Please write a post, or several posts, in Discussion or off-site, about why you’re impressed by Catholicism, about the equivalence you draw between theological and mathematical concepts, and about all that stuff you’ve written vague comments on. I would especially like it to address why you like Christianity when other religions are so much prettier.
I plan on writing a treatise some time in the next year that should address the more technical stuff, won’t touch so much on why I like Catholicism in particular though. Not sure I agree other religions are much prettier—do you mean you find their concepts and perspectives more conceptually aesthetic? I think Catholicism is a lot more morally complex than many other religions. One way to make the comparison is with architecture: the optimization pressure put into architecture can act as a proxy measure for the optimization pressure put into the culture as a whole, including the philosophical and moral aspects of the culture. Anyway the only other religion I’m familiar with is Theravada Buddhism, it’s possible I’m overestimating the value of Catholicism simply due to lack of variety of knowledge.
Please also shut up about religion unless someone brings it up first.
Goody! (Unless it won’t be online, in which case non-goody.)
Not sure I agree other religions are much prettier—do you mean you find their concepts and perspectives more conceptually aesthetic?
Yes, with the reservation that I don’t actually understand your rephrasing.
I think Catholicism is a lot more morally complex than many other religions.
Judaism all the way, baby. I don’t actually know all the complexities of Catholicism (can haz link?), but I’ve been to a Catholic school and grok the general aesthetic of most big brands of Christianity. It likes close obedience to rigid rules (yay!) and submission (meh), hates anything pleasurable (feh) and clever thinking (boo), and drops everything Judaism did like a hot potato (noooo!). This covers the Puritans and Augustine, but apparently not the parts of Catholicism you’re talking about. I’m surprised that you think it’s complex, because the only thing I really like about the brand of Catholicism I got is that it’s simple. Maybe complicated theology like the casuists did?
I plan on writing a treatise some time in the next year that should address the more technical stuff, won’t touch so much on why I like Catholicism in particular though. Not sure I agree other religions are much prettier—do you mean you find their concepts and perspectives more conceptually aesthetic? I think Catholicism is a lot more morally complex than many other religions. One way to make the comparison is with architecture: the optimization pressure put into architecture can act as a proxy measure for the optimization pressure put into the culture as a whole, including the philosophical and moral aspects of the culture. Anyway the only other religion I’m familiar with is Theravada Buddhism, it’s possible I’m overestimating the value of Catholicism simply due to lack of variety of knowledge.
No thanks, at least not categorically.
Goody! (Unless it won’t be online, in which case non-goody.)
Yes, with the reservation that I don’t actually understand your rephrasing.
Judaism all the way, baby. I don’t actually know all the complexities of Catholicism (can haz link?), but I’ve been to a Catholic school and grok the general aesthetic of most big brands of Christianity. It likes close obedience to rigid rules (yay!) and submission (meh), hates anything pleasurable (feh) and clever thinking (boo), and drops everything Judaism did like a hot potato (noooo!). This covers the Puritans and Augustine, but apparently not the parts of Catholicism you’re talking about. I’m surprised that you think it’s complex, because the only thing I really like about the brand of Catholicism I got is that it’s simple. Maybe complicated theology like the casuists did?