Hi Michael,
I'm not sure if this is wisdom or not, but I've found a way to
approach this that I think gets the point across and perhaps gets a larger
point across as well. Here it is, to the question that the student asked.
"Well, some people believe that the Bible is inerrantly true, and to
those people having the Bible mention something would mean exactly that,
that it's true. Some people believe the Bible is true regarding matters of
faith, but isn't meant as a compendium of all that is true, so to those
people they might say that this is one of those details that has no special
protection, and isn't necessarily true. And some people regard the Bible
the way they would regard any other writing, as a product of a place and a
time, with no special connection to the truth. Those people wouldn't regard
the Daniel story as any more important than any other old story."
I like this because it isn't judgemental, and gets across the idea
that there is more than one way of looking at the Bible or any other
religious writing. There are students to whom that is news; I've met them.
I've met others who automatically attach negative evaluations to anyone not
in their category, and they may not be assuaged by the above, but it's
worked for me in the past.
Joe Hatcher
Ripon College
> ----------
> From: Michael J. Kane
> Reply To: Michael J. Kane
> Sent: Tuesday, April 4, 2000 2:31 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Skepticism, Science, Religion, and Respect
>
> Hi all,
>
> I turn to you for wisdom in how to respond to a student...
>
> I teach a "Weird Beliefs" course in which we critically examine
> Psi/ESP, among other things. We covered the Psi portion of
> the course several weeks ago, and we discussed recovered/
> false memories today. Interestingly, my question involves
> responding to the former issue, rather than the latter.
>
> At the end of each class I take attendance by having everyone
> spend 5 minutes writing informally about their thoughts on
> the lecture, and/or any questions they might still have. Students
> turn these in and I always provide written responses to any
> questions.
>
> Today a student turned in the following question at the end of
> her paper, and I'd like your thoughts about how to respond to
> it:
>
> "Not to get off the subject, but I found out that there was a
> prophet named Daniel in the Bible who was thrown in a
> cave full of lions because he had the power to see the
> future or something. My thing is if this type of stuff which is
> like a psychic power is in the Bible, that must mean there
> is some type of proof about the psychic world. Right !?"
>
> In our class discussions of Psi, we talked not only about the
> reasoning/perception/memory errors that might contribute to
> paranormal belief, but also talked about the history of
> experimental Psi research, with all its problems and weak-
> nesses. So I don't think that regurgitating the facts is
> going to have an impact here.
>
> I am struggling with striking the proper balance between
> respecting her religious faith and fulfilling my obligation as
> a critical-thinking teacher by explaining why a Biblical story
> "don't make it so" by scientific standards. I'm also not
> sure whether she's claiming that because the Bible says
> it it's true, or that the Bible wouldn't say it unless there were
> other, corraborating sources of evidence, too.
>
> Any advice on an approach?
>
> -Mike
>
>
> *****************************************************
> Michael J. Kane
> Psychology Department
> Georgia State University
> University Plaza
> Atlanta, GA 30303-3083
> phone: 404-651-0704
> fax: 404-651-0753
> email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> "It is morally as bad not to care whether a thing
> is true or not, so long as it makes you feel good,
> as it is not to care how you got your money as
> long as you have it."
> -- E.W. Teale
>
