[lit-ideas] Re: Faith
- From: "Andy Amago" <aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 16 May 2005 21:56:33 -0400
> [Original Message]
> From: Paul Stone <pas@xxxxxxxx>
> To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: 5/16/2005 3:43:26 PM
> Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Faith
>
>
> >A.A. Not knowing why you love something is equal to having no reason for
> >your love. Unless we're writing our own dictionary.
>
> I think you're wrong. You may not know why your heart doesn't suddenly
stop
> in between every beat, but there IS a reason that it doesn't. If there
> wasn't a reason, or 'cause' as you seem to think it more appropriate,
then
> it WOULD stop. Just because we don't "know" something doesn't make it not
so.
>
A.A. Except that the definition of reason is knowing why, explaining why,
supplying the grounds for. So if you don't know why, can't explain why,
then you have no reason. The heart beats, of course, but for no apparent
reason that we know of until we get to Physiology 101. Until then, we
can't have a reason. Likewise if you like chocolate and can't say why,
then you have no reason for liking it. Doesn't mean you don't like it,
just that you have no reason for liking it.
You
> don't need to know WHY you love something to have a reason for that love.
A.A. Contradiction in terms. You don't need to know why you love something
to love it, but you do need to know why you love something to have a reason
for that love.
> >A.A.Faith might offer a reason, but it's circular: God says, do X. The
> >reason for doing X is because God said so.
>
> Of course it is circular. I thought I'd been saying that.
>
> >So, we like chocolate because it tastes good,
>
> Not necessarily. What is 'good'? How would you explain sado-masochistic
> behaviour? Drinking? Heroin? I think we need to have a more precise
> definition of 'like' and 'love'. But we don't so this point is moot.
A.A. I wasn't arguing like or love. It's possible to like and love
something that feels terrible. As you say, masochists do it all the time.
Do they have a reason for their behavior? Most likely not, even as they
can't stop themselves from indulging in it.
> AND....... I'M not the one who came up with the whole love thing in the
> first place. I've been trying to talk about Faith.
>
> >ut we believe in God because he tells us to.
>
> Not He... the others who believe in him. If GOD actually told me to, I
> would certainly believe in him.
>
A.A. I like to think that if God told you to believe in him, you'd head for
the thorazine, because schizophrenia is characterized by auditory
hallucinations. If you prefer sainthood, sorry, it's too late, John Paul
is gone.
Andy Amago
> p
>
> ##########
> Paul Stone
> pas@xxxxxxxx
> Kingsville, ON, Canada
>
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