I was just thinking how easy it is to take our habitual ideas for granted, especially when every one else takes the same view.
Here are some to get started.
1) How do I know what I want, when I haven’t yet got it? Not having it, I cannot have an accurate idea about it. How much of life is spent (wasted?) in this uncertainty?
2) How do I know when something is doing me good, if the benefit does not occur immediately? For example, I go to a doctor or other kind of healer, who prescribes a course of treatment, and warns me it may be weeks or months before I get better. So I do get better. But how do I know I would not have got better without the treatment? (I accept that in some cases I would probably know.)
In the same way, how can I know that my prayer works, or what God thinks, etc etc?
1. Start with an idea of what you want and refine it as you go. Like designing a house. Make sure there are enough bathrooms and leave room for a pool in the back yard.
ReplyDelete2. Scientific method. Did you get any results? Are they repeatable?
If there is such a divine being, don't you think he would be more inscrutable than that? Less transparent?
Thanks a bunch, Rev. I desperately wanted to keep these questions mysterious and unanswerable. Now I shall have to find some new and more inscrutable questions.
ReplyDeleteI was just anthropomorphizing. If I were a divine being I would devise little traps to keep people from scrying out my true nature. Just to keep the whole mystery thing going. I suspect that I would have the temper of Odin and the sense of humor of Loki. And a cool accent like Patrick Stewart.
ReplyDeleteAs a divine being I might just BE Patrick Stewart. In fact, Patrick Stewart might be divine.
ReplyDeleteOh Lord, Doug's here. Now we'll get to the bottom of things.
ReplyDeleteI just hope the Divine Being is nothing like Professor Richard Dawkins, whose new book, The Magic of Reality stands proud in the bookshop to educate the child eager for magic.
ReplyDeleteTurns out it's all about science, with fanciful pictures to make you think it's about myths and--fanciful stuff.
I have taken a vow not to diss anybody or their ideas.
So have nothing further to say on his book.
I like a good fantasy as much as the next person. But I suspect that this recent re-emergence and wild popularity of the whole magic/vampires/zombies thing bodes ill on our society in general. I imagine that organized religion is getting a boost as well. It looks like we are retreating from reality because our world is getting ugly again. Look at how science fiction grew during the world wars.
ReplyDelete@Vincent: Well with Richard Dawkins behind it, I wouldn't exactly crack the cover expecting a celebration of myth and fantasy. That would kind of be like opening Mein Kampf expecting to find a deep appreciation of Jewish culture. I do like Dawkins, but I find some of his atheist arguments to be a bit superficial and unimpressive. A smart man, but not a particularly deep one. But maybe that's unfair to say.
ReplyDeleteI went to check the book out on Amazon (my third trip there this morning), and I don't think it's something I'd buy. There's an almost groan-inducing quality about the concept, like it's aimed at kids. I DO find science to be awe-inspiring and "magical" at times, but I can't stand books or shows that spoon feed this fact to the laymen. There's something ingratiating and patronizing about it at the same time, like when church youth groups have guest rock bands so that Christianity will seem hip and cool to the youngsters.
ReplyDeletePlus, there's something kind of smug and yet desperate about it too, like Dawkins is saying, "See, you don't need Jesus, 'cause...like...the stars are really...pretty...and stuff. Oh, forget it. I got nothing."
ReplyDeleteOh good, I can keep my vow, then.
ReplyDeleteSomebody is always willing to whore themselves out for a buck. If I had thought of it, I would have done it.
ReplyDelete"In the same way, how can I know that my prayer works, or what God thinks, etc etc?"
ReplyDeleteGenerally, in my experience, I know my prayer works whenever that elderly lady crossing the street with a bag of groceries, trips over a nonexistent hole in the sidewalk, spills her wares and goods, and then gets the aid of a random street punk with a green mohawk and cut up blue jeans to assist her. This also, strangely enough, gives a true sign to what God also thinks.