An interesting comparison indeed (and nice to see someone from the non-faith side making the "athiests believe things too!" point)
Reminds me of a discussion we were having a while back - if one honestly believed Pascal's wager, but couldn't bring oneself to "believe" in God due to it, ought one to actively convert other people to believing in God as one genuinely believes it would be best for them? Logic says yes ... ethics recoils ...
Re doubt: I'd just like to point out that for at least some* people of faith**, religion/faith-related doubt is not something that we particularly try to avoid. Not that you were necessarily saying that, but I think sometimes there's a perception that people of faith close their eyes to any problems with their faith and ignore potential doubts and I don't think that's true. (Or not true for everyone). The vast majority of things I have been taught about doubt in Church are that it's okay to doubt, that doubt happens to most of us, and that you should talk about it and not bottle it up, rather than anything about not doubting.
*I have no idea what proportion but at least a significant some
**specifically Christianity because that's what I know about but probably lots of other faiths too
no subject
Date: 2011-07-13 08:59 pm (UTC)Reminds me of a discussion we were having a while back - if one honestly believed Pascal's wager, but couldn't bring oneself to "believe" in God due to it, ought one to actively convert other people to believing in God as one genuinely believes it would be best for them? Logic says yes ... ethics recoils ...
Re doubt: I'd just like to point out that for at least some* people of faith**, religion/faith-related doubt is not something that we particularly try to avoid. Not that you were necessarily saying that, but I think sometimes there's a perception that people of faith close their eyes to any problems with their faith and ignore potential doubts and I don't think that's true. (Or not true for everyone). The vast majority of things I have been taught about doubt in Church are that it's okay to doubt, that doubt happens to most of us, and that you should talk about it and not bottle it up, rather than anything about not doubting.
*I have no idea what proportion but at least a significant some
**specifically Christianity because that's what I know about but probably lots of other faiths too