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comment by Skippy
Skippy  ·  4331 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: More Young People Are Moving Away From Religion, But Why?

Mystery should not be seen as an excuse never to question-- in that, I would agree with Tim Minchin. What I dislike about that approach is that the material and empirical try to claim the immaterial and ideal. The material is incredibly important, and I don't wish to deny that; however, the material is not all of reality. The material is simply what can be observed empirically. Different tools must be used for different aspect of reality, and the best tool we have for the immaterial is not empiricism.





megaman  ·  4331 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I would agree, however your stance rests on the assumption that existence contains the immaterial, and I do not agree with that. There is no such thing as immaterial in my eyes.

Skippy  ·  4330 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I maintain that reality contains the immaterial, not necessarily existence. Existence as a term forces us into a certain understanding of the world, which would not necessarily include Reality. I would agree that there is no such thing as the immaterial in your eyes, as your (and my!) eyes can only perceive the material. However, I have experienced certain.... unquantifiable things that are [currently] best expressed through spiritual terms. Maybe one day we'll discover exactly how the the brain works in its totality. Until then, it is reasonable for me to express my experiences in an immaterial fashion.

BLOB_CASTLE  ·  4331 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I don't deny that everyone should always question. I agree completely with that. But what I'm saying is that I believe that no matter how many questions we answer, there will and should always be a sense of mystery within ourselves to drive us forward.

Skippy  ·  4330 days ago  ·  link  ·  

not mystery, but the love of God that overflows and spills over. In the Tanakh, a prophet (Jeremiah) complains that God's Word burns his fire like bones and that he cannot keep his mouth shut. The mystery of God is to be appreciated, but it is not our sole motivator (although it certainly can be!)

BLOB_CASTLE  ·  4330 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I like the way you speak. While I agree that it shouldn't be the sole motivator, I believe it should be at the heart of all motivation.

Skippy  ·  4330 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Love God and love neighbour. God is love. Jesus Christ is our foundation, and he told us to love. Mystery is important, but love is central.

BLOB_CASTLE  ·  4330 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Well I can't argue with that.