BoatShoes;1486174 wrote:If you're doing a sincere philosophical investigation into the issue, sure, it's as good as any place to start as far as I can tell. But how many people who would say "There must be an uncaused cause" are really trying to ground their beliefs? O-Trap and maybe yourself is about it lol.
Most people are like "Obvi there must be a first cause...Clearly the religion that I grew up around is true, Jesus is Lord and He is all knowing, all powerful and omnibenevolent!"
It's true. There aren't nearly enough people asking these questions. To be frank, I think this is one of the reasons for the satire often displayed about religious groups (Christianity being the primary butt of the jokes in the States). Moreover, I think it's the reason we don't see more intelligent discussion about theism (from any side, really) in the realm of academia. At one point in history, Christians at large seemed to value being students of themselves and their world, given the origin of many well-esteemed universities.
However, I think that's the problem that arises when the vast majority within a region or nation believe something to be true for a time. People stop asking questions and challenging it. Those who espouse the belief become lethargic in the philosophical framework that led them there.
I also think that this lethargy can be what leads such people to make asinine statements about other areas of study in which people are more studious ... science being the most common contemporary example (UFOs, birth control, evolution, etc.). You get people that believe not only that X is true, but that X is true in every way they assume it to be true. So when something else comes into play to challenge that, instead of engaging their own view in light of the new ideas, they dismiss said new ideas.
Sometimes, I feel very Professor Farnsworth about the whole thing.
cruiser_96;1486263 wrote:Nah. I doubt there are that many!
Actually, a good number of folks I encounter ask or are asking. One guys start was when he asked himself, "Why something rather than nothing?" And from there he proceeded.
In the end, I guess, I believe we are here (on this earth) to do more than post on OhioChatter. (Sorry, Justin. Negs...on Wednesday.)
But again, whatevs.
It does seem like there are more people asking the questions. Quite honestly, the rise of the assumed epistemological authority of scientism has been good for the logical health of Christianity, and likely for all religions.
