Posted by fachad on October 16, 2002, at 14:52:41
In reply to Lou's response to Liz's post » jamesdean, posted by Lou Pilder on October 16, 2002, at 8:57:12
>>Could you give an example of a thought that you deem as "rational" and why that thought is "superior to faith"?
Lou,
I will take a crack at that for you.
One example would be when we talk about the nature of the solar system.
Galaleo looked through his telescope and saw the moons of Jupiter. He observed their movement relative to the planet and reasoned to the conclusion that they were revolving around Jupiter.
The Catholic Church knew that their faith told them that the Earth was the center of the universe, that God had created it for man, and that everything revolved around the Earth.
They refused to even look through the telescope, because they KNEW, by faith, the nature of the universe. The tortured Galaleo until he recanted, but he muttered under his breath, "they still move!".
Now today we know from modern astronomy and fly by photographs that Galaleo was right, and the "infallable" Holy Catholic Church was DEAD WRONG! And the history of science is filled with simialr examples, where faith was WAY OFF, and empirical observation, integrated by reason, has been correct.
It is in this sense that I say with confidence that reason is superior to faith.
> Liz,
> I am delighted to read your post. You stated that , "I believe rational thought to be superior to faith."
> Could you give an example of a thought that you deem as "rational" and why that thought is "superior to faith"? If you could do that, then I will be able to discuss it with you and, perhaps, our discussion will be of some enlightenment to those that are reading this thread.
> Best regards,
> Lou
poster:fachad
thread:1086
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20021001/msgs/1101.html