Re: MD On Faith

From: Charles Roghair (ctr@pacificpartssales.com)
Date: Fri Oct 08 2004 - 05:55:54 BST

  • Next message: Scott Roberts: "Re: MD A bit of reasoning"

    Thank you, Scott.

    I find the levels difficult and hard to describe; when you say "I
    > guess I would say that there are both social and intellectual patterns
    > here,"

    I find I can apply that, or some variation of that, to most situations.

    Confusing. To me, at least.

    Best,

    Chuck

    On Oct 7, 2004, at 9:04 PM, Scott Roberts wrote:

    > Chuck,
    >
    >> My question:
    >>
    >> What about terrorism in God's name or some compelling sense of
    >> morality or
    >> extreme "I know better than you-ness"? For example:
    >>
    >> A religious zealot bombs an abortion clinic because he believes it to
    >> be
    >> God's will.
    >>
    >> I don't think that's a biological pattern. Is it social?
    >> Intellectual?
    >>
    >> Can somebody help me out here?
    >
    > Well, my gut reaction is that it is social, but let's see. First, which
    > pattern are we dealing with. Any vigilantism is immoral on the social
    > level
    > -- a law is being broken, so the act itself (the bombing) is a
    > low-quality
    > social pattern. So then there is the question of motivation. The fact
    > that
    > he believes it be God's will does not make it intellectual, as the idea
    > that rules of behavior are determined by God is basically a social
    > level
    > phenomenon. On the other hand, the thought pattern might be "That
    > abortion
    > clinic is sinning. God doesn't like sinning, so God will be pleased if
    > I
    > stop them by violence, since society won't stop them." Now that's low
    > quality intellect (it is inconsistent with the dictum "vengeance is
    > mine,
    > sayeth the Lord", for one thing), but it is an intellectual pattern.
    > So I
    > guess I would say that there are both social and intellectual patterns
    > here. I am, though, quite willing to be corrected.
    >
    > - Scott
    >
    >
    >
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