I'll Pass On This One

Randy Kadish · Wed Dec 22, 2010 12:29 pm

Though I don't believe in a Judeo-Christian God, I believe faith can be very healthy. (BTW, I wish I could believe in a Judeo-Christian God.)

When I'm caught up in my fear, I meditate and try to turn my feelings over to believing, yes, faith, that a higher power - e.g. the Twelve Steps, the lessons of Psycho-Cyrbernetics -will help me find a way.

As for reason: It too can easilly become corrupted and used to justify any argument: e.g. racisim.

What I would like to attain in my life is a healthy balance of faith and reason.
Both are an important part of the human spirit.

My two cents,

Randy

President Camacho · Wed Dec 22, 2010 2:59 pm

Wow... that two cents must be in Vietnamese currency.

stahrwe · Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:12 pm

Ugh!

I can't believe I am doing this but I must take exception to your premise that reason can be used to justify racism. Racism, indeed hatred of any kind demonstates the abandonment of reason.

President Camacho · Wed Dec 22, 2010 7:23 pm

I don't know... When it comes to things like racism, stereotyping, and profiling, it makes me stop and think. Why do people form negative opinions about people different from themselves? - and I don't just mean by skin color. There are a lot of facets to racism, stereotyping, and profiling. I believe each person should be judged on an individual basis but stereotypes don't just pop up out of nowhere. It has become increasingly popular not to profile in very select instances. Look at the airport. We screen nice little old ladies when there has never been an attempt to destroy an aircraft by one. Statistically speaking, we're wasting our time. Then look at how girls pay less in car insurance than male drivers of the same teen age. Isn't that not a type of discrimination? Which one is ok and which is not? Obviously we've made our choice? Is it clear? It begs explaining because it sends mixed messages.

The insurance company is thinking about survival and so should you. I think about survival instincts all the time. If I'm walking down a dark ally and I am confronted with a little old lady I'll act much differently than if I'm confronted with a male three times my size who has an unkempt appearance and appears intoxicated. If you had the choice to pet a wild dog or your pet dog, which would you pet? Is that personal preference or survival instinct? Why did you choose not to pet the stray dog? If you had two pets to give, would your dog get both or would you split them between yours and the stray? Why?

Back to the insurance: Yes male drivers of that young age are more likely to cause the insurance companies to pay out more but Muslims are more likely to cause an incident in the sky aren't they? Going by logic, shouldn't we, statistically speaking, search all Muslims thoroughly and then raise their airplane fare so that it can help with the costs of airport security?

No because that's discrimination. We're a very selective society when it comes to discrimination, racism, sexism, and any of the other isms we choose to make popular.

I think it's awesome we promote finding individual worth at the expense of the whole rather than judging individuals on the actions of the whole but neither should be thrown in the garbage. That's turning your back on facts and that is not what reasonable people do. You don't do it so don't advocate it!!!!

People that form opinions based on physical differences alone (besides voluntary obesity) are the ones that should be taught not to but we carry everything a little too far when it comes to individual rights based on those differences and then crush others' American rights to equality because they don't share some perceived threatened minority position.

People need to realize that it's ok to judge the whole based on a whole population's performance but you should take great caution when judging individuals based on a population's performance. It's 'smart', logical, and reasonable to use statistics in my opinion. Statistics, collected unbiasedly and honestly, can show the facts. Why ignore facts? You don't anyway - so don't feel guilty when you do and don't feel guilty when you lock your car door when you feel you need to. You're using your survival instincts and preserving yourself. No one is going to look out for you like you will. Keep your head and don't get carried away with the crowd.

Dawn · Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:13 am


	Randy Kadish wrote: Though I don't believe in a Judeo-Christian God, I believe faith can be very healthy. (BTW, I wish I could believe in a Judeo-Christian God.)

Just curious, what is it that keeps you from believing in the Judeo-Christian God? I think you're right in that we do need a balance of faith and reason, or as I'd say it a reasonable faith. Thanks for the post.
I took a peek at your book site. Reminded me of James Duncan's The River Why. Have you seen it?

Randy Kadish · Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:13 am

I just don't believe that a Judeo-Christian God, which is supposedly active in the affairs of men and women, would have allowed the horrors of the 20th Century.

I'm one of the few anglers who didn't like the River Why. When I was reading it I felt as if I were in a Woody Allen movie. Just couldn't relate to the characters, but his book sold a lot more than mine.

And yes, reason has been used to justify most anything, including racisim.

Randy

Forum rules

I'll Pass On This One Tweet This Topic

Who is online

Chat Room Always Open!