Re: virus: preference of religion

Dan Plante (danp@CS347838-A.gvcl1.bc.wave.home.com)
Wed, 17 Jun 1998 21:57:06 -0700


At 04:37 PM 6/17/98 -0400, Paul Prestopnik wrote:
>
>While I was reading a recent Time magazine I came across this article,
>which seemed to fit well with our recent discussions.
>Here is an excerpt:

Thanks for the post, Paul.

(snip)

>Yale law professor Stephen Carter calls this "the
>culture of disbelief," the oppressive
>assumption that no one of any learning or sophistication
>could possibly be a religious
>believer--and the social penalties meted out to those
>who nonetheless are.
>
>Any comments?

An interesting brain-fart; it contains two unwarranted,
interdependent assumptions:

1. Unsupported belief is not synonymous with stupidity.
2. Society shouldn't chastise stupidity.

>The article in it's entirety can be found at:
><http://www.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/1998/dom/980615/will_it_be_coffee.
html>

I think I'll pass.

>I personally found the article both refreshing, and depressing at the
>same time. The authors opinion that it is a virtue to have "faith" was
>depressing, but the fact that he felt he was in the minority was
>refreshing.

Someone should tell this "Yale law professor" to stick with the law and
leave philosophy to the grownups.

>Although, I can't say I agree with him on either account.

Same here. Consider him chastised for being stupid.

>-Paul Prestopnik

Dan