🚀 go-pugleaf

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_016A_01BF04F8.9F9054E0
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I understand that the "realms" of religion and science need to =
complement and inform each other.  But saying that geologists use =
mathematics to calculate is not to say that the two fields do not have =
their own identifiable areas of expertise.  Likewise a wise minister =
might inform himself in the latest pschological theory, just as a =
responsible psychiatrist will be cognizant of the spiritual values of =
his patient.  When it comes to earth origins I will be turning to the =
historical geologist for ages and flood evidence, thankyouverymuch.  But =
when looking for hope, answers to "why am I alive?", "what's it all =
about?", "How do I treat my neighbor?" and so forth, I go to church, =
sing songs, read the Bible, pray and seriously study what has been =
working for other members of my species for the past 2,000 years or so =
(that is to say Christianity, in my case).  Some social actions have =
evolutionary survival value based upon their intrinsic merit.

>>> think Steven Wienberg had it right in_ Dreams of a Final Theory_.  =
Religion really=20
always meant to be a cosmological theory, in which humanity was central. =
But everything=20
we have learned through science suggests the universe is fundamentally =
"pointless"=20
in terms of human wishes and fears. We aren't central, our minds don't =
survive death=20
in a spirit realm, prayer is not answered, and the universe doesn't care =
if we make it=20
or  not. Religion finds that view abhorrent because, well, it *is* =
abhorrent  to organisms that=20
work the way we do.  Just more of the universe's pointlessness. =
Unfortunately,  it=20
happens to be true. <<<

Truth comes in many forms, objective and subjective.  Is the statement =
above a "Truth" that can be lived and enjoyed?  Does it provide hope for =
tomorrow and help for today?  Is it the way that my life works?  That =
other lives work?  What does this say about my life and about =
relationships with others?

There are many ways to evaluate whether something is "true".

--=20
To respond via email remove the "X" from the address.

------=_NextPart_000_016A_01BF04F8.9F9054E0
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>

<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.3612.1706"' name=3DGENERATOR>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>I understand that the =
&quot;realms&quot; of=20
religion and science need to complement and inform each other.&nbsp; But =
saying=20
that geologists use mathematics to calculate is not to say that the two =
fields=20
do not have their own identifiable areas of expertise.&nbsp; Likewise a =
wise=20
minister might inform himself in the latest pschological theory, just as =
a=20
responsible psychiatrist will be cognizant of the spiritual values of =
his=20
patient.&nbsp; When it comes to earth origins I will be turning to the=20
historical geologist for ages and flood evidence, =
thankyouverymuch.&nbsp; But=20
when looking for hope, answers to &quot;why am I alive?&quot;, =
&quot;what's it=20
all about?&quot;, &quot;How do I treat my neighbor?&quot; and so forth, =
I go to=20
church, sing songs, read the Bible, pray and seriously study what has =
been=20
working for other members of my species for the past 2,000 years or so =
(that is=20
to say Christianity, in my case).&nbsp; Some social actions have =
evolutionary=20
survival value based upon their intrinsic merit.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>&gt;&gt;&gt; think Steven Wienberg =
had it right=20
in_ Dreams of a Final Theory_.&nbsp; Religion really <BR>always meant to =
be a=20
cosmological theory, in which humanity was central. But everything =
<BR>we have=20
learned through science suggests the universe is fundamentally=20
&quot;pointless&quot; <BR>in terms of human wishes and fears. We aren't =
central,=20
our minds don't survive death <BR>in a spirit realm, prayer is not =
answered, and=20
the universe doesn't care if we make it <BR>or&nbsp; not. Religion finds =
that=20
view abhorrent because, well, it *is* abhorrent&nbsp; to organisms that =
<BR>work=20
the way we do.&nbsp; Just more of the universe's pointlessness.=20
Unfortunately,&nbsp; it <BR>happens to be true. =
&lt;&lt;&lt;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Truth comes in many forms, objective and =
subjective.&nbsp; Is=20
the statement above a &quot;Truth&quot; that can be lived and =
enjoyed?&nbsp;=20
Does it provide hope for tomorrow and help for today?&nbsp; Is it the =
way that=20
my life works?&nbsp; That other lives work?&nbsp; What does this say =
about my=20
life and about relationships with others?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>There are many ways to evaluate whether something is =

&quot;true&quot;.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2><BR>-- <BR>To respond via email =
remove the=20
&quot;X&quot; from the address.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_016A_01BF04F8.9F9054E0--