tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post5916203829251130759..comments2023-12-20T04:18:41.617-06:00Comments on The Hunting of the Snark: The Truth Shall Set You FreeSusan of Texashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-76687544117158591252009-02-10T14:29:00.000-06:002009-02-10T14:29:00.000-06:00Welcome, Mrs. Tilton. I'm glad you came by.Yes, I ...Welcome, Mrs. Tilton. I'm glad you came by.<BR/><BR/>Yes, I agree. People who need a father figure often turn to religion, but not everyone who turns to religion does so for that reason.Susan of Texashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-88593104317420407592009-02-10T13:23:00.000-06:002009-02-10T13:23:00.000-06:00Well said, Susan; well said indeed.I do think you'...Well said, Susan; well said indeed.<BR/><BR/>I do think you're taking a slightly narrow view in ascribing religious belief to a desire for a reassuring authority figure. That is undoubtedly the case in many, possibly most cases of religion. I'd make the scope a little broader, though, and say that belief (to the extent it reflects anything more than "because my parents told me so", "because those are the traditions I was raised in" etc.) is a matter of wishful thinking <I>of one kind or another</I>. <BR/><BR/>Belief is nothing more than response to one's own desire. But the desire needn't be for Daddy. In the case of that whelp Dreher, it seems to be desire for to be spared torments he clearly thinks he deserves and just as clearly wishes upon everyone who is not like him -- it's as though he read "Who Will Be Eaten First?" and thought it was about Jesus rather than Cthulhu. In a few cases, the desire in question might even be for something noble. But in every case, the belief is something imagined in order to fulfil the desire.<BR/><BR/>I say this based on my own experience as a former believer. The desires that gave rise to my belief weren't particularly noble, but nor were they particularly for an authority figure. Not all of the things I believed back then were bad; some would have been lovely, if true. But lovely or otherwise, I came to understand that wishful thinking was no good reason to believe them true. And so, absent any other good reason for belief, I gave it all up.<BR/><BR/>BTW, I've been enjoying your comments at Edroso's joint for ever, and only just now thought to click through to your own site. Stupid me -- that will have to be corrected.Mrs Tiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10600202149555484871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-26581747458455242009-02-10T11:43:00.000-06:002009-02-10T11:43:00.000-06:00Thanks very much.Thanks very much.Susan of Texashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-21732464597584616182009-02-10T10:22:00.000-06:002009-02-10T10:22:00.000-06:00Wow, this is great. Bookmarkable!Wow, this is great. Bookmarkable!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-57116661708121099382009-02-10T09:37:00.000-06:002009-02-10T09:37:00.000-06:00Thank you, Susan. This is bracing, tonic. We need ...Thank you, Susan. This is bracing, tonic. We need to remind ourselves sometimes.atheisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17044432505583647262noreply@blogger.com