Religion

cbayer

(146,218 posts) Fri Apr 6, 2012, 02:51 PM Apr 2012

Good Friday’s big question: Is doubt good? [View all]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/admitting-doubts-may-be-first-step-to-ending-religious-divisions/2012/04/05/gIQAU2hoxS_story.html?tid=pm_national_pop

By Lisa Miller, Published: April 5

During Shabbat services at my temple last weekend, in an effort to get the kids excited for Passover, the prayer leaders asked the children which part of the Exodus story they liked the best.

Many said, “The parting of the Red Sea!”

Some said, “When Miriam dances and sings on the opposite shore!”

A tiny one said, “Frogs!,” referring to one of the plagues God visited upon the Egyptians.

Then a little boy, about 7 years old, raised his hand. “I don’t believe the story,” he said.

much more at link

94 replies

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Highlight:

Good Friday’s big question: Is doubt good? [View all] cbayer Apr 2012 OP

I'm trying to get rrneck Apr 2012 #1

"Art, like faith, doesn't give us a place to stop. It offers us a place to start." cbayer Apr 2012 #3

LOL! rrneck Apr 2012 #5

Art, like faith, doesn't give us a place to stop. It offers us a place to start. AlbertCat Apr 2012 #89

+1: Great analysis Lydia Leftcoast Apr 2012 #12

How so? darkstar3 Apr 2012 #14

Not in the way traditional (as opposed to fundie) Christians actually use it Lydia Leftcoast Apr 2012 #15

I can't explain why, but my first thought was darkstar3 Apr 2012 #16

The most important thing to doubt... longship Apr 2012 #2

Very much agree. That is why it is so hard to answer cbayer Apr 2012 #4

Another reason it is so hard for some people skepticscott Apr 2012 #8

In the final analysis, doubt is all we have, and all we ever will have. Speck Tater Apr 2012 #6

Agree. It is those who think they absolutely know that are the most frightening. cbayer Apr 2012 #7

Compare and contrast skepticscott Apr 2012 #9

I guess you put me in my place, huh? Speck Tater Apr 2012 #10

Post removed Post removed Apr 2012 #11

Forty years ago Speck Tater Apr 2012 #17

My experiences are similar to yours. Now I embrace the uncertainty and I am humbled. cbayer Apr 2012 #18

What exactly do you mean by "embrace the uncertainty"? eqfan592 Apr 2012 #19

Not all religion preaches certainty at all. cbayer Apr 2012 #20

The assumptions I make about religion are based on every religions figure I have ever met. eqfan592 Apr 2012 #22

But an atheist by definition is certain there is no god (with maybe a small scintilla of not being cbayer Apr 2012 #23

You've been here long enough to know that VERY FEW atheists define themselves that way. PassingFair Apr 2012 #25

When people tell believers that they are delusional, that is saying that what they believe cbayer Apr 2012 #26

Who told you you were psychotic? PassingFair Apr 2012 #36

Delusions are symptoms of psychosis, therefore calling someone delusional cbayer Apr 2012 #42

Who said I was laughing? I could have been rolling my eyeballs. PassingFair Apr 2012 #44

That discussion was about the validity of religious experiences by psychotic people. Warren Stupidity Apr 2012 #85

Most atheists I know are quite certain that there is no god. Speck Tater Apr 2012 #30

This is CLASSIC projection. PassingFair Apr 2012 #37

Well, look at it this way Warpy Apr 2012 #51

Well put. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #53

Hereis the difference. cbayer Apr 2012 #54

That's fallacious argumentation. Would you care to guess which fallacy? darkstar3 Apr 2012 #56

But if enough people believe Goblinmonger Apr 2012 #68

Well, I'd see them putting caps on their chimneys Warpy Apr 2012 #74

And that's ok. You don't have to go. cbayer Apr 2012 #76

Only as long as they don't get their way Warpy Apr 2012 #84

There has never been shit down my chimney Warpy Apr 2012 #93

Exactly AlbertCat Apr 2012 #91

Sorry, but atheists are not by definition certain there is no god. eqfan592 Apr 2012 #80

