Michael Behe\'s son is an atheist (Introduction)

by dhw, Monday, August 29, 2011, 12:24 (4836 days ago) @ David Turell

Dhw: Anyone who has experienced the profound mysteries of consciousness, love, creativity, oneness will recognize that there is something that transcends our material selves and our material universe. What that something is we shall probably never know.-DAVID: Here is where we differ. Those 'profound mysteries' beg for an explanation. Since the universe runs on and by information, there must be a UI to make the perfect laws to allow the universe to allow life, and the amazing codes that run life. Inorganic material contains a small amount of information compared to the voluminous, infinitesimal amount of information in biochemistry. May I be so bold as to suggest that your lack of background in this area of chemistry has caused you to stop on top of the picket fence. -By all means take your courage in both hands and make your bold suggestion! Only tell me then how you account for the professional biochemists who stand solidly on the atheist side of my picket fence.-DAVID: As for your previously expressed upset over the cruelty in the world, this comes from your Jewish background: God or whatever 'something' is behind all this should be 'loving'. We can't know that. It is human wishful thinking. The UI makes information and rules, but morals are our responsibility. Here I am with the Humanists. There is no God of reward and punishment; there is only self-reliant humaness that realizes in a cruel universe and dangerous world we must rely on each other. At some point WE have to be in charge, given the opportunity, the gift of life, to make the most of that life, while we are here.
Another way to view it is the UI is the inventor. We are the product, but we are not Pinocchio. We can understand our need for the 'profound mysteries' and ensure a cooperative humaness. WE must be in charge of ourselves.-There is no difference between us here. Already as a teenager I rebelled against the Judeo-Christian image of a loving God. I regard myself as a humanist, see no necessity for religion in the establishment of moral codes, cannot fathom the nature of whatever gave us life, and am content with the idea that what I do with my life is my own responsibility, though I recognize that much human suffering is caused by forces beyond our own control.