The last few days I have been visiting other blogs, and chats. I’m trying to find ones that are religious and post the problem of evil. By doing that I hope to achieve some insight, or perhaps some answers. I have been thinking about it hard lately. It is somewhat perplexing. I assume that it’s because of my lack of training and understanding about critical thought. Nevertheless, I will keep the process up. I can do it…Its just going to take me a while.
Speaking of my bloging experience; I recently posted some ideas about religion on a web page. This web page was obviously built to attack a certain religion that I happen to support. I provided some argument (I figured that it would be good practice) and my adversary and I battled it out for about six posts. After that he quit responding, and deleted my post so no other viewer could see them. By observation that act was demonstration of fear that his stance had been severely weekend. I asked him why he would not respond and he said, “Because God would be angry with me.” I was irritated at him for a few moments because it was obviously because he was reduced and didn’t like it.
I also have visited a few other pages that post and converse about religion in general and I noticed that they all had one thing in common — Emotion. Many, didn’t think logically about what beliefs they had, nor had they ever questioned their pastor or God. However, the words they wrote were beautiful and very appealing to the emotion of one, yet that very act caused me to think and evaluate the situation that has been occurring with most of the religions in the world. Upon doing so, I remembered the words of the Lord in the book of Isaiah when he spoke of the people in these days being close to him with words, yet their hearts were far from him. It is true, the appealing to emotion and the sever doctrinal manipulations cause the simple in mind to cling and depend on those inviting, yet venomous statements.
To learn and study along with the opportunity to have critical thinking practice, I argued against their ideas…And what a can of worms were opened. It was interesting. Many of my objectors were so emotionally dependant on what they had believed that even if it were in contradiction with the bible or itself, they would not deny it. It is a pity how the mind of men, no matter how logical, remains quite tempestuous.
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February 17, 2007 at 5:46 am
poppies
I would love to discuss the problem of evil with you! I’ve done a huge amount of exploration on the topic, and am always interested in another perspective.
How exactly do you personally define the “problem”?
April 2, 2007 at 6:44 pm
Megan
I seem to get the impression that you are opposed to “emotional thinking”. I think that you need to be cautious in this and not completely rule out emotions. Just as becoming too involved emotionally can cloud one’s perspective, likewise being too “logical” can do the same. Emotions are often what motivate people’s actions, either to do good, or bad. On one side, many have risen up to do good work for society and humanity ie: non-profit organizations, humanitarian work -such as what you are involved in currently. All of these things are based on strong emotional feelings. In the other extreme, numerous prisons are filled with people who have commited “crimes of passion” where their emotions have overtaken them for bad.
So many have built their lives around the religion that they are affiliated with. To destroy their religious beliefs may, in essence destroy them as well. No wonder they became so passionate. You likewise, I’m sure, are strongly emotional about the religion that you support, otherwise you would not have argued religion with this individual.
Of course emotions should be carefully stabilized, but don’t completely rule them out.
thankyou,
Megan
April 4, 2007 at 4:40 am
john
‘Megan,’
Thank you for your comment, however, I don’t quite agree with it. The reason for my disagreement isn’t because I am “opposed” to all emotion; actually I am a proponent of emotion. I think that emotion is good when -logically sustained. An example of this is if a man (M) makes a decision (X) and X is logical and beneficial then M can feel happy, love, joy and excitement for having chosen X. The opposite can be fatal; for example: M chose X because he loves it, enjoys it, it makes him happy, and it excites him, but X ends up killing him because it was selected by some lack of logical and beneficial decision making.
You see emotion, if not supported by knowledge, wisdom, and logic it is dangerous.