The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > Article Comments > Monuments to 'Reason': De Botton's temple exercise > Comments

Monuments to 'Reason': De Botton's temple exercise : Comments

By Binoy Kampmark, published 21/2/2012

Secularism has a habit of aping religion in a self-destructive way.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. All
"Democracy, after all, is one of the greatest faiths imaginable, precisely because it is an imperfect instrument of the will, evidence in something that is never entirely realisable."
Why does the author believe that an aim requires faith? What is "an imperfect instrument of the will"?
Just because some aim is difficult to achieve doesn't mean the aim requires faith, except maybe the faith that co-operation makes more sense that competition as it did when our forefathers were hunters. That was the case for about 99% of the time that intelligent upright walking homo species have existed.
Democracy is based on the fact that there is no evidence that that parenthood gives anyone the right or the ability to rule and that all individuals are deserving of equal opportunity.
Dawkins is right. Secularism should spend any money it can raise teaching the next generation to avoid dogma and to think clearly.
Posted by Foyle, Tuesday, 21 February 2012 9:56:52 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Runner
Please do some reading on the geology of the earth. Competent scientists knew 200 years ago that the earth was millions of years old and there was progressive development of species over exceeding long periods. Darwin mainly defined the mechanisms of evolution and he formed his theory long before mutations were known. Mutation has now been incorporated in the proven theory of evolution that underlies the major improvement our longevity.
Coal in the Sydney basis was accumulated from vegetation over a period of 30-40 million years some 300m years ago. You sit at your computer which is based on science and fail to realise that the Theory of Evolution is a well accepted by real scientists as the theory of magnetism and electricity which drives your computer and mobile phone.
Posted by Foyle, Tuesday, 21 February 2012 10:06:06 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
"expose the adamic nature and we can't have that can we."
Posted by runner, Tuesday, 21 February 2012 9:43:59 AM

No, no, no! Let's just stick with the eve-ic nature! apple anyone?
Posted by McReal, Tuesday, 21 February 2012 10:07:53 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Foyle

You are finally getting somewhere. You write

'You sit at your computer which is based on science and fail to realise that the Theory of Evolution'

And to try and convince anyone that my computer was not designed would be as idiotic as convincing anyone the earth was not designed. Try applying a little logic which is hard for evolutionist blinded by dogma.
Posted by runner, Tuesday, 21 February 2012 10:15:49 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Why should atheists be upset about de Botton building this temple?

Why shouldn’t he?

After all, if atheism is true, doing one thing is just as “good”, “bad”, or “meaningless” as doing anything else.

De Botton has no responsibility to “improve secular education and build non-religious schools which teach rational, sceptical and critical thinking” – he has no responsibility to do anything at all. Just like everyone has no responsibility to do anything at all.

Why don’t you atheists get consistent – if there is no God then everyone is morally free to do whatever they want.

Leave the poor fellow alone.
Posted by JP, Tuesday, 21 February 2012 10:26:27 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
"everyone is morally free to do whatever they want."
Posted by JP, Tuesday, 21 February 2012 10:26:27 AM

No they're not. They're bound by societies norms & mores.
Posted by McReal, Tuesday, 21 February 2012 10:54:40 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy