A thought for the day… (Page 3): Honestly, I am completely baffled as to how this has become a religious discussion.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

MosheR wrote:

Just signing in to this to see where it goes. My loved one tells me to keep my big trap shut.

Honestly, I am completely baffled as to how this has become a religious discussion.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

TriX wrote:

…

Carl Sagan was a brilliant scientist and astronomer who was gifted with the skills to communicate the wonders of our world in a way that was understandable to the layman. And everything he says about the scientific method is accurate in that it reveals the truth in these matters. But this statement is arrogant, intolerant and condescending and belies the point he is trying to make. Sagan was an atheist which may explain why he seeks to find perfection in science itself and laments the fallibilities of humanity instead of conceding that perfection lies with God himself who created all that he admires. Sadly, not a Christmas message.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

TriX wrote:

…

Do note, Darwin was a Christian! Many well known scientists have been religious or at least people of faith. Not that, that makes any difference to me. I follow the scientific method and logic. Science and faith are not mutually exclusive.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Reuss Griffiths wrote:

Carl Sagan was a brilliant scientist and astronome... (show quote)

You’ve posted this twice now, so I think we understand your opinion. The fact that Sagan was an atheist has NOTHING to do with whether one believes in science and the scientific method, which is what this post was intended to discuss.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

TriX wrote:

You’ve posted this twice now, so I think we understand your opinion. The fact that Sagan was an atheist has NOTHING to do with whether one believes in science and the scientific method, which is what this post was intended to discuss.

Sorry, hit the wrong button.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

TriX wrote:

Honestly, I am completely baffled as to how this has become a religious discussion.

You have lots of company, TRIX!!
Mark

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

gvarner wrote:

To each his own. The faithful have to find perfection in their beliefs in order to validate those beliefs since any deviation would imply that their beliefs can be questioned. Science is not a belief system, it’s a method of thinking and developing explanations for the phenomena we experience around us. I’m an atheist but I don’t begrudge the faithful believing what they believe. I do begrudge their proselytizing though.

Please note, my comments are only in regard to Carl Sagan, who I admired. It's not about evolution or the scientific method or science in general or atheism. I just don't think this comment by Sagan serves his legacy well.

Bmarsh Loc: Bellaire, MI

13 wrote:

Attic!

Another Lib waiting to be offended.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Reuss Griffiths wrote:

Please note, my comments are only in regard to Carl Sagan, who I admired. It's not about evolution or the scientific method or science in general or atheism. I just don't think this comment by Sagan serves his legacy well.

I think this comment IS his legacy.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

MosheR wrote:

Just signing in to this to see where it goes. My loved one tells me to keep my big trap shut.

As this reflects on me, I believe that Ron White once said in regard to putting his foot in his mouth. "I have the capability to keep my mouth shut, just not the ability." Also today as far as this has gone, I've opened my mouth just long enough to switch feet.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

TriX wrote:

Why? Not political or religious in any way. br br... (show quote)

I have a neighbor who is a flat-earther, never-was-a-moon-landing person.

The tendency of a quarter of our population to deny that math, science, and logic actually work is a sad state of affairs. Ostrich syndrome could easily lead to the death of humanity.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

TriX wrote:

Honestly, I am completely baffled as to how this has become a religious discussion.

Fundamentalists have long denied the viability of science as a discipline. It interferes with the illogic of their literal faith.

Sadly, some people are emotionally incapable of understanding the literary use of simile, metaphor, and allegory to make points in religious texts. Their fears will inevitably cause them to rebel against that which opposes anything but a literal interpretation of scriptures. This syndrome affects nearly all established religions. People like Carl Sagan are known as pariahs within/among those communities.

Granddad Loc: UK

Good one.

lesdmd Loc: Middleton Wi via N.Y.C. & Cleveland

[quote=Bmarsh]Another Lib waiting to be offended.[/

The comments have been opinionated, but this one is close minded.
Why would you presume the poster’s politics with his one word response?
Several possibilities:
1. The poster feared the conversation would be dominated by narrow-minded people and would become vitriolic.
2. The poster was concerned that some people with strong religious convictions would be offended by the quote.
3. The poster sincerely felt that the attic was the more appropriate place for the possibility of a debate about belief, theory, and facts.

Those who cannot juggle nuance, should be very careful before expressing their dogma.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

burkphoto wrote:

I have a neighbor who is a flat-earther, never-was-a-moon-landing person.

The tendency of a quarter of our population to deny that math, science, and logic actually work is a sad state of affairs. Ostrich syndrome could easily lead to the death of humanity.

Well said. Some even argue that science and new earth creationism can exist together. No, they can’t, simply because creationism uses a pseudo-science argument for its validation. Science and religious faith can exist together as long as one is not used to validate the other.