http://www.starchamber.com/2009/11/fundamentalism-and-the-boomerang-of-certainty.html Ned Gulley's Blog. Resident buzzwords: wise crowds, accelerated design, swarm robotics, synthetic biology. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:08:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.starchamber.com/2009/11/fundamentalism-and-the-boomerang-of-certainty.html/comment-page-1#comment-150054 dana j. Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:51:55 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3567#comment-150054 J.B. Phillips, theologian and well-known New Testament translator, wrote a book, "Your God is Too Small," in the 1950's. I always loved the title, but I never read the book. Maybe now would be a good time. J.B. Phillips, theologian and well-known New Testament translator, wrote a book, “Your God is Too Small,” in the 1950′s. I always loved the title, but I never read the book. Maybe now would be a good time.

]]> http://www.starchamber.com/2009/11/fundamentalism-and-the-boomerang-of-certainty.html/comment-page-1#comment-149787 bob Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:04:22 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3567#comment-149787 You have a definition of fundamentalism and then you debunk the notion based on your definition. But your definition is totally ad hoc and has no historical context. Hence the debunking is not terribly useful for any real-world application. You have a definition of fundamentalism and then you debunk the notion based on your definition. But your definition is totally ad hoc and has no historical context. Hence the debunking is not terribly useful for any real-world application.

]]> http://www.starchamber.com/2009/11/fundamentalism-and-the-boomerang-of-certainty.html/comment-page-1#comment-149651 Ned Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:02:40 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3567#comment-149651 One of my favorite examples of frame confusion is: "Can God make a rock so heavy the he can't lift it?" Like the Epimenides paradox, it's simple, and it gets right to the heart of the matter. One of my favorite examples of frame confusion is: “Can God make a rock so heavy the he can’t lift it?” Like the Epimenides paradox, it’s simple, and it gets right to the heart of the matter.

]]> http://www.starchamber.com/2009/11/fundamentalism-and-the-boomerang-of-certainty.html/comment-page-1#comment-149618 Mike O Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:56:50 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3567#comment-149618 Based on my own peripheral study of fundamentalism, the rules are innate to that which is the character of God. Sort of: God made the rules because those are the rules that God follows. It is accepted that God's character is finite, or fixed; otherwise, statements like "God is good" or "God is love" don't make sense. Ironically, the fundies I listen to on the magic talky box argue vehemently that the finite nature of the laws of the universe, i.e. gravity, speed of light, etc., proves the existence of a higher being who created those laws. Based on my own peripheral study of fundamentalism, the rules are innate to that which is the character of God. Sort of: God made the rules because those are the rules that God follows. It is accepted that God’s character is finite, or fixed; otherwise, statements like “God is good” or “God is love” don’t make sense. Ironically, the fundies I listen to on the magic talky box argue vehemently that the finite nature of the laws of the universe, i.e. gravity, speed of light, etc., proves the existence of a higher being who created those laws.

]]> http://www.starchamber.com/2009/11/fundamentalism-and-the-boomerang-of-certainty.html/comment-page-1#comment-149511 Ned Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:11:12 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3567#comment-149511 I love that Carl Sagan quote. That's exactly it. If you make a God that plays by the rules, then who wrote the rules? I love that Carl Sagan quote. That’s exactly it. If you make a God that plays by the rules, then who wrote the rules?

]]> http://www.starchamber.com/2009/11/fundamentalism-and-the-boomerang-of-certainty.html/comment-page-1#comment-149509 Michael Carney Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:22:53 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3567#comment-149509 I completely agree Ned and Ben. Whenever I've gotten into "discussions" with fundamentalists, I ask the following question that seems to give them pause: "If you're god is all powerful, why do you maintain that he is limited to what is written in a book, to what can be expressed by humans in language?" I think that echos Carl Sagan's statement. I completely agree Ned and Ben. Whenever I’ve gotten into “discussions” with fundamentalists, I ask the following question that seems to give them pause: “If you’re god is all powerful, why do you maintain that he is limited to what is written in a book, to what can be expressed by humans in language?” I think that echos Carl Sagan’s statement.

]]> http://www.starchamber.com/2009/11/fundamentalism-and-the-boomerang-of-certainty.html/comment-page-1#comment-149501 Ben Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:52:29 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3567#comment-149501 Wasn't it Carl Sagan who said that the problem is that we made God too small. Wasn’t it Carl Sagan who said that the problem is that we made God too small.

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