A List of Absurdities
Everyday we encounter people who have absurd ideas they hold passionately.
The list starts with the notion the universe is here for some purpose. Add to that each of us living here is here for some purpose. So far as we know, all of these ideas are absurd. There is no purpose for any of us and the earth and universe, like us, is here because of historical accidents. The universe does not need a reason to be here. Some people need to believe they are here for some purpose but others of us just try to live good lives without believing the purpose thing.
Muslim suicide bombers believe they serve a god who does not exist. Then they believe they will go to a heaven that does not exist with virgins. No one has seen the virgins either.
The idea of sin is absurd. In a rational world behaviors that harmed individuals, societies and the earth would be criticized. But behaviors that harm all of the above are praised instead of label "sins." And, those labeled as sins change as time passes. If a religion like Christianity wants to grow it needs to make some sense.
About half a billion people are called Pentecostals some of whom practice speaking in tongues. That makes the list.
Central to the Christian faith is the existence within humans of a soul. Countless autopsies have never once found a soul. Until a soul is found the remains in the category of the absurd.
Believing that a black cat crossing the road in front of you is called a superstition. Believing there is an invisible God is the truth. Why the difference?
These are just a few.
out, out brief candle, life is but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets and has his hour and as seen no more. it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. really uplifting message there, old man.
ReplyDeleteUnknown "it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
DeleteWhich Bible story are you referring to, Noah's flood or the Resurrection?
Jon, "So far as we know, all of these ideas are absurd."
ReplyDeleteYou should never assume you speak for anyone other than yourself. Your correct statement should be, "So far as I know, all of these ideas are absurd."
Remember, the vast majority of this world has a belief in a supernatural power, i.e. God.
When I speak of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Virgin Mary, I speak of my Faith. But I can correctly speak of the body of Christ's Catholic believers and speak of OUR faith.
You have no such community of atheists with a common creed or catechism.
Here are some absurdities.
ReplyDelete1) In light of entropy, it is absurd to believe that evolution or existence were happenstance or coincident.
2) It is absurd to believe that the Resurrection did not occur. All other explanations for Christ's disappearance from the tomb have been proven false.
3) It is absurd to believe that Catholic hospitals did not and do not provide compassionate, professional healthcare to men, women and children.
4) It is absurd to believe that late-term abortion is not murder.
5) It is absurd to believe that the USA was not borne as a Christian nation.
6) It is absurd to believe that higher education in the USA is no, on average, leftist, anarchist and atheistic.
7) It is absurd to believe that America would exist without the use of oil.
Jon: The more I read about the history and development of trinitarian thought the more It reminds me of the old adage, “a camel is a horse designed by a committee”. To a list of absurdities I would add the triune god of Christianity.
ReplyDeleteMatt--"It is absurd to believe the Resurrection did not occur. All other explanations for Christ's disappearance from the tomb have been proven false."
DeleteThat one is both absurd and funny. The practice at the time, especially for political criminals, was to leave them hanging on the cross for days. That way people could see what happened to trouble makers. That was even the practice followed by whites who hung blacks in the U.S. south. Our colleague, the late Catherine Cater, was black and grew up in the South. As a child she saw bodies hanging in a park near her house. There was no tomb so nothing disappeared.
Critics explain the "tomb" part of the story this way. The story tellers needed their Jesus character to come back to life. They could not come up with a way to have him come back in full view of observers. So they made up a story of gaining possession of the body and a tomb. This way they could gloss over details people would find suspicious.
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