Whilst reading Philip K. Dick's somewhat odd, yet fascinating essay How to Build a Universe That Doesn't Fall Apart Two Days, I came across this great quote:
Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.He says it's the best definition he can come up with, and I have to say I can't think of any better. It explains nicely how religion has (in general) moved away from trying to assert its authority by making grand claims about the physical state of the world, and has instead focused on ethical issues such as homosexuality - the world isn't going to go away, it's going to come and bite you in the ass if you believe stupid things about it. However, ethics are simply a human construct, and as such there is no absolute 'reality' that can turn up and show statements to be obviously wrong (You can show the claimed foundations of the ethical structure are wrong, but that's a different story).
3 comments:
That's an awesome quote. I've gotta steal it!
I think that there is something beyond life, and it is something that cannot be explained based on official evidence. And you either believe in it or not.
That blankey-blank Catholic Church. Why can't they change their belief and just go away?
Thinking people are often shielded from information other than the carping of non-believers.
Back in 1883 Edwin Abbott wrote 'Flatland'. He uses it to give an understanding of contiguous geometric worlds, each existing at a higher level of dimensions. Today 'Techie Worlds' is available. Written for people with a mechanistic understanding of our world, it looks at ridiculous Christian teachings, such as Trinity, soul, resurrection and judgment. In so doing, 'Techie Worlds' follows science's lead in examining phenomena in the light of theory. Contiguous dimensional worlds provide a logical, mechanical explanation for those phenomena.
So an intelligent, intellectually honest and open-minded person has excellent reason to hold religious views. In the light of Pascal's wager, people would be foolish to deny the Christian teaching of love or to hold Moslem or pagan beliefs.
'Techie Worlds, Visible & Invisible' is available from amazon.com. It completely reformats all discussions about God and where He is.
GeorgeRic
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