Struggling with religious belief

[TRANSPONDER]

Originally Posted by phetaroi

She actually believed that. Who knows why.

There are a lot of teachers who feel that way. And, a number who feel that even when they are wrong, they can never admit they are wrong to a student or parent. They didn't like my transparency during parent conferences.

I suppose "ministers" have the same issues.

I have long been aware (since school) that authority figures have a real problem in letting it be known that they aren't right about everything. I get the impression that the feared their credibility (and their job) would crumble if any of their subordinates were as smart as they were.

Not always. Some bosses ended up working with me almost as an equal (not in pay or office -space, of course) and we ended up in mutual respect.

With the religious authorities, it is their product they are battling for and anything including fluttering leaves cause the wind (science is just 'observation', you know) will do if it shuts the questioner up.

[Matthew 4:4]

Originally Posted by TRANSPONDER

With the religious authorities, it is their product they are battling for and anything including fluttering leaves cause the wind (science is just 'observation', you know) will do if it shuts the questioner up.

Seems to me it was the haughty Pharisees that 'anything will do if it shuts up the questioner ', Jesus was the opposite.
Science is Not the teacher or morality. The Bible is about how to serve God as Jesus teaches.

[TRANSPONDER]

Rather it seems to me that anything will do if it shuts the questioner up is the Christian tactic, inside the Bible and outside. Take for example the healing on the Sabbath. So far as I know, it is ok if it saves life, but not if it is something that could be done the next day. Because doing work on the Sabbath - even Good Work - is against God's laws.

If that is arguable, then it should have been argued and the Pharisees ought to have argued it. Instead they are 'Silenced" - at least in the account written by the Christian evangelists. The same goes for the notoriously shabby and slipshod 'David and the shewbread' argument which I won't weary anyone's ears with yet again (unless a special request is made )

And outside the Bible, the Believer has the tactic of selecting a few Biblequotes, expecting that it will silence the questioner forever.

I hate to spoil your weekend, but it won't.

[Arach Angle]

and some atheist really don't want us to question atheist and do not want us to look and evaluate the reliability of belief in [things] that have proof.

its seems the "haughty Pharisees" types of people are in both camps trying like the dickens to "save the flock".

struggling with a belief ... look at them all and settle in one that is not offensive., Look for key words to stay away from talking to that type of person

1) Binary thinking: yes/no only.
2) shy's away from all other belief in [things] that have some proof, or at least, are reasonable interpretations of data.
3) The biggie (causes far more suffering than anything phrase I know): "ok, but just don't get in our way or slow us down, we are on your side too."

Those don't tell the whole story, that's true enough, but they do signal a time for a deeper look see.