“Reason
tells me of the extreme difficulty or rather impossibility of
conceiving this immense and wonderful universe, including man with
his capability of looking far backwards and far into futurity, as the
result of blind chance or necessity. When thus reflecting I feel
compelled to look to a First Cause having an intelligent mind in some
degree analogous to that of man; and I deserve to be called a
Theist.”
Charles
Darwin
Hey Rod... ahhhhh a 2 months break from blogs was so pleasant. I am glad to have cured myself of a "mini-addiction"! Can't help but comment at least once during my 1 evening of exception though... so I will give you this one quote that shows why quote mining is a bad thing (I see you never change your old habits). It's actually simply the line that follow the quote you put...
ReplyDelete"...and I deserve to be called a Theist.
This conclusion was strong in my mind about the time, as far as I can remember, when I wrote the Origin of Species; and it is since that time that it has very gradually with many fluctuations become weaker. But then arises the doubt–can the mind of man, which has, as I fully believe, been developed from a mind as low as that possessed by the lowest animal, be trusted when it draws such grand conclusions? May not these be the result of the connection between cause and effect which strikes us as a necessary one, but probably depends merely on inherited experience? Nor must we overlook the probability of the constant inculcation in a belief in God on the minds of children producing so strong and perhaps an inherited effect on their brains not yet fully developed, that it would be as difficult for them to throw off their belief in God, as for a monkey to throw off its instinctive fear and hatred of a snake.
I cannot pretend to throw the least light on such abstruse problems. The mystery of the beginning of all things is insoluble by us; and I for one must be content to remain an Agnostic."
You recognize yourself in there Rod? The guy who pretends to have been a non-theist for several years only to convert to his father's religion later on? Yep, the childhood indoctrination is never really far in the brain.
Take care.
This doesn't bode well for atheists who believe that facts and facts alone will ring the death knell of Christianity. Especially when evolution does nothing to support the case of atheism.
ReplyDeleteAs for the quote mining, you're right. I got bit again, thinking that I could trust what I read on-line. If Darwin had been honest with himself he would have stuck with the first remark as science itself will prove.
It's amazing how you manage to fit so many stupid things in 2 small paragraphs.
ReplyDeleteWhat's also amazing is that it's extremely hard not to reply, like I told myself. It goes to show how addictions are difficult mental states to overcome... just like god beliefs.