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From: rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: non-evidence for the non-existence of non-god, and other matters
Message-ID: <348@opus.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Apr-84 03:35:11 EST
Article-I.D.: opus.348
Posted: Tue Apr 10 03:35:11 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 12-Apr-84 04:59:10 EST
References: <643@pucc-h>
Organization: NBI, Boulder
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Replies to a few comments from Jeff Sargent:

>Why is reason, rationality, the BEST, or (as some would say) the only valid
>thing to base one's life on?  This is the underlying assumption (and I claim
>it is an assumption) in many of the articles by the opposition...
Let's distinguish BEST from ONLY.  It isn't the ONLY thing, and it's not
something we (speaking as one of the "opposition") need to evaluate as
BEST.  (Anyway, how do you get "best"?  By a rational analysis and
comparison? :-)  Rationality is demonstrably useful for a large class of
problems - but not the entire universe of problems, mind you.  As far as I
can tell, even the most devout Christians do not regard "irrational" as a
compliment.  It's customary to use rationality as a technique.  It is
common to be irrational.  (Rationally, I shouldn't have a beer - but I want
one.)  But it is common to recognize one's irrationality for what it is.

>...since Scott surrendered to God and atheists don't surrender to anything..
If that was meant to be a cheap shot, it came pretty close.  "Surrender" is
a pretty heavily loaded word.  Would you care to say it a little more
carefully and less emotionally?  (Or did you really mean "surrender" as in
"give oneself up, as to an enemy"?:-)

>...Why wonder
>about other beliefs when we have right here a case history showing that Christ
>is good, and that faith in Christ is good?  Why go looking for something else
>that may or may not work, when Someone who does work is so readily available
>and His handiwork is so plain to see?
This has a lot of holes in it.  First, one case history isn't enough to
make me believe anything - even neutrinos!  (Notice that I said "believe"
and not "accept proof of".)  Second, I've seen case histories of people
badly screwed up by Christianity.  Third, the reasons to go looking for
"something else that may or may not work" are that (a) Christianity may or
may not work, as far as I can see, and (b) Something else may work better.
-- 
"A friend of the devil is a friend of mine."		Dick Dunn
{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd				(303) 444-5710 x3086