If you don't understand something then educate yourself, but don't simply decide that believing is easier than learning, because that diminishes who you are as a human being.
Monday, July 09, 2012
The difference between facts and faith.
If you don't understand something then educate yourself, but don't simply decide that believing is easier than learning, because that diminishes who you are as a human being.
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That last sentence is going on my fridge, in quotations, with your name after it. My bible thumping inlaws are coming in 5 days....pray for me. Yes, I said pray, however it is that you all do it, just please pray for me. Miss you Jesse, can't get here as often as I like lately, the storms on the east coast have me running around like a maniac.
ReplyDeleteOpinions are not facts by nature, but those whose opinions I seek actively are always based on facts combined with critical thInking.
ReplyDeleteI was pleased to read a few of my son's essays for his AP English class this year where they were analyzing different articles and speeches in which facts and opinions were intertwined. I usually listen to NPR during drive time and an oldies station during the day if I'm in the car, but sometimes I'll scan the AM dial to listen briefly to Rush or Hannity, just to hear their spin on current news. The other day my son was with me when I switched to Rush and he asked me why I would want to listen to him when he is one or the worst propagandists in the media? I said, "Entertainment only. And to see what folks that don't practice critical thinking are hearing, and many believing."
Hear, hear. Religious "explanations" of human origins vary randomly from culture to culture because they are just evolved cultural artifacts like different languages or different styles of hats. Evolution is universal because it's based on actual evidence which can be studied and evaluated by anyone regardless of cultural background.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe in evolution. I simply accept it as the best explanation currently available.
ReplyDeleteAnd God created Science.
ReplyDeleteVery simple, that truth ;-).
Stop being hung up on Fundamentalists and literal interpretations of Biblical text. They really will never take over the world, as you fear.
I wonder. They already HAVE taken over school districts all over the nation and a few state education departments. THAT is how they dumb down curriculum by equating intelligent design as a competing "theory" to be taught alongside evolution. That is how they begin dumbing down historical content which is nothing more than partisan historical revisionism which excises inconvenient truths.
DeleteIF we shine a very bright light on the fundagelicals, they will always lose. However, if we allow them to proliferate unfettered, they can - and do - succeed at their stated goal of taking over our institutions.
Ever hear of the Koch brothers?
DeleteTo Anonymous 5:32 - I guess that's what the 13th century Muslims told each other, right before their fundamentalists put a brake to everything scientific in the Arab world.
DeleteAt that time, Arab science was the very best around, comparable to Chinese science. They named the stars. They invented optics. Eight centuries have gone by since, and the Arab-speaking countries are still very much dominated by fundamentalism. Arab science has not recovered yet. There are still many places in the Arab-speaking countries where boys are only taugth, through rote, some verses of the Koran. Not taught to read nor write - because then they might read the rest of the Koran, where there are things written down that they'd better not learn about (equality of men and women for instance).
America seems firmly set on the same path.
Gasman, love your comments.
DeleteGryphen, you make some compelling arguments for this so-called evolution you're so inexplicably obsessed with. But I'd be a lot more inclined to believe you if you could show me just one human being born to chimpanzees.
ReplyDeleteAnd I wouldn't mind seeing a two-headed calf. Or a real leprechaun would be pretty cool, especially if he's wearing that Lucky Charms hat. Oh, crop circles!! Oh, man, I'd REALLY like to see some crop circles. Or any other proof of extraterrestrial activity, for that matter. And of course, any vegetables - potatoes, eggplant, squash - that resemble famous people or religious figures would be awesome.
So, yeah, try to find that human monkey baby and I'm totally down with the whole evolution thang.
Conehead, your statement on wanting to be shown "just one human being born to a chimpanzee", exhibits your ignorance or lack of understanding of evolution. That same line is also often used by others in the religious community which also exhibits their lack of understanding as well. If you don't understand a theory, no matter what topic it covers, you'll never understand it enough to question its validity. Your first step in understand evolution is the immense time period it takes to develop. Believing that the earth is only 6 million years old is the first belief you need to toss to understand how long geological processes on earth take to occur. Only then can you start with an understanding of the time period it takes for evolution to occur. Evolution theory states that only those capable of adapting in a slowly and constantly changing hostile environment will survive. The rest die off leaving the fittest to breed and repopulate the world.
DeleteDurham,
DeleteIf you knew our beloved Beldar you'd know he's all snark, and very cleverly snark too.
Beldar, I love you!
Science begins with faith. To wit- without the belief that similar observations of the material universe today will be observed tomorrow there is no science. In other words a basic belief of science is a degree of material continuity through time- indeed it's the sine qua non thereof.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, as Descartes meditated and The Matrix so ably depicted, the universe we assume we perceive could all just be a dream.
Just hold on there one consarned minute, Gyph... are you saying Truth Is a Republic?! (Nod to the teahadists.)
ReplyDeleteMuch of science is theory which is "believed" until disproven. And many theories that were believed have been disproven (Google is your friend). It isn't perfect, but it is what we have. Much as you would like everything to fit in neat little boxes in life, it just doesn't, Gryphen.
ReplyDelete"Beldar Beagle Conehead8:38 AM"
ReplyDeleteDo you have a family photograph?
Keith, yes, I do. It's not a pretty picture.
Delete"Truth is not a democracy" Years ago I used to ask my physics students to vote (yea, nay, abstain) on answers. I joked that we did math democratically. I don't do that any more- I'm afraid they believe it.
ReplyDeleteTo paraphrase (from Hitchens): You can come into my schools to teach intelligent design and show the "errors" of science books as long as I can come in your sunday schools to teach evolution and show the errors of the bible.
ReplyDelete