Hooking Up With Christians -- The Human Array

[Llwellyn]

I presume that neither the whole of truth, nor the whole of good, is perceived by any single observer, although each observer gains a partial superiority of knowledge from the peculiar position in which she stands.  "Even prisons and sickrooms have their special revelations."  Humans, then, when they use language to share their opinions on truth and goodness participate in a "Very Large Array" where the more observers, set at wider distances across time and space, give us a fuller and more accurate understanding of moral and physical realities.  However, inquiry never ends. We synthesize the image from the data that is available, using complex algorithms. Perhaps participating in this social array is an essential part of what it means to be a human?

 

But what algorithm can we appy to make use of the vision of Christians?  Maybe their reports can be useful to the rest of us, if only by reversal?  Christians say they are fallen and depraved. They are so depraved that their ideas of goodness count for nothing; and worse than nothing — the very fact that they think something good is presumptive evidence that it is really bad.  According to Romans Chapter 1, the incarnate human has "exchanged the truth for a lie."  Christians say that if their natural reason proves a thing to be true, they should report to others that it is false:  Proverbs 14:12, 16:25: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."  For a Christian, then, "Faith is believing what you know ain't so."  

 

How can the rest of us involve Christians in the human project even while they seem to be reasoning in bad-faith, thereby betraying us?  When we collect and analyze the reports of a Christian, perhaps we should employ an algorithm that reverses the data-content of that report?  With the help of this reversal algorithm, perhaps useful knowledge can be developed with these reports?  Have they disconnected themselves from the array?  Are they connected but making reports in reverse?  Are they connected but making reports at random?  Can we send good data back to them across the wires in ways that would recalibrate them?  What do you think?  

 

[FreeThinkerNZ]

 

 

Have they disconnected themselves from the array?  Are they connected but making reports in reverse?  Are they connected but making reports at random?  Can we send good data back to them across the wires in ways that would recalibrate them?  What do you think?  

 

Yes, I think they have disconnected themselves.  Their reports, even their random ones, should be considered useless.  I don't think we can recalibrate them.

 

Sorry to be so pessimistic, but I can't see how xians who really believe in what the bible teaches, can contribute, except in areas where beliefs about the world don't matter.

 

Those who, say, accept the theory of evolution by natural selection, or believe that homosexuality is just an inborn sexual orientation, or respect the human rights and bodily autonomy of women, can make significant contributions in more areas.  But their ability to contribute will always be limited by their tendency to have  faith in things without adequate evidence.

[RenaissanceWoman]

There's not much we can do but stay the course, and hope that what is right permeates the culture enough to change overall attitudes. But that's a damn slow and frustrating process. For example, I know plenty of regular old christians (not crazy fundies) who are accepting of homosexuality (to a certain extent, but better than nothing), and acknowledge a certain level of evolution and a modified timeline for creation (sort of an intelligent design that set evolution in motion millions of years ago not just six thousand years ago). Sometimes laws help put a damper on fundy nonsense. I know, this is a slow process and a lot of stupid stuff goes unchecked for a long time.

 

I do think that mass communication and greater numbers of people seeing religion as nonsense is helping move this process faster than it has ever moved, but it's still pretty slow. I'm not an activist type, but I do appreciate those who sponsor law suits or new laws or other awareness efforts.

 

How do we involve Christians in the human project? I think laws have to keep them accountable -- no burning witches, sheltering child molesters, bombing abortion clinics, suppressing science education. Sorry, I don't trust people with twisted concepts of control and full of hypocrisy. I'm pessimistic. Religion just has to diminish over time, so the only holdouts are relegated to fringe status. I don't really see a quick way around it.