Logic & Churchgoers

What makes you think that this is the case?

ok
I notice that church people get very defensive when asked to view the Bible in a scientific way. They shout: WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE IS NO GOD? See my point?

It's a good one, too, as you make it here. Darwin was trained in theology to be a cleric in the Anglican church. In The Origin of the Species, he mentions "The Creator." Nevertheless, the more fanatical fundamentalists continue to rant about "evolutionists," as though it were an ideology, and to assert that scientists who study evolutionary biology want to prove that god does not exist. That properly constitutes a post hoc fallacy and is the epitome of "illogic."

Good point you have made, fdrhs.

yeah, it sortof has to be a scientific topic if you want to discuss it scientifically in the first place.

The term "Logic" is too generic. Any system of logic needs to have two features:
- A starting set of things you "know" to be true.
- A set of rules for "proving" new things to be true based on what you already know.

Most churchgoers start with a fairly large set of things that they "know" to be true. They are not willing to question these truths. Among these are the infallability of the Bible and the existance of God.

If you start with these things as absolute, unquestionable truths... you can then derive a consistant system of logic.

In any system of logic, when two things you "know" contradict, then one of them must be wrong. If you accept the truth of the Bible as an absolute truth, and some other fact contradicts it, then logic dictates that it is the other fact, not the Bible , that is wrong.

This is what happened with creationism-- a dictate that is accepted unquestionably as an absolute truth was contradicted by a "fact" that scientists derived from evidence.

To say that "everything that contradicts the Bible is wrong" is logical-- If you subscribe to that particular form of logic.

The assertion of this thread is that Churchgoers have no logic. It does not allude to scientific analysis or anything else. It may be a good point to you Set, but the point is lost on me. What is the premise of this thread?

I must admit that I don't go often to church (as a catholic I should, I know :wink: ), but I do.

And I have no logic - ask Mrs. Walter :wink:

More attempts to marginalize Christian thought.

Do you have something to contribute Husker?

Perhaps you can tell us what specifically you are are complaining about.

You see, husker, I am a Christian, a Roman Catholic to specify it.

As I admitted in my post, I don't go to church often.
But that's completely my business and has nothing at all to do to call me "marginalising Christian thought"!

I suspect he wasn't referring to your post, Walter, which appears to be quite harmless.

Two Pater Noster and Ave Maria, I think, at the confession. :wink:

sames discourse different atheist

I'm a regular church goer, and a devoted christian. i believe that christ died to save the souls of all who come to him.

i do not shy away from logical discussions. there is a difference between churchgoers and christians. you can't associate the two as being the same, although they certainly go together. churchgoers, (and uneducated christians for that matter), say they believe in God, but they can't say why- only that they were told that there is a God. But a true Christian who has researched and looked into what they believe can tell you not only what they believe, but why as well. a true christian should have logically concluded that Christ was truth, therefore in times of logical discussion, they can logically defend the side of christ.

DT, Your assumption does not work, because there are christians that claim that meny who call themselves christian isn't a christian. It doesn't matter how much "research" they have accomplished and concluded Christ was truth.

Re: Logic & Churchgoers


Perhaps your frustration stems from your own expectations? Those with a strong faith in God and the bible may have a different approach to logic than you. You simply may not be breaching the subject in a constructive way.

It sounds like you are attempting to discuss science in church. That just seems a little odd to me.
When learning about science; turn to those who are knowledgable about science.
When seeking spiritual/biblical knowledge; go to those who have studied it.

I don't believe churchgoes necessarily hate logic. Many are extremely logical; many are quite illogical.

flushed, BINGO! It's the illogic that people from all background will/should attack. That's the reason why many scientists can also be religious, and visa-versa.

I agree Cicerone.

Why do politicians hate logic?