Re: Rationalizing God (to Ian & Dave)
Ralph Nielsen (nielsen@uidaho.edu)
Wed, 14 May 1997 23:32:00 -0700
>>(DAVE 5/14) Ian: This is an interesting discussion and your insight is a
>>fair one - I can't help but wonder if the reciprocal and the opposite to
>>what you have said is also happening - that you are convincing some more
>>than ever that what they believe is legitimate and true, and also that the
>>seed of "doubt" is being planted in some atheists' minds.
>
>SQUIRES
>In general, I think it is much more likely that a person of the "religious"
>mindset would begin to have doubts. Atheists and freethinkers oppose
>censorship and want all kinds of books on the shelf and available to
>people. Many of the religious leaders of the world, both currently and in
>the past, have tried to shelter the minds of their followings from
>"difficult" thoughts or information. I think it's obvious who is more
>likely to lose if everything was opened up. Not that an atheist could not
>have his/her mind changed. However, it seems a lot less likely than the
>other way around.
R. NIELSEN
You're right, Ian. Believers are afraid of new ideas. Open-minded
non-believers welcome new ideas.
I own about 3 dozen translations of the Bible (or just the NT) in various
languages. Many more are available on line and 12" walk to the University
of Idaho Library (where I worked for 30 years). I also have many
commentaries and other books about the Bible.
About ten years ago I was talking with a fundy student in one of the men's
rooms in the library. He had been told that I was an atheist, so he was
flabbergaseted when I urged him to read the Bible more carefully. He
exclaimed, "You're an atheist and you read the Bible?" I replied simply,
"Young man, if you read the Bible carefully you may become an atheist,
too." He walked away scratching his head. For all I know, he may be by now.
Read the Bible carefully.
Ralph