Comment by Angela Evangelia on March 19, 2013 at 6:03pm

 

@onyango - That question makes my head thump

@archaeopteryx - I dont think that committing murder is innate in humans and the dog shakes the water off to make itself comfortable.

People have superstitions because it makes them feel comfortable. If someone wants to throw salt over their shoulder because it makes them feel comfortable, so whar if it does no harm...

Im not sure that wanting to kill someone and having superstitions come from the same part of the brain.

If anything I would say that humans have an innate aversion to killing people.

 

Comment by Jorita on March 19, 2013 at 6:06pm

I think the problem is that they don't read history, That history for the religious only goes as far as the biblical history, I read some of the professors other posts and I honestly try and understand what it is that he whants to gain from this blog. And I don't mean this in a bad way. I honestly wonder if he is questioning his own faith by the things he writes. Would he not get more "understanding" on a catholic blog. He is not going to be changing my mind on the way I view faith, and he can start a million discussions it is going to make no difference to me, the only person this can make a difference to is to him. Not one of his discussions has made me think that what I know is wrong or question what I think is wrong, it actualy just makes it so much more clearer that for me to have turned my back on religion was the right desicion. 

Comment by Jorita on March 19, 2013 at 6:27pm

Segacious Hawk: " Baptism rids a person of original sin" In all cultures you have cleansing rituals, and baptism is just another one. In all of the cultures that I have looked at they use water to wash the unclenliness away. This is used for different reasons and in the bible you have this if a woman had her period, after she gave birth after you touched a corps ect. This is also very strong in African culture. The baptism is the ritual of cleansing the persons soul. But no less a man made ritual. To please a supernatural being.

Comment by Professor Robert on March 19, 2013 at 6:32pm

@Strega: "How many Catholics believe in the Garden of Eden story as fact, and that Earth was Created less than ten thousand years ago?"

I couldn't tell you, but I hope not many.  One of the advantages of having a hierarchical organization is that hopefully there's someone around to correct misconceptions like that before they get taught too widely.  That's an advantage we have over our fundamentalist friends.

I'm not sure why you would think the concept of Original Sin would be affected in any way by a non-literal reading of Genesis. 

Comment by Angela Evangelia on March 19, 2013 at 6:32pm

 

I enjoy the religious perspective because understanding it gives me much more tolerance and the Christians here seem to be very nice. I think that there is need for religious or spiritual belief, including the superstitions that go with them. Humans just need it.

I think we could all maybe put the history books down and start picking up Freud. Thats when things start to really make sense.

Comment by Professor Robert on March 19, 2013 at 6:42pm

@Jorita, I would never come to try to change your mind.  In fact, I had bowed out of these forums because of your comment in the second pope thread about how you were frustrated by theists who came here.  I very much want to respect your desire for space, and I'm not looking for converts.  Nor do I have any reservations or doubts about my own faith.

We professorial types just enjoy engaging with ideas, is all.   Our own and everyone else's.  If that helps you strengthen yours or helps me question mine, then both of those are good things.  When I blundered here by accident I confess I was a bit taken aback by the monoculture and some of the hurtfulness directed toward those with whom people disagree; it felt a bit too prejudicial and tribal, which I don't frequently encounter in atheist colleagues.   I suppose that's why I chose to comment initially. 

In any event, I am a guest only, and one that doesn't have a huge amount of time to contribute on a long-term basis.  If at any point I am unwelcome, just let me know.

Comment by archaeopteryx on March 19, 2013 at 6:48pm

@Angela - RE: "Im not sure that wanting to kill someone and having superstitions come from the same part of the brain." - I didn't say it did, is it relevant which part of the brain it comes from? And using the word, "murder," when I used the word, "killing" puts an entirely different negative spin on what I said.

RE: "If anything I would say that humans have an innate aversion to killing people." - how were your grades in World History?

RE: "People have superstitions because it makes them feel comfortable." - Translation: "People think irrationally because it makes them feel comfortable." - let's keep it real.

Comment by Professor Robert on March 19, 2013 at 6:49pm

Hmm... can't edit.  I was only going to add that as a guest, I would never comment on a thread like the "Seeking" thread, where someone was very clearly asking for guidance from this community.  I only feel it appropriate to comment where people seem to be asking things a theist might provide insights on.

Comment by Jorita on March 19, 2013 at 6:56pm

Professor Robert you are free to talk on this blog, but I do think that you do understand that not everybody is going to agree with you, and that you will find that some of us and I can only speak for myself do at times get anoyed with your logic and way of thinking. It does however not mean that I don't find the discussions interesting. So bare in mind that I am the only Atheist in my home, living with 3 other adult christians, from different faiths. So you my friend might end up getting the sharp end of the stick , nothing personal.

Comment by archaeopteryx on March 19, 2013 at 7:03pm

@Angela - RE: "I think that there is need for religious or spiritual belief, including the superstitions that go with them. Humans just need it."

It likely won't surprise you that I don't agree - I believe Humans have lived with superstition for so many millennia, that many, and it would seem yourself included, are afraid to set it aside and walk away. I don't believe we NEED it at all - why would we need irrational thinking?

@Bob - frankly, as I've mentioned before, I appreciate your insight, even though I might not agree with you. I will also say that of all of the Bibles I've used in my research, the Catholic Bible - The New American Bible - is by far the most forthcoming when it comes to pointing out biblical foibles - throughout Genesis, for example, when camels are mentioned, there are always footnotes informing the reader that camels weren't domesticated until nearly a thousand years after the era of Abe, Ike and Jake/Issie. It also delves deeply into Wellhausen's Documentary Hypothesis and confirms that Moses did not write the Pentateuch/Torah. That kind of honesty is refreshing.

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