bert boan’s last blog post..The 4 T’s (Part One: Time)

Dawkins’ views are true for a subset of Christians who, while placing their trust in the one true Savior, do not know the background of their faith well. But Dawkins cherry-picks his opponents, of course, and broad brushes all Christians with his comments. We have tons of evidence and logic behind our views. To dimiss that as just an “imaginary friend” is willful ignorance. But with his strident and insulting tone he does make it easier to appeal to middle-grounders.

Neil’s last blog post..Weekly roundup

I’m envious of that great prof you had - those are definitely the best kinds of classes. You’re thoughtful approach to your beliefs is refreshing - you sound like the kind of person I had in mind when I mentioned “free thinkers” in my comment above.

It’s a good thing when thinking rationally causes us to strengthen our beliefs. It’s even a better thing when thinking rationally causes us to change some of our beliefs (I don’t mean necessarily to my way of thinking, I just mean in general). I know that’s true in my case. No one is born with all the right answers, nor are they taught all the right answers by their parents, their church, their community, etc. The more we think for ourselves, the more chances we have of replacing the wrong answers with the right ones - or at least with better ones. At the end of the day, people who are willing to change their views for better ones have a better shot at ending up with the best answers. Let’s all keep thinking!

Unlike some in the church today, I like having my beliefs questioned. Thinking rationally about why I believe what I believe usually makes my beliefs stronger not weaker.

Bob Cleveland’s last blog post..We Do Keep Building Them

That makes it possible to be kind, loving, patient, understanding, etc. Those things sound familiar; I think I read them somewhere.

The cardinal does have a point.

Bob Cleveland’s last blog post..We Do Keep Building Them

I’d like to think I’m still learning. Nobody likes to be wrong, but I think those of us who want to learn are willing to be corrected. I’ve learned from you and many others so much more than just living in the little world before the internet.

Kevin Bussey’s last blog post..‘Respect atheists’, says cardinal

Respect, friendship, love and dialogue is important.

I agree. Respect is all too rare these days, both in blogs and in normal day-to-day life. One thing I enjoy most about this blog is that it is possible to disagree (and often have meaningfull discussions as a result) while maintaining a high level of respect.

Respect is sufficient for good dialog, but friendship and love make it more enjoyable. Another thing I like about this blog are the friends I’ve made (some declared, and others implicit).

Dialogue is only possible when each contributor to the dialog is capable of understanding the others’ views. A dialog is more than people saying different things, it’s people communicating - which means contributors explain, listen, understand, and respond. It is possible to speak without either explaining or responding - not explaining or not responding amounts to opting out of the dialog. It is possible to hear without listening or understanding - refusal to listen or to understand amounts to opting out of the dialog.

Free thinkers (atheists and theists alike) have a distinct advantage with regard to dialog. Since a free thinker is one who decides for himself based in what he feels makes the most sense, he is free to suspend both his beliefs and disbeliefs long enough to consider someone else’s beliefs and doubts. He then feels free to continue in his original beliefs, or to adjust them to incorporate the new understanding he gained from the dialog. Fundamentalists, both atheists and theists, who perceive questioning and doubt as a weakness, or a type of flaw, are at a disadvantage: they feel they must prevent themselves from suspending their own beliefs and disbeliefs, and as a result, are less capable of entertaining different points of view.

Free thought and fundamentalism are opposite extremes and most people fall somewhere in between. One doesn’t simply choose to be a free thinker, rather one sees the virtue of free thought and strives to be more of a free thinker. That, at least, has been my personal experience. Free thought and good dialog support each other: the more one is a free thinker, the more productive his dialogs are. The better his dialogs, the more understanding he gains, which further encourages his free thought.