From: Kenneth Van Oost (kennethvanoost@belgacom.net)
Date: Thu 02 Feb 2006 - 20:23:15 GMT
<< I 've tried to post this several times, hope it works now !!
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Kenneth Van Oost <kennethvanoost@belgacom.net>
> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
> Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2006 9:18 PM
> Subject: Re: Religion and evidence/ for Kate
>
>
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Kate Distin <memes@distin.co.uk>
> > > I was not brought up as a Christian.
> > > I lived as an atheist for a decade.
> > > My children know that other people have other faiths, and none.
> > > I'm sorry that my Christianity makes you so angry. I think you and I
> > > have to agree to differ about this one. I can't see any point in
> > > debating it further with you.
> >
> > << First, I am not angry, far from it ! He, this is a discussion forum,
so
> > when
> > hard words has to fall- on the other hand though, I 'm surprised about
> your
> > reaction ! As it was I attacked you personaly, it was just my way to
show
> > how
> > difficult, how sometimes impossible it will be to learn kids another
view
> > about
> > life/ culture/ society than the one they were brought up in.
> >
> > You have to realize that each ideology will try to persuade/ convert as
> much
> > people as possible that its views are the right ones and it will try to
> > squeeze
> > society into its convictions_ so in a way, even how hard you will try to
> > learn
> > your children that indeed other convictions exist and that people live
by
> > its
> > rules, your children will take their learned philosophy into society and
> > change
> > it accordingly.
> >
> > The problem I got with it all is that you start from the presupposition
> that
> > the
> > human is a social being and not from the modern conviction that he is
from
> > his
> > bias up a pure and simple individual. We ought to say within the context
> > that
> > religion has to become more than ever, a private matter.
> > And that is just what happened_ modern times sees religion, and its
annex
> > ' weltanschauung ' as a pure private character. But one conception
will
> > try
> > to) escape(s) from the commend of the private, and that is the belief in
> the
> > in-
> > dividual and the personal character of religious and ideological ideas.
> > And thus, what else can it be, religion places itself within a
privileged
> > position,
> > one that wants to be general and common. She, religion, justifies this
> > exception
> > by declaring that she is the (only) condition by which a society of free
> > individuals
> > will/ can be possible.
> > And that isn 't true !
> >
> > We don 't need religion or any other ' belief ' to form ' community ' !
> > It is not so that when all individuals pursue their own personal
interest
> > that they
> > act egoistic, what they do_ being altruistic, helping people, giving to
> > charity_ or
> > not, helps the builiding of society. Humans do NOT act like they were
homo
> > homini lupus !! People loose themselves within to help others and endure
> the
> > pain of their losses. We don 't need the or any co- ordination ( of
> > religion) to
> > act in that way ! We do not longer trust religion, or politics_ any
system
> > that
> > brings out ' community ', just because as the individuals we are_ we
have
> > even
> > privatized our sense of ( giving) trust_ we keep it for those
> relationships
> > we see
> > as worthwhile, and no longer for society/ politics, let stand alone
> religion
> > !!
> >
> > The main difficulty for many as for you and for your kids I presume is
> that
> > you
> > can 't suppose that we deal here with individuals/ individuality and
that
> > then
> > politics/ the social shows itself as a problem wherefor only a quasi-
> > religious
> > solution is the answer.
> > Modernity should correct this and then, I hope the social/ political
> > dimension
> > will be, once again, a natural fact of being human !
> > Being religious is not !
> > Where society/ politics or culture for that matter should provide the
> > answers
> > for the todays problems where we all faced with, we search into a
> dimension
> > which is not part of this world. Transcedention is NOT the answer !!!
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Kenneth
> >
> >
> >
>
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