jeffma@teklabs.UUCP (06/05/83)
Somebody called "mam" at rabbit posted the following vacuous article: "Why does one have to defend one's beliefs. If it is a purely academic defense then what is the use. We do not have to defend our beliefs in morals, not [sic] do we have to defend our belief of what some one [sic] else tells us, ie we do not have to prove the validity of what someone tells us, we simply take it on faith. If you believe in God, then believe in God and be a Christian, but don't feel the need to defend it." From: mam@rabbit.UUCP Unfortunately, mam, the human race didn't pull itself out of the swamp by never questioning its own beliefs. I, for one, would feel far more comfortable if EVERYONE adopted a healthy attitude of self-criticism, rather than get down on all fours and turn off their brains. In that sense I have far more respect for the strongly religious who engage in intellectual discussions on net.religion than I do for those who never bother to think about the basis for their beliefs (or are afraid to). Are we wind-up toys, or are we thinking human beings? How many would prefer to sacrifice the sometimes painful process of critical examination for the impotent bliss of ignorance? Jeff Mayhew Tektronix
mam@rabbit.UUCP (06/14/83)
As usual, someone has misinterpreted an article. Please don't get me wrong. I certainly did not mean not to question your personal beliefs, nor did I mean that one's beliefs could not change over time. What I did mean is that there is no reason on this net or anywhere else to criticize people for what they do or do not believe. Also, there is no reason why people should feel defensive about what they believe. I don't mind discussing what I believe. I do mind being made to feel that I am inferior, silly, stupid, etc. due to what I believe. Part of the problem with religion is that there may not be any rational reason why someone believes what they believe. Therefore, it is hard to talk about that belief in a rational and/or logical way. I remain convinced that this net should be devoted to educational purposes, not to flaming people for their beliefs. Meredith Morris