> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-virus@lucifer.com
> [mailto:owner-virus@lucifer.com]On Behalf
> Of KMO
> Sent: Saturday, March 20, 1999 12:21 PM
> To: virus@lucifer.com
> Subject: virus: UTism
>
>
> carlw wrote:
>
> > Might I suggest that you examine Christianity more
> skeptically than any
> > other religion as you probably have an environmental
> predisposition to
> > accept its ideas? Its fundamental flaws are many, the
> injuries caused to
> > people in its name numerous and its claims to any form of
> uniqueness or
> > authority dubious.
>
> I give my full support to everything you advocate in this paragraph.
> Gee, how nice <laughing - no sarcasm in the intonation>
>
> > The destructive nature of faith has more to do with the
> violence that it
> > does to a person's ability to think rationally and care for
> others without
> > splitting them into "us" and "them" - something which
> "faith" - any faith -
> > seems to do quite well. Religions simply allow you to
> identify the "us" and
> > "them" more easily.
>
> For example "us" - clear thinking rationalists and "them" -
> weekminded,
> superstitious simpletons. UTism is especially insideous when it
> incorporates the immuno-mechanism of claiming not to be faith-based.
I give my qualified support to everything you say and most of what you don't say in this paragraph. The difference is "us" clear thinking rationalists are encourage to query the validity of our UTisms while "them" - weekminded, superstitious simpletons don't have that ability. Not because of their "weekminded, superstitious simpleness" but because it is outside their ability to investigate or they might find evidence for their beliefs - which would "destroy their faith" as much as an eon of discussion by a "clear thinking rationalist" will not. And the faith filled are aware of this even if they don't or can't allow themselves to think about it.
> -KMO
Kind Regards
TheHermit