pine apple lime: bookofcowardice: The philosophers say “Oh I can only ask questions,…
- The philosophers say “Oh I can only ask questions, not give answers”
- The writers say “Oh I can only ask questions, not give answers”
- The artists say “Art can only ask questions, not give answers”
Someone needs to be answering these existential questions!
Science…
If you’re really going to throw a good argument against Christianity at me, than you would know that the weakness is not in our mental capacities (although I’m sure this would follow in your own line of thinking), our primary weakness is in our deep emotional need for comfort from the realities of life. We want to assign life a purpose because our hearts can’t bear the burden of accepting that life is purposeless. Now, I’m NOT going to break down all the cosmological arguments and logical proofs for Christianity, because you are already so disdainful in your own position and you will not be willing to listen. (although if you would ever sincerely like to talk, I’m completely willing) I would like to say though, that what you pointed out is actually one of the reasons I became a Christian. Blaise Pascal, a great scientist and theologian, said that all of man was born with a “God shaped hole.” But I don’t agree that it is within mans prideful nature to want to submit to a deity, therefore I don’t think he is capable of creating one, even to comfort his soul in the harsh truth that life is devoid of meaning.
Also, if you ARE an existentialist (as I’m assuming you are) then stop being so wishy washy in your responses. Don’t tell me that you’re glad i’ve “found comfort,” and then follow that sentence with how intelligently wistful you are for my bright future of enlightened thinking.
It’s not an argument against Christianity, it’s an argument against your filling in of every answer with ‘God’. Writing off science and logic because they have no final absolute or conclusive answer and then choosing the blanket of ‘Because God Says So’ because of it’s comfort, it is close minded.
No, it’s not that I think it’s physically impossible for us to comprehend, as in, I don’t think there are any mental limits that have been reached by humans. I’m in the same line of thinking as you, that people need that emotional solace. You are correct, we all have that need to know why we live life, why we go through all the good and the bad. I just don’t come to the same conclusion as you, that’s all.
And I don’t need/want/expect you to have explained all the reasons you believe in the things you believe in, it doesn’t affect me in any way. However, I disagree with a small part, it IS “within mans prideful nature to want to submit”. Human’s have been doing it for thousands and thousands of centuries. To deities, to other humans, to society. Everywhere, everyday people willingly submit to a huge number of things.
I’m afraid you’ve assumed a lot about me and my intent in replying to your post. The tone and superiority of your post hit me right on the I-really-really-really-want-to-reply-to-that nerve, and I felt the need to address it in my own small way. I’m not against Christianity, I was born into a Catholic family and understand a lot about that particular branch of religion. I know that Jesus was a great dude, he taught a lot of people important lessons. He himself was a great man but it’s all the surrounding concepts that I can’t seem to grasp, i.e. The Bible, God, Organised Religion.
I’m not an existentialist (had to google it!) I’m not under any specific label other than human.
I wasn’t purposely being wishywashy but it might have come across that way as I was trying to be logical, rational and non-personal. But I am glad you have that comfort, I nearly typed “Ignorance is bliss” in the first post but tried to re-word it so it wasn’t offensive, apparently I didn’t succeed. I am glad in the same way I’m happy for a child who finds comfort in the warm glow of a night light.
