Regarding philosophy, in a hypothetical debate between Pascal and Voltaire (ain't happenin'.. Voltaire was born after Pascal died), I'd go with Voltaire.
Regarding Pascal, Here's my take on it:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/special/131christians/pascal.html
"
...on November 23, 1654, Pascal experienced a "definitive conversion" during a vision of the crucifixion:
"From about half-past ten in the evening until about half-past twelve … FIRE … God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, and not of the philosophers and savants. Certitude. Certitude. Feeling. Joy. Peace."
...Voltaire and other scholars denounced Pascal as a cheerless fanatic. Cheerless or not, he did live most of his life with a frail body, and his many illnesses finally took their toll at age 39.
"
http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/special/131christians/pascal.html
One of his illnesses could have caused that night of hallucinations.
Here's a Voltaire quote I find especially meaningful:
"The truths of religion are never so well understood as by those who have lost the power of reason."
--Voltaire
Here's another one I like:
"Prejudices are what fools use for reason."
--Voltaire
The Age of Reason Produced The United States of America. The United States of America is still the theoretical revolution of Reason against the Tyrannies of Religious Dogma and the idea of Blind Obedience to Authority, both Real and Imaginary.
The Forces of Stupidity are still Trying to Destroy it.
To those who value mindless emotion over rationality, I ask you.. please do us all a favor:
WISE UP!
-- Mark Frankenberg
HEAR the MUSIC. Read the BOOK.
get a FREE "Just Say NO to Fascism" Bumper Sticker
http://www.AmericanWisdom.org
1 comment:
let's take a little time out to further discuss some definitions that the term religion has taken.
it is not to be confused with faith; religion is the organization of faith-concepts into a construct that a particular group of people can understand better.
it's kind of like parables. stories are told in order to help the people understand the message better.
in some churches the religion is considered merely a fellowship of kindred spirits, where the members of the church become extended family members for each other. a lot of times the members have "blood" family members who are very far away.
in some churches the fellowship is not the focus, but a mission based on a particular goal, be it environmental, political, etc.
I read an article on the dilbert blog (I think?) this week that made reference to sentiments expressed by Osama Bin Laden. The church that he leads, which would be a spur off of Islam, is based on a goal of ridding the earth of the infidels, and that they are never to forget the hatred that they feel towards the west.
I think that this Islam paragraph is highly related to the comments that folks like Voltaire, Richard Dawkins, etc, have made with regard to religion. There is not an acceptance of the more benign (and more prevalent, I suspect) definition of religion.
Post a Comment