barry@ames.UUCP (Kenn Barry) (02/20/85)
> I would like to know why a lot of people believe in a deity or in the super- > natural. Is it because ... > [A] your parents or relatives or pastors or friends have always > believed? > [B] you have experienced a miracle or some other supernatural > event? > [C] you have studied {whatever..you fill in this space} extensively > and have concluded from your studies that this is so? > [D] you have thought about it for a while and have concluded that > there are such things? > [E] you just believe in them without any reason? > [F] {you fill in this space if you do not see your situation above} I would say my answer is partly [D], but mostly [F]. Actually, I'm agnostic when it comes to the common conceptions of deity. What I call "god" has nothing supernatural about it, it's just a way of conceptualizing the whole of the universe; a reification of the concept of the connectedness of all things, if you like. Most of the materialists I've known consider my belief religious, but most religious people seem to think it non-theistic. The only statement of religious belief I've run across with which I can completely agree comes from Sitting Bull, of all people: "There is more.". - From the Crow's Nest - Kenn Barry NASA-Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- USENET: {ihnp4,vortex,dual,hao,menlo70,hplabs}!ames!barry