Is religion ‘built upon lies’?
Tuesday, March 25th, 2008I just got done reading this exchange between Sam Harris and Andrew Sullivan regarding religion, fundamentalism, and other related topics. They both debate well and their rhetorical skills often had me nodding in agreement to contradictory messages. This has something to do with my susceptibility to an argument that I cannot question in realtime, but I think there was more to it. Being a debate, reason and logic made Harris’s job easier than Sullivan’s. Short of Euler’s identity, it is an understatement to say that logical proof for the existence of God is strained. Sullivan often resorted to his subjective experience of faith which, while moving and eloquent, don’t support the notion that Jesus was divine.
Just because it wasn’t a fair fight doesn’t mean that it wasn’t worth the read. I think absolutists of any sort would do well to consider where the other side comes from. Just because I do not believe in the god of the Bible, doesn’t mean I cannot learn from those who do. Likewise, believers might be interested to know why atheists see the world differently. Intolerance on either side only seems to make the other side worse in response.
That’s my “why can’t we all get along” for 2008.