http://lifebeforedeath.blogsome.com/2007/12/21/on-the-lack-of-mutual-admiration/ We get only one. Wed, 16 May 2012 21:13:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha http://lifebeforedeath.blogsome.com/2007/12/21/on-the-lack-of-mutual-admiration/#comment-240 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 15:28:43 +0000 http://lifebeforedeath.blogsome.com/2007/12/21/on-the-lack-of-mutual-admiration/#comment-240 I always feel kind of awkward around religious people. Either I pity them as benighted souls in the clutches of unexamined ancestral superstition. Or I pity them as well-educated people who should know better but are apparently slightly nuts. Either way, I feel the need to humour them, and I'm afraid they'll pick up that I secretly scoff at their most cherished (or at least most stridently professed) beliefs. And I can't shake the feeling that "If you guys knew what I'm thinking, you wouldn't like me very much". I always feel kind of awkward around religious people. Either I pity them as benighted souls in the clutches of unexamined ancestral superstition. Or I pity them as well-educated people who should know better but are apparently slightly nuts. Either way, I feel the need to humour them, and I’m afraid they’ll pick up that I secretly scoff at their most cherished (or at least most stridently professed) beliefs. And I can’t shake the feeling that “If you guys knew what I’m thinking, you wouldn’t like me very much”.

]]> http://lifebeforedeath.blogsome.com/2007/12/21/on-the-lack-of-mutual-admiration/#comment-239 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 12:37:08 +0000 http://lifebeforedeath.blogsome.com/2007/12/21/on-the-lack-of-mutual-admiration/#comment-239 I think it can be a positive trait. There is humility to it, you admit to yourself that you can’t know everything, that there are limitations to the human mind. I don’t think the faith have to be a problem in itself, but when you try to combine faith with science. I think it can be a positive trait. There is humility to it, you admit to yourself that you can’t know everything, that there are limitations to the human mind. I don’t think the faith have to be a problem in itself, but when you try to combine faith with science.

]]> http://lifebeforedeath.blogsome.com/2007/12/21/on-the-lack-of-mutual-admiration/#comment-238 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:31:43 +0000 http://lifebeforedeath.blogsome.com/2007/12/21/on-the-lack-of-mutual-admiration/#comment-238 Markus, Unfortunately I've seen a fair few christians who claim to base their faith on reason. But yes, most of them take the whole faith thing very seriously. Unfortunately, that very idea - that one shouldn't look at the evidence - kind of negates the "admirability" of not pretending, for me... Markus, Unfortunately I’ve seen a fair few christians who claim to base their faith on reason. But yes, most of them take the whole faith thing very seriously. Unfortunately, that very idea - that one shouldn’t look at the evidence - kind of negates the “admirability” of not pretending, for me…

]]> http://lifebeforedeath.blogsome.com/2007/12/21/on-the-lack-of-mutual-admiration/#comment-237 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:01:51 +0000 http://lifebeforedeath.blogsome.com/2007/12/21/on-the-lack-of-mutual-admiration/#comment-237 I can think of at least one thing I admire about christians: They do not pretend that their beliefs are based on reason or rationality, but they call their faith a faith. I can think of at least one thing I admire about christians: They do not pretend that their beliefs are based on reason or rationality, but they call their faith a faith.

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