Religion make the claims. PassingFair Apr 2012 #50

You don't know anything about *my* religion and are in no position to tell cbayer Apr 2012 #55

As far as I know, "Christians" are bound to believe in Christ's divinity. PassingFair Apr 2012 #78

There are millions of Christians who don't make that claim. Thats my opinion Apr 2012 #79

What Christians don't believe that Jesus was the "son of God"? PassingFair Apr 2012 #82

They are virtually convinced that they know the answers, AlbertCat Apr 2012 #90

Certain religions preach certainty. Certain skeptics preach certainty. Speck Tater Apr 2012 #29

Both were atheist edhopper Apr 2012 #31

And both knew the dangers of feigned certainty. Speck Tater Apr 2012 #34

So your an agnostic? edhopper Apr 2012 #40

Time and time again in this forum Speck Tater Apr 2012 #57

Wasn't going there. edhopper Apr 2012 #86

If you consider yourself an atheist, you claim to have specific knowledge of the supernatural's PassingFair Apr 2012 #47

Neither Sagan nor Einstein identified themselves as atheists. cbayer Apr 2012 #35

Many Atheists eshew the label. Mostly because of the "accepted" definition. PassingFair Apr 2012 #41

I let people define themselves in these regards, and put little weight on what others may say about cbayer Apr 2012 #43

Um if you are not a theist, then what are you? PassingFair Apr 2012 #45

I've posted this list before Speck Tater Apr 2012 #58

3 and 4 are the same person darkstar3 Apr 2012 #60

See. No two people can agree on the definitions. Speck Tater Apr 2012 #63

See, you're just digging for disagreement, and your definitions show that. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #65

Ah. I disagree with you thus I am irrational. OK. I can live with that. Speck Tater Apr 2012 #67

Did I call you irrational? No. I called you down for telling others that THEY were. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #70

OK. Here's the straight poop. Speck Tater Apr 2012 #73

Another assumption, this time about my "perspective" and where it lies in relation to yours. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #75

Point taken. nt Speck Tater Apr 2012 #77

Naming and calling tama Apr 2012 #94

Atheists claim that there is no EVIDENCE of "non-physical realities" (LOL) PassingFair Apr 2012 #39

Show an atheist evidence, and you will create a believer. Speck Tater Apr 2012 #59

Prove it. ;) darkstar3 Apr 2012 #61

Search the literature in psychology. Speck Tater Apr 2012 #66

I HAVE searched the literature. Psychology is something I'm pretty familiar with. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #71

Embracing the unknown is what atheists and agnostics do. PassingFair Apr 2012 #21

Maybe the terminology and labels ought to change. All seem to embrace the unknown. pinto Apr 2012 #27

Except some people just admit that we don't know. PassingFair Apr 2012 #38

Why? pinto Apr 2012 #48

Why what? PassingFair Apr 2012 #49

I'm only saying that some people... Speck Tater Apr 2012 #62

Give an example of one of those people. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #64

I'm making shit up. I declare you the winner. Feel better now? nt Speck Tater Apr 2012 #69

If "winning" is what you're concerned about, you're doing this wrong. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #72

Yet another unimpressive claim of finding "truth" in a non-existent middle. Yawn. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #13

Yes. Doubt's the co-pilot of discovery, imho. pinto Apr 2012 #24

if you come across someone with no doubts--look out! nt Thats my opinion Apr 2012 #28

That's for sure! Speck Tater Apr 2012 #32

+1 PassingFair Apr 2012 #46

I think that's the only post of yours I've agreed with completely Warpy Apr 2012 #52

Would you be willing to admit that there are posters here who say they are atheists and who claim Thats my opinion Apr 2012 #81

None that won't admit a minute scrap of statistical doubt Warpy Apr 2012 #83

The 7 year old boy was smart to say that. edhopper Apr 2012 #33

Why do you think they were borrowed? Igel Apr 2012 #87

If you are saying the Babylonian myths could have edhopper Apr 2012 #92

I doubt....... AlbertCat Apr 2012 #88