Quote:
Originally Posted by Claeren
hmmm...
I would easily agree atheists can be both individually rational or irrational.
But I am not sure believers in relatively strict doctrine like that of the catholic church can be rational?
People can be spiritual and rational. They can belong to more flexible faith-groups and be rational.
I just don't think it is possible to be rational and strictly religious. In fact if you truly 'believe' then you would have to continue to believe even if it was irrational, correct? 'Belief' is basically defined as believing despite it being irrational to do so. (If it was rational to believe it wouldn't be belief, it would be fact. And if it was rational to believe than it would not take any work to do so, because it would be obvious).
Dogmatic faith like what the (real) catholic church espouses is therefore almost by definition irrational, and if not at any one moment, then in the contradictions created as generations and their individual interpretations mount. If there is one true word of god than their cannot be two words of god, no?
|
You speak as if all people are diligently analytical when it comes to these things, how a Vulcan or a robot would cope with these issues. I'm much the same way, but its almost hypocritical to hold a theist's feet to the flames for being dogmatic when your analysis seems equally inflexible.
Your comments remind me of the conclusion to South Park's All About Mormons:
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Gary
Look, maybe us Mormons do believe in crazy stories that make absolutely no sense, and maybe Joseph Smith did make it all up, but I have a great life. and a great family, and I have the Book of Mormon to thank for that. The truth is, I don't care if Joseph Smith made it all up, because what the church teaches now is loving your family, being nice and helping people. And even though people in this town might think that's stupid, I still choose to believe in it.
|
Now, I realize this current circumstance is hardly "teaching being nice and helping people" but it illustrates my rational theist. In honesty, I agree with 90% of what you say, but that last 10% is unfair.