A reasoned faith
As a person of faith, I'm required to believe a number of things that cannot be proven: the existence of God, for instance.
But I believe that I have good reasons for what I believe. What amazes me are the number of people who believe absolute hogwash, stuff that can be disproven time and time again. The existence of ghosts, for example, or that space aliens are among us, or that John Edward can hear the dead mutter, or that some people can read minds or see the future, or that astrology works, or that homeopathy is sound medicine, or that evolution is a crock.
The list of bushwa is seemingly endless.
But I think that science and religion, and reason and faith, do not have to contradict one another. That's why I read Skeptic magazine ( http://skeptic.com/) and a journal called Skeptical Inquirer ( http://www.csicop.org/si/) These two periodicals do a fine job of weeding out the outrageous claims of those on late-night infomercials and other quacks.
Admittedly, some of the stuff found in these works can be a challenge to believers, since some bigtime skeptics allow their arrogance to get in the way, and seem to throw the baby of religion out with the bathwater of pseudoscience.
But most of the authors seem to have respect for those people of faith who also embrace science. So good for them.
But I believe that I have good reasons for what I believe. What amazes me are the number of people who believe absolute hogwash, stuff that can be disproven time and time again. The existence of ghosts, for example, or that space aliens are among us, or that John Edward can hear the dead mutter, or that some people can read minds or see the future, or that astrology works, or that homeopathy is sound medicine, or that evolution is a crock.
The list of bushwa is seemingly endless.
But I think that science and religion, and reason and faith, do not have to contradict one another. That's why I read Skeptic magazine ( http://skeptic.com/) and a journal called Skeptical Inquirer ( http://www.csicop.org/si/) These two periodicals do a fine job of weeding out the outrageous claims of those on late-night infomercials and other quacks.
Admittedly, some of the stuff found in these works can be a challenge to believers, since some bigtime skeptics allow their arrogance to get in the way, and seem to throw the baby of religion out with the bathwater of pseudoscience.
But most of the authors seem to have respect for those people of faith who also embrace science. So good for them.
posted by Michael Riley at 1:30 PM
3 Comments:
Do you believe in the miracles that are recorded in the Old and New Testaments? Do you believe in the Virgin Birth?
I think a lot is mythological,exaggerated oral family histories with a "grain" of truth..like most things, until you experience something (mystical,religious/spiritual,other-worldly..or whatever seems outside "your norm" parameters) first-hand, then there will always be skeptics or non-believers..this is not to say these things/occurrences do/did not exist, only that they may not be perceived as such without proof.
maybe Jesus was the David Blaine,Criss Angel, Houdini "illusionist", ultimate circus freak showman of his day..
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