From: "frank theriault" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Religon, Christ vs. the Other Guy
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006 17:22:49 -0500
I don't recall much from my days as a philosophy major, but I have a
vague recollection that there are some respected theologians and
philosophers, including a professor of mine who was a nun, who said
that there is no rational proof of the existence of God.
It's an article of faith. Faith and reason are antithetical. One
either believes, or they don't. One can't prove an article of faith
to a skeptic, for there is no proof available.
Nothing of what you said "proves" the existence of God. You've chosen
to look to those things as evidence of His existence, but in and of
themselves, they prove nothing. One must still have faith in His
existence beyond your evidence.
I'm not saying this to deny His existence (although as you all know, I
don't believe), or to in any way argue that He doesn't exist. My
point is simply that to those who believe in God, that believe is
based on personal revelation, not external observation. He can't be
proven, only revealed and experienced.
For better or worse, many of us simply haven't experienced him; that
(at least in my case) is the primary reason I don't believe.
Again I say fair enough. I wasn't trying to prove him to you. And as
stated in a recent post, those who believe there is evidence of evolution,
are interpreting the fossil and geological records that exist in that
manner, because they are largely predisposed to believe it occurred, not
because the evidence is irrefutabe.
Those who believe evolutionary theory cannot prove it because no one was
around to see it take place. Recently the gaping holes in the fossil
records have caused some strains of evolutionary scientists to suggest that
life did not evolve gradually but in leaps and bounds and spurts. That is
an idea for sure, but one that again has no proof other than 'it must be so
because we deny the existence of an intelligent creator'.
If there is not a creator, then life has no purpose and we are all just
little dust motes to be swept away in time, and it doesn't matter what we
believe or do because the whole thing is pointless to begin with. (I
personally find that to be a little bleak). I mean why, even care what
happens to ourselves or our children, the planet, or anything, even Pentax
(hehe) if that's the case?
If on the other hand, there is a creator and life does have a purpose, then
possibly there is much better in store, and it could behoove us to look for
that purpose rather than the other way.
One thing is for sure Frank, and that is that I respect your right to your
own personal beliefs and views.
Tom C.
