parts of our culture if only they can accept each other & engage rather than suppress the challenges they offer each other. What might religion look like if it accepted the death of the old mythic god/s? Take a look at Don Cupitt for some ideas on this.
[Krimel] Yes, but along the lines I suggest previously regarding the function of religion, let me add. I have close friend who teaches math at a community college. Her goal is life is to show student how to reason. She tries to equip them with tools to solve the problems they are presented with. She complains bitterly that almost every time she goes through this process two questions arise: 1) Will this be on the test? 2) Could you go through the steps one more time? While few would argue that science or philosophy or some form of humanism can be used to derive a sensible system of morality fewer still are willing to go through the process to make it their own. Religion may be the opiate of the masses but do you really want them running wild in the street unsedated? ----------------------------------------------- > am i to take it there are people on this list that > would label themselves 'theist' or 'atheist'? > these are the same position: belief over knowledge. > > to blanket ridicule all religion! talk about hubris! > literally. > > the atheist stares into the abyss and says, bravely, > "i don't need a crutch, i can face the void without > any fantastical 'god' to comfort me". the atheists > crutch is his ego, and he will recant on his death > bed. > > the theist admits his fear and tries to > buy/borrow/steal what cannot be purchased/lent/stolen. > this is usually taken as 'faith'. > > the athiest is arrogantly ignorant > the theist is also arrogantly ignorant. > > arguing about the same thing...it's a classic! > > all religions are essentially true, *mythologically* > true. unfortunately most priests as well as academics > are blind to myth. > > the current wave of 'god dissing' is adolescent and > puerile and damaging. ego-boosts for impotent > middle-aged men. > > religion is full of wisdom and beauty. to sever our > connections with it is to follow the lead of the ever > so successful soviet union. > > to sever our connection with religion is to sever our > connection with the past, is to ignore the mythic, is > to wander self-consciously, fearfully through life's > dramas blind to the meanings/messages inherent in > them. > > it is reconnection that is needed, not more > alienation! the century of self: the ego is boss. the > ego is alone! > > science has become our religion but it is a poor > science. it is a science manipulated and diminished by > the Giant for its own logical ends. it is an > irreligious religion: schizophrenic. > > there is no fundamental quarrel between science and > (mythic) religion. they are complementary modes of > knowledge. reflective and existential respectively > > to explore this conjunction, through art, is to > understand Pirsig most fully i believe. > > our religions need to be revivified, unified. science > needs to become self-aware. the mythos will provide > the creations that will accomplish this. > > the closest i can think of so far is (the original > trilogy of) star wars, which was based on the work of > joseph campbell. the jedi, the force, superior science > and technology...the rational and irrational are > mutually fecundating. > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________ _____ > > How would you spend $50,000 to create a more sustainable environment in > Australia? Go to Yahoo!7 Answers and share your idea. > http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/aunz/lifestyle/answers/y7ans-babp_reg.ht ml > > > > moq_discuss mailing list > Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. > http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org > Archives: > http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ > http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ > moq_discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ moq_discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
