Obama and Religion

[kirisutogomen]

This is the sort of thing dpolicar usually posts, rather than me, but it was my mother who pointed me at it, and I figured people might be interested anyway: Obama and Religion.

Also, I saw the movie Traitor and it was better than I expected. It wasn't precisely the genre the ads had suggested, either, which had something to do with my pleasant surprise.

Comments

[bakedweasels.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...I disagree with Mr. Campos and would suggest he spend some time thinking about why we disagree.

[kirisutogomen.livejournal.com]

You're wrong. Stick them apples in your craw and chew on them for a while.

[bakedweasels.livejournal.com]

If you're serious, I'd say Mr. Campos starts from the viewpoint that I (as an enlightened atheist) expect everything my smart friends believe to be entirely rational. I don't--I can accept that they are sentimentally driven or that there are beliefs they have which they don't want to examine too closely.

For example, I think my daughter is the most wonderful girl in the world. I'm sure that a coldly rational friend of mine could sit down with me and seek to persuade me of the absurdity of that belief. But it wouldn't be a fun or productive conversation.

I just assume that there's some personal experience on the part of my intelligent friends who are religious which has led them to believe in God. Good for them--it's a comforting meme to buy into. I would love to believe in an afterlife if I could.

But Mr. Campos needs to get off his race-losing horse. "Lots of smart people feel this way so other people should accept that it's a legitimate way to feel" isn't all that persuasive as a scientific argument. What would Mr. Campos have said to Copernicus?

[kirisutogomen.livejournal.com]

If you're serious,

I'm not. I just wanted you to talk more. Hey, it worked!

For example, I think my daughter is the most wonderful girl in the world.

You couldn't reasonably have been expected to know this, but as it turns out, my niece is the most wonderful girl in the world. Even if she did call me stupid the other day.