From: Spudboy100@aol.com
Date: Tue Oct 26 1999 - 12:01:50 MDT
In a message dated 10/26/1999 10:09:53 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
rob@hbinternet.co.uk writes:
> Oh, I'm with you 100%. I make it a rule never to challenge religious people.
> It just makes enemies for you.
> I had no idea before John Grigg's post that any of the extropians were
> religious! I thought 'Spud', to whom I was replying, was just playing
> devil's advocate between us (the list subscribers) and our religious guest
> that started this thread.
> In fact, John's post made me feel pretty guilty! Sorry!
>
> Rob.
Well, first of all Rob, I guess I was playing devil's advocate; simply
because I like when I see arguments open to opposition, sometimes I am just
dumb enough to walk right in. My main point in responding to this religious
thread is the most Atheists, I have encountered, seem to be in opposition to
the ideas and the selling of Christianity, that the "Evangelists" are so in
love with.
Religions seem to have the main character flaw (strength?) that they are
self-validating. But the 95% of the Atheists appear to have been shaken lose
from what I term "nominal Christian culture". The definition of this is that
they are 'usually' of white, European genetic and cultural heritage; and are
so ensconced in this "meta-culture" that they are oblivious to all other
religions/cultures save what is presented on TV (that is before they flip the
channel or drop the link). America is definitely this way and so is the UK.
Or as the racist, bigot, industrialist, Henry Ford used to say;
"You can have any color ya want, as long as its black."
This is, I attribute, an accident of being raised in a mono-culture. As far
as God goes, tragedy and sorrow seems to be a faith breaker. But this applies
to Atheists as well. The curious thing is that most Atheists (outside of a
B.F Skinner or so)
seem to remain, pissed off at the human condition. The gerneralized "faith"
that existence may continue, despite one's own mortality, seems to be an
aspect of the religious; therefore is of some psycho-social, benefit-in a
purely, paliative way.
I mean as Chucky Marx said, "religion is the opiate of the people." Which is
to say that sometimes people need pain-relief. Einstein's famous letter of
consolation to Wigner (was it Wigner?) over the passing of their mutual
friend Michelle Besso wemt something like this:
"We must not more too much over the passing of Michelle; for as we know from
the perspective of electrons, Michelle isn't really dead because electrons
know neither present nor past." Now I dunno maybe Einstein was freakin
whankers? Maybe, maybe not?
Heck, I also belong to a Many Worlds mailing list, and one of the Templeton
Foundations Meta lists-so go figure. One of the things I shan't do is peddle
"toast City" to ya if ya don't agree, cause ya don't! Thats an attribute of
the Churchies, not me. Believe in me or its eternal suffering...Boo!
Spud, the holy hand-grenade of Antioch
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