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coberst
Skeptic Friend
182 Posts |
 Posted - 06/23/2004 : 05:44:42
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New Strategy
Darwin introduced The Theory and Theism went bananas. They attacked under a strategy of anti-theory. Being very smart they quickly revised the strategy to pro-creationism.
Let us learn from our very smart advisories. They are very smart. No matter how hard we try to delude ourselves.
Theists take a very negative view of the concept ‘critical thinking'. They fight all efforts to introduce critical thinking in our schools.
Obviously if they are ant-critical thinking we should be pro-critical thinking. Do a google of critical thinking and find out a little about this concept. Then go to your local community college library and check out a book on critical thinking and discover why theists hate it and we love it.
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Maverick
Skeptic Friend
Sweden
385 Posts |
Posted - 06/26/2004 : 07:33:25 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by coberst
New Strategy
Darwin introduced The Theory and Theism went bananas. They attacked under a strategy of anti-theory. Being very smart they quickly revised the strategy to pro-creationism.
Let us learn from our very smart advisories. They are very smart. No matter how hard we try to delude ourselves.
Theists take a very negative view of the concept ‘critical thinking'. They fight all efforts to introduce critical thinking in our schools.
Obviously if they are ant-critical thinking we should be pro-critical thinking. Do a google of critical thinking and find out a little about this concept. Then go to your local community college library and check out a book on critical thinking and discover why theists hate it and we love it.
Critical thinking is probably not as fun as believing just about anything one happens to want to believe in. Also, the funny thing is that recently there was a christian fundamentalist on this board who claimed that true fundamentalists used critical thinking and were always ready to change their views if there was evidence. I've heard fundamentalists say that science is a religion just like actual religion, but I can't remember when I heard them say critical thinking was part of being a fundamentalist. Anyway, who wouldn't choose science over religion when it comes to methods of understanding the universe? Truth can be as fascinating as fiction, only more true.
I agree. Everyone should read more about this. I wish that schools would start teaching critical thinking in schools from year one and all the way through. |
"Life is but a momentary glimpse of the wonder of this astonishing universe, and it is sad to see so many dreaming it away on spiritual fantasy." -- Carl Sagan |
| Edited by - Maverick on 06/26/2004 07:33:52 |
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coberst
Skeptic Friend
182 Posts |
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Pyrrho
New Member
USA
9 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2004 : 17:27:23 [Permalink]
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The creationists have co-opted "critical thinking" and have made it another tool in their arsenal. For some time now, they have been touting "critical thinking" as one of the reasons why Creationism should be included in school curricula. They know all the tricks to engage and influence public imagination and public thinking. "Fair play" -- "critical thinking" -- "equal treatment" -- "balanced education" -- all these play on the emotions rather than the intellect. So, the creationists appeal to *emotion* while the rest of us try to appeal to *intellect* -- in the public arena, *emotion* will win every time.
What we need to do is to make our message more emotionally appealing than the creationist message. |
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coberst
Skeptic Friend
182 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 02:32:11 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Pyrrho
The creationists have co-opted "critical thinking" and have made it another tool in their arsenal. For some time now, they have been touting "critical thinking" as one of the reasons why Creationism should be included in school curricula. They know all the tricks to engage and influence public imagination and public thinking. "Fair play" -- "critical thinking" -- "equal treatment" -- "balanced education" -- all these play on the emotions rather than the intellect. So, the creationists appeal to *emotion* while the rest of us try to appeal to *intellect* -- in the public arena, *emotion* will win every time.
Emotion is very strong no doubt. But we are saying that reason is our guide.
If we cannot convince people that reason is a better guide to truth than revelation then we cannot win and if that is so then how do we convince ourself of the validity of reason?
It seems to me that we must bring more people into the realization that reason is the only guide to truth. I am convinced of this fact I am also convinced that Critical Thinking is a critical step for developing an understanding within the population that reason should be their guide.
Push CT ever chance you get. Get people acquainted with this new idea and convince them to study the matter. If we cannot convince people to take their education into their own hands at certain times in their life then we lose.
quote:
Originally posted by Pyrrho
What we need to do is to make our message more emotionally appealing than the creationist message.
[Fixed quoting - Dave W.] |
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coberst
Skeptic Friend
182 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 02:34:04 [Permalink]
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| Somehow the above quote ran into the reply. The first paragraph is the quote the rest is my reply. |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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coberst
Skeptic Friend
182 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 08:03:59 [Permalink]
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Ricky
"What we need to do is to make our message more emotionally appealing than the creationist message."
This was also not my statement. It was part of the quote that got nailed to my message.
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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tomk80
SFN Regular
Netherlands
1278 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 10:01:27 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by coberst
New Strategy
Darwin introduced The Theory and Theism went bananas. They attacked under a strategy of anti-theory. Being very smart they quickly revised the strategy to pro-creationism.
Let us learn from our very smart advisories. They are very smart. No matter how hard we try to delude ourselves.
Theists take a very negative view of the concept ‘critical thinking'. They fight all efforts to introduce critical thinking in our schools.
Obviously if they are ant-critical thinking we should be pro-critical thinking. Do a google of critical thinking and find out a little about this concept. Then go to your local community college library and check out a book on critical thinking and discover why theists hate it and we love it.
I would like to make an addition to this. I'd say that 'fundamentalist theism' went bananas. Many christians adopted evolution quite happily and quite quickly, because of the theological problems involved in creationism.
In my experience, liberal theists often have good critical thinking skills, but have had some experiences which lead them to believe there is a God of some kind. They are aware that these experiences might have another explanation, and they are aware that these experiences are subjective. They know that their belief is 'belief', not uncontroversial fact. This insight in their own belief system is one of the reasons they can also be critical thinkers. |
Tom
`Contrariwise,' continued Tweedledee, `if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic.'
-Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Caroll- |
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coberst
Skeptic Friend
182 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 10:48:45 [Permalink]
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Tomk
One thing that really puzzles me is that the "libersl Christians" seem to be so willing to allow their fundamentalist brothers to overwhelm the theological conversation in the US. When I think Christians I just automatically focus on the fundies. |
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tomk80
SFN Regular
Netherlands
1278 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 11:22:55 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by coberst
Tomk
One thing that really puzzles me is that the "libersl Christians" seem to be so willing to allow their fundamentalist brothers to overwhelm the theological conversation in the US. When I think Christians I just automatically focus on the fundies.
This is not only a problem with the "liberal christians". To me it seems a problem in all groups in society that they don't seem to criticize their most extreme adherents. Not only in christian groups. Moderate Islamics not speaking out against extremist islamists, environmental groups not speaking out against crimes committed by extreme environmental groups, the lack of criticism of adherents of political parties against adherents of the same parties when they say crazy things.
I think the problem here is that they do speak out, but that this isn't noticed for different reasons. For example, the criticism might be overwhelmed by the extremist rhetoric, the criticism might be especially fought inside the groups, in stead of being a public discussion, or the moderates and extremists do not consider themselves belonging to the same group. |
Tom
`Contrariwise,' continued Tweedledee, `if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic.'
-Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Caroll- |
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