Defeating Dogma

[Diogenes The Cynic]

I'm making up a new rule, and naming it after myself.

The Diogenes The Cynic rule posits that in order to hold a belief non-dogmatically, and be able to discuss it rationally, a person must be able to articulate under what conditions they would abandon their belief.

I think using this nifty little tool could weed out a lot of people who can't be reasoned with.

But just for fun, apply it to your own most closely held beliefs, and tell us what would make you question them.

Example: I sincerely believe in the truth and validity of the Bible, but would question this belief if archeologists found a series of closely related stories that predated the Bible that talked about the same events, effectively showing an evolution to the Bible canon.

[alaric89]

I would abandon my belief in evolution if scientists found a new theory and gathered evidence supporting that theory. If someone found scripture made by neandrathals disputing the bible by saying they noticed that a frog turned into a lizard and wrote in urine on a cave wall "like, wow man, evolution..." I would assume that said cave man found some sort of drug.

[SeanD]

The problem with this of course is that many people have not found the circumstance under which abandon beliefs.  Therefore they can not imagine it to post it.

I however may be willing to whore my beliefs and abandon them for a first class blow job.*



















*Dependent on looks of cocksucker and quality of said cock sucking.  Thus a decision of abandonment will not be decided until after the money shot.

[Diogenes The Cynic]

The problem with this of course is that many people have not found the circumstance under which abandon beliefs.  Therefore they can not imagine it to post it.

I however may be willing to whore my beliefs and abandon them for a first class blow job.*

*Dependent on looks of cocksucker and quality of said cock sucking.  Thus a decision of abandonment will not be decided until after the money shot.

C'mon man, you can't think of possible flaws in any of your beliefs?

[Turd Ferguson]

I'd abandon my belief that I have no fucking clue how the universe was created and also have no fucking clue if there is a god or not, if god himself materialized right in front of me for proof, then explained to me how it all came about.


Of course, this could just be a demon or an alien sent to fuck with me and make me believe in something that isnt really the whole story.


Having said that, I guess there is really no scenario that would make me abandon my beliefs, because I would just think it was a grand conspiracy, set up to mess with my head.

[Diogenes The Cynic]

I'd abandon my belief that I have no fucking clue how the universe was created and also have no fucking clue if there is a god or not, if god himself materialized right in front of me for proof, then explained to me how it all came about.


Of course, this could just be a demon or an alien sent to fuck with me and make me believe in something that isnt really the whole story.


Having said that, I guess there is really no scenario that would make me abandon my beliefs, because I would just think it was a grand conspiracy, set up to mess with my head.

So, you're admitting you hold your beliefs dogmatically. At least you're honest about it.

BTW, G-d can't materialize in front of you, because G-d having a corporeal body would limit Him, thereby making him not all-powerful. Also, how do you know that what you know now isn't from an evil deceiver?

[Turd Ferguson]

BTW, G-d can't materialize in front of you, because G-d having a corporeal body would limit Him, thereby making him not all-powerful.

Couldn't he just create a hologram of himself and blast it down to earth as a substitute?

[Dalebert]

It's called an avatar. It's how deities interact with mortals. It's like a tiny piece of the deity or just a projection of the deity's mind. Not saying I believe in them or anything. Just it's a little silly to say deity X cannot do Y because he's all powerful. WUT

[John Shaw]

It's called an avatar. It's how deities interact with mortals.

It amuses me that Dungeons and Dragons abstractions* are more coherent and consistent than religious ones.




*Yeah yeah I know but I bet that's where you first heard of avatars, just like the rest of us.

[Dalebert]

*Yeah yeah I know but I bet that's where you first heard of avatars, just like the rest of us.

It's where I got the vocabulary initially, but the concept is fairly universal I think. In the show, Supernatural, it's called a vessel. Castielle (sp?) is an angel and he explains that his true form is vast and nearly beyond the comprehension of the human mind, but he inhabits a human body so he can interact with mortals. Similar idea.

[John Shaw]

*Yeah yeah I know but I bet that's where you first heard of avatars, just like the rest of us.

It's where I got the vocabulary initially, but the concept is fairly universal I think. In the show, Supernatural, it's called a vessel. Castielle (sp?) is an angel and he explains that his true form is vast and nearly beyond the comprehension of the human mind, but he inhabits a human body so he can interact with mortals. Similar idea.

I was just making a D&D funny because I had nothing else useful to add.

Personally my favorite avatar of gawd was Bud Cort playing him at the beginning of Dogma as th old skee ball addict.

Because Bud Cort is a pimp.

[Turd Ferguson]

Because Bud Cort is a pimp.

.....and he was also the inspiration for the Where's Waldo character.

[Dalebert]

Because Bud Cort is a pimp.

He was awesome in Harold and Maude.

[Diogenes The Cynic]

BTW, G-d can't materialize in front of you, because G-d having a corporeal body would limit Him, thereby making him not all-powerful.

Couldn't he just create a hologram of himself and blast it down to earth as a substitute?

G-d's infinite, right? Can you subtract a number from infinity? Think back to high school math.

BTW, G-d can't make a rock so heavy he couldn't lift it, square circles, or anything else like that. Some things G-d "can't" do.

[Diogenes The Cynic]

It's called an avatar. It's how deities interact with mortals.

It amuses me that Dungeons and Dragons abstractions* are more coherent and consistent than religious ones.




*Yeah yeah I know but I bet that's where you first heard of avatars, just like the rest of us.

For such a smart guy, you do have a big blindspot when it comes to this subject.

Its like object permanence. Stuff is still there, even if you don't see it, and things make sense to other people, even if they don't make sense to you. Have you considered that its you?