rone at ennui.org (definitely what) writes: > David Dyer-Bennet writes: > I'd say you accept Pluto on authority, rather than faith. > > Do we not have faith in authority, then? No, we have some level of trust. Depending largely, I hope, on the *particular* authority. I don't take Linus Pauling to be a first-class authority on medicine, for example. > Religion teaches acceptance of authority, and the importance of > authority. > > I do not believe religion teaches such things. Such importance is > perpetuated by religious hierarchies, but are often not inherent in > the religion itself. The religion must surely be the sum of all the pieces -- the people currently involved in it (and especially the ones in official positions), the official recorded teachings (scripture), the oral tradition, and the history. If any one of those things *isn't* an actual part of the religion -- why not? I've noticed a strong tendency for people to claim that anything bad done by a religion is wrong and against that religion. I'm reasonably okay with that if a lone nut does something not typical of the religion and clearly against the teachings, and is roundly condemned for it by the religion. An idea is *not* responsible for the people who believe in it. On the other hand, if people do the same thing repeatedly for an extended span of time, and the people and hierarchy of the religion condone or support the action, it seems fair to actually blame the religion -- even if there are readings of their scripture that deny the action. Seeking out and burning heretics, for example; that was done widely enough, for long enough, with broad enough support, that I think it's quite fair to blame Chrstianity for it. > > Your tone on this particular thread is different from what I am > > accustomed to reading from you. You really dislike opposition on > > this topic, don't you? > I'm so used to opposition on this topic I hardly notice it. It's > something I've been thinking about for about 40 years, so I'm hearing > less and less new, and finding it more and more annoying. > > I've been thinking about it for almost 20 years, and i hear plenty of > new things. I find it curious that you seem to be so deprived. Oh, I did too, for at least the first 20 years. -- David Dyer-Bennet, dd-b at dd-b.net / http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/ John Dyer-Bennet 1915-2002 Memorial Site http://john.dyer-bennet.net Dragaera mailing lists, see http://dragaera.info