I don't believe in atheists! (Sunday Forum)

by Peter Dresser , Kandos, Sunday, February 01, 2009, 18:51 (1574 days ago) @ Brian Coyne
edited by unknown, Sunday, February 01, 2009, 19:04

Brian

My sad observations have been that formal religion has in many cases really stuffed up people's lives. They have become almost paranoid in their allegiance to some kind of pietistic and judgemental Jesus or whatever other prophet and some screwed up image of a God..."a kindly, paternalistic, fuddy-duddy, old gent in the sky" to use your expression. Thousands of people continue to live with this image which creates all kinds of problems for any real meaningful understanding of their religion or morality or any kind of understanding of walking in companionship with their God during their lives. They are absolutely terrified of God and their religion only reinforces their torment. And that situation is not only confined to Christianity...as past and present events have disclosed.

While I accept that the noumenon according to Hamilton is not meant to be a new theistic descriptor of God or morality, my reflections (in my previous post) actually concur with Hamilton's idea that the noumenon could very well be the "universal essence that binds humanity". And that is why I posted my theological ramblings.

In the global village we live in I think we should respect each other's Gods and God's prophets or whatever, Having said that, however, it is significantly more important that there be some common ground on which to base our morality and consequent behaviour and attitudes towards each other and so on. That is why I suggest that something in the nature of my own reflections could be helpful in this regard. (And he says this with the greatest humility! )

Regards....Going AWOL for a couple of weeks. Catch up.

Peter