Beware Of Reason

[AnglicanPeace]

Leo from actualized.org said [paraphrasing]: what do Hitler, Stalin, other dictators, racists, etc. have in common? They all used reason to justify themselves, not only to others, but to themselves. According to Leo, reason is nothing more than the Egoic mind working as a lawyer on behalf of the selfish self. He continues, saying, first there are emotions (which was backed by a scientific article I read), *then* reason comes up with justifications.

This is why, like Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson's churchgoer said, many intellectuals explode with rage when remotely challenged. What happened to being rational? Leo said beware of anyone who claims to be totally governed by reason, as there are probably skeletons in their closet.

Take Objectivism or other dogmas that claim that everyone is a selfish "wolf." Someone wants to be selfish due to resentment. Maybe they were hurt in the past and can't move on. So now they have polarized into "rational" self-interest. Enter Satanism, the religion of The Ruling Elite.

Or, more commonly, there's hedonism. Someone wants to be over-s**ual, drunk, and have fun, equating that with happiness. Next thing you know, they worship science as dogma. Not sure where they get their morals from, but I have found that hedonism is also conducive to being very impetuous and anger-prone. But they wouldn't murder their mother, so I guess that's okay.

How far down the rabbit hole will atheism go?

Hedonism-->Atheism--->Satanism--->Social Darwinism--->Nazism
Atheism--->Hedonism--->Leftism--->Communism--->Antinatalism

No telling what this world is coming to. Heaven help.

 

[Dirk1540]

I get most nervous when people start getting in trouble for having opinions. That’s why the left freaks me out more than the right.

 

[Sabertooth]

Antinalism

I can't find a definition for "antinalism." Is that a misspelling of "antinatalism?"

 

[AnglicanPeace]

Yes it is.

 

[timewerx]

According to Leo, reason is nothing more than the Egoic mind working as a lawyer on behalf of the selfish self. He continues, saying, first there are emotions (which was backed by a scientific article I read), *then* reason comes up with justifications.

Not true for everyone.

And the Bible speaks positively about sound reasoning.

God gave us a good brain for that.

 

[Unofficial Reverand Alex]

Thomas Aquinas said that faith & reason can never conflict, because they come from the same source. Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6); Satan is the "father of lies" (John 8:44), so it stands to reason that God is the Father of Truth; God is Love (1 John 4:8), and Love rejoices in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6).

As with so many things, it's a tool we have, which can be used for good or for evil. Welcome to free will. Following blindly without reason is how you get caught up in cults, shopping frenzies, and political factions. Ironically, you used reason to explain why we shouldn't use reason.

God be with you.

 

[Tolworth John]

What happened to being rational?

Rational is when one can give a reason for ones belief.
That aplies to athiesm as much as to Christianity.

 

[AnglicanPeace]

What of a "leap of faith" like Kierkagaard? What about Pascal's Wager? I believe one can be Christian for pragmatic reasons and then grow in their faith. Pascal said God is okay with that, as long as you obey Him and gradually walk towards true conviction. I don't believe you can reason your way into believing. Plus I agree with Kierkagaard that reason takes away from the wonder and esoteric mystery that is part of why religion is so appealing.

 

[JackRT]

Luke 12:57--- Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?

1 Thess 5:21 --- Prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good.

 

[Doctor.Sphinx]

Leo from actualized.org said [paraphrasing]: what do Hitler, Stalin, other dictators, racists, etc. have in common? They all used reason to justify themselves, not only to others, but to themselves.

More than this. Their reason was not based on the solid foundation of scripture, so resulted in folly. There is nothing wrong with reason, providing one's foundations are correct to build on.

 

[AnglicanPeace]

You believe that scripture is solidly grounded in reason and logic?

 

[Doctor.Sphinx]

You believe that scripture is solidly grounded in reason and logic?

I don't believe that God granted man the ability to use reason and logic in order than man might forego their use.

Proverbs 3:19-24
The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.

My son, do not lose sight of these — keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

 

[AnglicanPeace]

Some thinker said that there are many facts, but there is more than one profound Truth. He said therefore, it's not about what's True, it's about what's useful. I don't believe that Christianity can be found through reason and logic. I believe that God reveals himself through the intuition, not reason.

Nobody knows what happens when we die, why there's suffering, who we are, etc. We're all agnostic, so you're either an agnostic theist or an agnostic atheist. I suspect that to be atheist is to deny God on purpose or nitpick particular elements that don't make sense, because a scientific study said that no one is atheist and that people are born believing in God/an afterlife.

Matt Fradd (?) made what I think is a good point: if your worldview has "all the answers," it's probably not the right world view.