tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post8253800630810363674..comments2024-03-26T15:30:39.733-07:00Comments on Rainy Day Thoughts: Faith vs. reason. Does it have to be in conflict?Rain Trueaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07994628226501093880noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-26831459965065778232010-12-08T21:22:57.577-08:002010-12-08T21:22:57.577-08:00I like to believe that faith and reason aren't...I like to believe that faith and reason aren't either/or words.Fran aka Redondowriterhttp://redondowriter.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-35347615966109329282010-12-07T09:31:40.462-08:002010-12-07T09:31:40.462-08:00Thanks for that thought, June. A river that is slu...Thanks for that thought, June. A river that is sluggish doesn't have the power to do mighty things. I wasn't thinking so much about old people but about a nation that wants to extend itself but has lost the will to do any of the tough things. It can then just kind of slip along before it's swallowed up. It's more polluted and less inviting to sit on its banks when its a river and when it's a nation, I think it leads to things like manufacturing being shipped overseas and a populace without a clue how to protect themselves. I do see it as sad and not necessary for the river either as some of this happens because its energy has been sucked off for other uses-- which might or might not be good ones.Rain Trueaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994628226501093880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-5654389765364304392010-12-06T15:37:51.107-08:002010-12-06T15:37:51.107-08:00It's a big topic to undertake and should be in...It's a big topic to undertake and should be interesting for yourself and your readers. I'm not sure what you're saying in your last paragraph here. Do you value the river only where it is fast running and apparently full of power more than where it is serene and flowing quietly? And where does education come into that? Since I don't follow the thought process here I think I'll have to return to your blog as your exploration unfolds.June Calenderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00265808476144632255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-76133827775337111642010-12-05T17:12:29.135-08:002010-12-05T17:12:29.135-08:00I like that 'faith' and 'trust' as...I like that 'faith' and 'trust' as a way to look at this. It's a good way to think about it.Rain Trueaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994628226501093880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-13022704314363925972010-12-05T16:35:13.704-08:002010-12-05T16:35:13.704-08:00Dear Rain, I keep re-reading this post, once again...Dear Rain, I keep re-reading this post, once again delighted at the depth with which you ask and examine the difficult questions. I look forward to the series.mandthttp://adgitadiaries.blog-city.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-31928521610716984442010-12-05T11:51:21.453-08:002010-12-05T11:51:21.453-08:00Last month in Corvallis we had a debate between a ...Last month in Corvallis we had a debate between a theologian and a professor discussing if Atheists had "faith". The assertion being that non-believers had faith that there was no god.<br /><br />Rarely does a divide between believers and non-believers ever result in such a slam-dunk for Atheists. The theologian brought into question how one can really "know" anything, even resorting at one point that we couldn't prove that the world was created 5 minutes ago, or infinite possible time periods ago, and the memories of the past are merely "planted" in our brains. <br /><br />Ah, but just like your wonderful analogy about falling off a cliff, we can prove that the universe was created at a specific time: 13.7b billion years ago, in fact.<br /><br />The argument by the theologian lumped "faith" and "trust" together as the same thing. They are not - faith is based on nothing, whereas trust is built over time with experience and knowledge.<br /><br />The frustration of stepping down from the contemplation of this philosophy into the mud of politics in this country is sobering. The issues that drive political discourse, mostly based on the ability to make money at it's core, is so superficial in the grand scope of human life. Posturing and egos and being "right", protecting self-interest, take precedence over seeing how benefiting one's neighbor benefits us all. Such little tiny minds! It is so sad.Robert the Skeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-80989560709551807892010-12-05T08:02:10.148-08:002010-12-05T08:02:10.148-08:00For an example of the illogic of our government (a...For an example of the illogic of our government (and the people who support the right wing in particular), one need look no further than the current 'negotiations' over unemployment benefits and upping the tax brackets over $250,000 by 3% or less impacting only the top 2% of earners and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/opinion/05rich.html?hp" rel="nofollow">Frank Rich again nails it</a>. <br /><br />On the side of the left and illogic would be refusal to use <b>reconciliation</b> and follow in the path of the Republicans who passed those tax cuts the first time without a budget for them and through reconciliation. It could be done again as the Democrats in the Senate do have over 50% but they also evidently have a lack of cojones. Yes, I am mad at them too, but I wonder if Obama suddenly found his courage if he'd deliver some to them also. Here's the thing-- if he continues as he is, hoping he'll win reelection this way, he's wrong. He'll never get the vote of the right wing, no matter what he does, and at this rate, he'll be lucky to get it from many Democrats.Rain Trueaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994628226501093880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-82766676592322698222010-12-05T07:21:39.677-08:002010-12-05T07:21:39.677-08:00And logic and reason will take you only so far!And logic and reason will take you only so far!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-47379439749475627592010-12-04T19:46:46.642-08:002010-12-04T19:46:46.642-08:00I'm looking forward to the discussion.I'm looking forward to the discussion.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03204625068309822016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-83028364238941933482010-12-04T17:24:54.664-08:002010-12-04T17:24:54.664-08:00It's important to keep in mind that logic with...It's important to keep in mind that logic within a closed system is perfect philosophy and that what is real is not necessarily true.mandthttp://adgitadiaries.blog-city.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-2214884283261540372010-12-04T11:28:14.603-08:002010-12-04T11:28:14.603-08:00I'm really looking forward to this series. I ...I'm really looking forward to this series. I think logic and reason are important are two things that are essential. Then again, sometimes those things don't work (and they seem to have left the halls of Congress) and you have to go with blind faith, your gut, or whatever God you accept, if any.)<br /><br />And I love your river photos!!!Kay Dennisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02646717192332313215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-64876859225977112482010-12-04T09:09:01.285-08:002010-12-04T09:09:01.285-08:00It amazes me how easily concrete fact and logical ...It amazes me how easily concrete fact and logical thinking can be swept aside by fake logical mechanisms of otherwise intelligent people.Diane Widler Wenzelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05270246393901276648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-46100033813100087222010-12-04T06:16:30.731-08:002010-12-04T06:16:30.731-08:00Rain you should see the Chattooga River on the Sou...Rain you should see the Chattooga River on the South Carolina-Georgia border made famous in "Deliverance".Paulhttp://ShadowofDiogenes.blogs.com/shadow/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-1890919860560663972010-12-04T04:37:40.491-08:002010-12-04T04:37:40.491-08:00I'm looking forward to this. I took the opport...I'm looking forward to this. I took the opportunity to take a class on "The Nature of Knowledge and Belief" in college and feel that I really got a lot from it that I use to this day.HMBabbhttp://hmbabb.net/myblog/noreply@blogger.com