Would Polytheism Be Better For Us ?

[Florestan]

From the persective of global society this is the key problem with relgions

Making "the perspective of the global society" the standard by which all human endeavours should be judged you fall victim to exactly the same mentality you are denouncing, hastily and erroneous, in people of faith.

their proponents all believe their religion is "exceptionally and miraculously right" and the rest "absolutely wrong".

Here on GMG there are a few religious people. Please provide evidence that anyone of them has ever maintained what you claim to be the position of all faithful.

A majority of the worlds problems today are either directly caused, are gravely exacerbated, by these beliefs.

The most pressing problems in the last month have been the financial crisis and the swine flu epidemic. What's their connection with religion, pray tell?

[DavidRoss]

As for science, it isn't about answers so much as the search for them.  Science, properly done, is the quintessential skeptical activity.  All "answers" are a some-time things.  The strength of science and the good scientist are that they thrieve upon incertainty.  Uncertainly isn't a quality of religions or much admired by religionists.

How amusing!  These statements make at least as much sense if the term "religious faith" is substituted for "science" in them.

From the persective of global society this is the key problem with relgions, their proponents all believe their religion is "exceptionally and miraculously right" and the rest "absolutely wrong".  A majority of the worlds problems today are either directly caused, are gravely exacerbated, by these beliefs.

How fascinating that he believes he speaks for "the global society!"  Is that like the Shriners? 

I also thought it very strange to damn religion as the cause or catalyst for all the world's problems.  Aside from their contribution to population growth--which is the bogeyman, and to which science's fruit is the major contributor--religions in general arguably offer far more help than harm in dealing with humankind's problems.

[jwinter]

...Most of us present have got over that long ago.  Those of us who are married, rather earlier than some others.

[Fëanor]

...
That remark suggests that you did not quite read my original citation. I am comfortable with the uncertainty, however.
...

Well ... but I took this remark, "... but in Christianity we find the fullness of truth.  Indeed, we find it in the Person of Christ, Who said, 'I am the Truth.", to be your own, not part of the Lewis qwote.

[Fëanor]

How amusing!  These statements make at least as much sense if the term "religious faith" is substituted for "science" in them.
...

You evidently misunderstand science.  Science is about breaking down received wisdom whereas religion is about promoting it, (the rare religious philosopher aside).

I also thought it very strange to damn religion as the cause or catalyst for all the world's problems.  Aside from their contribution to population growth--which is the bogeyman, and to which science's fruit is the major contributor--religions in general arguably offer far more help than harm in dealing with humankind's problems.

Oh, please.  

[DavidRoss]

You evidently misunderstand science.  Science is about breaking down received wisdom whereas religion is about promoting it, (the rare religious philosopher aside).

You evidently misunderstand both science and religion.  Your statements suggest strongly that you are not amenable to correcting your misunderstanding, so there's no point in trying.

[Fëanor]

...
Here on GMG there are a few religious people. Please provide evidence that anyone of them has ever maintained what you claim to be the position of all faithful.
...

The arguement does not require that I prove all religionists believe they are totally right and the other guy wrong.  It is sufficient that it is typically the case.

[Que]

JdP's continuous exposée on European Jewry culminated in a very nasty and unhealthy post, which was deleted, as was the whole series of posts leading up to it, as were the replies to those posts.

Q

[Bulldog]

JdP's continuous exposée on European Jewry culminated in a very nasty and unhealthy post, which was deleted, as was the whole series of posts leading up to it, as were the replies to those posts.

Q

Good move. 

[DavidRoss]

Thank you for not trying.  On the balance of probability I suspect I wouldn't hear a convincing arguement.

At least you're droll...I'll give you that, and thank you for your good humor.   

[Xenophanes]

That's as maybe; Spinozistic is an arrant barbarism 

That may well be  , but it's still an adjective in the dictionary. For example:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spinozistic

[karlhenning]

That may well be  , but it's still an adjective in the dictionary. For example:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spinozistic

Ah, in the dictionary known as dictionary.com . . . it's a wiki, wiki world . . . .

[Xenophanes]

Andrei, Karl

What I can't get my mind around is why an an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent being - who is more complex than the universe itself - take an interest humans in the first place.

This is why the Spinozistic worldview, however ruthless in what it asks us to give up, will always make more sense to me.

Spinoza did develop an ethics which has a certain nobility.  Here is a link to a passage from Erich Fromm's Man for Himself:

http://books.google.com/books?id=442AUfGqnhIC&pg=PA26&lpg=PA26&dq=fromm+spinoza&source=bl&ots=72hhDIwh1D&sig=8p-OVFEQX554BkHfRm1-OvHlpNA&hl=en&ei=mMsWSvMSl8QyjqPYrwg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2#PPA26,M1

[karlhenning]

Ah, in the dictionary known as dictionary.com . . . it's a wiki, wiki world . . . .

I was expecting a formation more on the order of Spinozian . . . and the OED shows entries for Spinozian, Spinozist (which I was taking as a precursor to) and Spinozistic.

That last is surely sonic barbarity 

[Xenophanes]

Ah, in the dictionary known as dictionary.com . . . it's a wiki, wiki world . . . .

It's also in Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, Canadian Edition, 1976. Dictionary.com gets its words from a number of dictionaries.

[karlhenning]

It's also in Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, Canadian Edition, 1976. Dictionary.com gets its words from a number of dictionaries.

Yes; and I was being a bit facetious, you know.

Still, in the spirit of due diligence, I think that a degree of skepticism towards on-line sources is simply sound practice. Non è vero?

[Homo Aestheticus]

I think you misunderstand, Eric.

Being reasonable here would mean in the pursuit of truth. It doesn't mean you have to be good at it. He's recommending a method, not telling everyone they have to be smart. And truth pursuers will always be a small proportion of the populace.

Thanks for the minor clarification there.

It also brightened my mood.

[karlhenning]

And truth pursuers will always be a small proportion of the populace.

Many of the truth pursuers, historically, have been people of faith.

If he were interested in the truth, Ernie would own at least that much.

[Xenophanes]

Yes; and I was being a bit facetious, you know.

Still, in the spirit of due diligence, I think that a degree of skepticism towards on-line sources is simply sound practice. Non è vero?

Yes, and I agree it's a sonic barbarity, too.

[Josquin des Prez]

Spinoza did develop an ethics which has a certain nobility.  Here is a link to a passage from Erich Fromm's Man for Himself:

What's with the endless fascination this forum has for Marxist writers? I don't get it.