Religion
In reply to the discussion: Religion--just like the rest of life, rests on things that cannot be "proved. [View all]Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)First I want to break down your list:
Lifemy lifehas meaning. - OK, this is a statement of belief, uhm, good for you?
There are those we admire who live beautiful lives. - This is a statement of fact, not really profound, and common among humans as a social species.
Every human must have some purpose which is a guiding principle for action. - I don't like the wording of this one, mostly because it sounds like a directive, rather than a statement of fact. A better way to wording this is, "Every human creates a purpose for themselves." even this I have a problem with, because I can imagine people who don't have a purpose of their own, outside of existing. Depressing thought, but perhaps this is just opinion.
Occasionally we are encountered by some vision, experience, notion before which we bow in awe. - I don't know if I'd literally bow, but you are talking about experiencing awe, I don't understand how this is something to "prove".
Most of the values which make life meaningful cannot be proved as existing. - I would agree with this, except for that word "prove" you keep using. Much of the meaning humans attach to their lives have to do with finding love and reproducing, these are biological imperatives, part of what we are, so are supported by objective evidence. Others are more subjective, and hence outside of the purview of science, but are also meaningless to others people.
To live without hope is to live in despair, therefore we must live in hope. - Again I don't understand the theme here, or is the theme random thoughts?
To trust anyone or anything is to live by faith. - This I definitely don't agree with, you conflate two terms, as if they are equal, yet faith doesn't require evidence. I don't trust those who haven't demonstrated that they are trustworthy, and as far as concepts, they better have some evidence backing them up, unless they are completely subjective.
The universe has a built-in struggle for refinement. In science we call it evolution. In philosophy we call it the élan vital. - First off, no the universe doesn't, indeed its the opposite, the universe has built in entropy, the opposite of refinement. Also, it isn't called evolution, but entropy. Did you fail high school science?
A hunger to be accepted means we long for some human relationship. - Yes, this is well known and well studied, we may have even isolated the sections of the brain responsible for these feelings, and we even understand how such things come about through Evolution. What is your point in pointing out such obvious facts?
There is a spiritual hunger build into most of our lives. There is that to which we can only point that gives meaning and hope. - This sound like presumptuous twaddle, and what are you, a mind reader? Very arrogant to assume such things in others.
We live by affirming that behind all value is that reality which has lured people in every culture and time. - This sounds leading.
Most of life involves believing things we cannot see, let alone prove. - Really, can you provide specific examples?
This beyondness is the core and instigator of religion and thus the quest for God, whose existencelike all these other thingscannot be proved. - OK, you jumped from randomness to a deity? How does any of your train of thought lead to here?
Frankly this entire post of yours sounds like the worst of mental masturbation masquerading as profound philosophy. You combine ignorance of the scientific method, the worst of use of the word "prove" I ever saw, even among creationists, and then combine it with spirituality and theism in the worst way imaginable. Its incoherent.