Rather, by launching into a five-minute diatribe about the primordial cow, she was cheering for paganism, like holding up a banner at a football game. A banner saying Go Blues isn’t a statement of fact, or an attempt to persuade; it doesn’t have to be convincing—it’s a cheer.
Tying back to my comment a couple posts ago—yes I think this is exactly right. She probably doesn’t believe what she is saying. She knows full well it is crap. She has no interest in a good faith argument. She’s just there to cheer on paganism. It’s ‘Science VS Paganism,’ the ‘new ways’ vs the ‘old ways.’ Rah rah rah. I wonder if while she was speaking there wasn’t someone in the back handing out pamphlets, and while 90-95% of the audience reacted with “what a load of crock” a few did think “yeah these scientists aren’t as smart as they think they are...” This is one way in which propaganda functions—just to signal, attract followers, and throw up a smoke screen so most of the room doesn’t even realize what is happening and just has a laugh. Maybe while you went home confused she ended up selling a few dozen books or whatever to similarly minded “rebels.”
Are ‘science’ and ‘religion’ compatible? Define the terms I suppose but sure. Why not? ‘Religion’ just explains the unknown. I *believe* that one day science will be able to eliminate every last notion similar to “lightning exists because Zeus throws it” but until then I think there’s nothing fundamentally incompatible with holding beliefs such as “god metaphorically snapped their fingers and *that’s* what set off the Big Bang.” Mind you all the organized religions I am aware of are ruled out… I’m just saying there can be a space for ‘belief’ in the areas where science is currently unable to investigate. Personally I think it’s better to just say ‘I/we don’t know, yet’ but humans will be humans.
(is anyone reading these anymore? Oh well it’s more to help me process my own thoughts anyway I suppose!)
Tying back to my comment a couple posts ago—yes I think this is exactly right. She probably doesn’t believe what she is saying. She knows full well it is crap. She has no interest in a good faith argument. She’s just there to cheer on paganism. It’s ‘Science VS Paganism,’ the ‘new ways’ vs the ‘old ways.’ Rah rah rah. I wonder if while she was speaking there wasn’t someone in the back handing out pamphlets, and while 90-95% of the audience reacted with “what a load of crock” a few did think “yeah these scientists aren’t as smart as they think they are...” This is one way in which propaganda functions—just to signal, attract followers, and throw up a smoke screen so most of the room doesn’t even realize what is happening and just has a laugh. Maybe while you went home confused she ended up selling a few dozen books or whatever to similarly minded “rebels.”
Are ‘science’ and ‘religion’ compatible? Define the terms I suppose but sure. Why not? ‘Religion’ just explains the unknown. I *believe* that one day science will be able to eliminate every last notion similar to “lightning exists because Zeus throws it” but until then I think there’s nothing fundamentally incompatible with holding beliefs such as “god metaphorically snapped their fingers and *that’s* what set off the Big Bang.” Mind you all the organized religions I am aware of are ruled out… I’m just saying there can be a space for ‘belief’ in the areas where science is currently unable to investigate. Personally I think it’s better to just say ‘I/we don’t know, yet’ but humans will be humans.
(is anyone reading these anymore? Oh well it’s more to help me process my own thoughts anyway I suppose!)
I read this :)