Posted on 12/13/2004 10:00:21 AM PST by Matchett-PI
TALKING: Author and behavioral geneticist Dean Hamer talks at his home in Washington. (Washington Post photo by Juana Arias)
Are humans programmed to worship? Author says people have genetic propensity toward religious belief
By Bill Broadway The Washington Post
WASHINGTON -- Dean Hamer has received much criticism for his new book, "The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired Into Our Genes."
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at hollandsentinel.com ...
God has given me the choice to think outside the box ~ enjoy your limitations in the box. :)
To be sure, I am not disagreeing in the slightest about your existential statements; I'm simply unclear on the theology underpinning it.
My attitude is that if an omnipotent God exists then life is probably predestined. In order to have free will, an omnipotent God must either limit his foresight or increase the degree of randomness in his creation (both aspects of limiting his omniscience). The more actively involved such a God becomes, the more severely he must limit his omniscience in order to maintain some degree of free will.
Of course, that does leave another paradox which is that at some point the God who had not yet limited his omniscience must've been aware of the consequences of limiting his omniscience and therefore would've known the destiny of whatever would follow. But I digress....
But the God that you've formulated is very, very close to a God of predestination it seems.
It's not a desire ~ it's a commitment ie promise..
Have you ever broken a promise in your life?
Certainly ~ you make another one.
Have you ever broken one of those promises when it was within your power and ability to keep it?
See post #85
de·sire 'Audio ( P ) Pronunciation Key (d-zr)
tr.v. de·sired, de·sir·ing, de·sires
To wish or long for; want.
To express a wish for; request.
com·mit·ment 'Audio ( P ) Pronunciation Key (k-mtmnt)
n.
A pledge to do.
Something pledged, especially an engagement by contract involving financial obligation.
The state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons:
a profound commitment to the family.
You can wish your life away ~ I choose not to. :)
If you were able to keep that promise but chose not to, WHY did you choose not to?
In my personal case (although I was raised a Roman Catholic) I don't claim any theology underpinning what I've been posting on this thread. To me, it's simple common sense and has nothing to do with religion.
Obviously, I know that religious beliefs color how different people approach the topic we've been discussion. But in a purely non-religious context, the fact is that "nature" vs. "nurture" is an age-old question which sharper minds than my own have pondered.
To return to the point of the article -- that there may be a "God gene," I don't know if there is or not. But I do think it's increasingly clear that the answer to the nature vs. nurture question is that it's both. And whether or not an omnipotent God exists, we are predestined.
freedom
n 1: the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints 2: immunity from an obligation or duty
So much for your free will, blackie ;)
Now then, why did you choose not to keep your promise when you were able to do so?
Because I chose not to ~ get it?
According to...what? Was your choice completely random? Was it arbitrary? Was it rational?
I'm not playing games ~ what has freedom got to do with choices.
Read post # 92.
A choice is a choice, is a choice, is a choice ~ enjoy your confusion. :)
What are you doing that you don't chose to do?
OK, I understand perfectly now where your coming from. Thanks!! I just wasn't clear before on how you were fitting things together.
I did, and I'm not playing games here. This is absolutely relevant to the notion of "free will." How can you advocate free will and at the same time say freedom has nothing to do with choices?
A choice is a choice, is a choice, is a choice ~ enjoy your confusion. :)
Words mean things. Enjoy your ignorance. :)
Existing for starters.
I got that you think those who don't look a life like you, are ignorant.
Enjoy your misery. :)
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