yet as we know, knowledge doesn't increase by becoming more and more vague, and ending up with a heap of improbable possibilities to pick and choose from for the sake of personal meaning.
F1fan
"Do you worship knowledge, or the increase of it? Does knowledge provide personal meaning for your life? Does the heap of improbable possibilities surrounding the origin of the universe or the development of humanity and other existing species help you pick and choose for the sake of personal meaning?
I have spent a lifetime of hard work creating a coherent philosophy to provide personal meaning and moral guidance for my self and by extension those I share it with. For many good reasons some people choose a prepackaged version of both. I see no good reason to argue with them about it. I don't particularly like dark chocolate. Is my preference for caramel worth arguing about? If God answers questions others don't want to deal with why not say 'God bless you?' It doesn't hurt a bit. It is not even an admission that God exists. Ever since a very good Catholic friend of mine in a time of devastating trouble asked me to pray for him with the admonition that God even listens to atheists, I have prayed for theists when requested. I even pray for some without being asked when I think they could use a prayer. It costs me exactly nothing. I am thinking of them anyway and of ways I might help. The prayer was not in lieu of more realistic help, but if they felt better because of it, why would I deny them the comfort of a familiar placebo.
If God tells them to impose their beliefs on others that is a totally different matter. They will find I am a rather formidable opponent, with no scruples about destroying their beliefs if possible. Due to my study of religions I am well equipped to do so. The destruction of a pernicious belief is beneficial to society, and in accord with my personal meaning in life."
2 comments:
Very interesting comments to F1fan's remarks regarding the supernatural.
The first definition of philosophy is "Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline." The first definition of wisdom is "the ability or result of an ability to think and act utilizing knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight." Your pursuit of a coherent philosophy took you down the path of knowledge and wisdom, yet you ask "Does knowledge provide personal meaning for your life?" We would hope that wisdom is the ultimate goal of a knowledge seeker and a personal meaning for one's life is found within the accumulated knowledge and wisdom of the seeker.
Phil Donahugh [sp] broadcast an interesting interview with Ayn Rand shortly before she died. He was "amazed" by the report that Ayn [a strict atheist] expressed gratitude whenever anyone said to her, "God bless you." She answered, "I do not believe in the existence of God but I do believe in human benevolence and appreciate the intention of such a sentiment."
My prayers have become more akin to focussed meditations used to align my spirit with the thoughts and actions that need attention. When my mother says she is praying for me, I know precisely what she is doing and I love her for it.
For those that wish to impose their beliefs on me, I remove myself from their presence. I've lost most of the desire to engage or win conflicts of idiology; it feels like a horrible waste of my very limited time.
Over many years of having people try to impose beliefs on me, I have found that "What do you mean by that?" is almost as good as "Get lost!" It will (rarely) start an interesting conversation, but usually has them searching for the egress.
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