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7 Alternative ViewsMichael Schermer’s book “Why People Believe Weird Things”[6] was recommended by a Christian friend, with whom I had several discussions about the issues raised by creationism. In his book Schermer details several peculiar beliefs, and categorises Creationists with Holocaust Deniers, for the reason that they both ignore or distort the perfectly rational evidence to maintain a belief which is not about objective reality but about setting up a rational to support the belief of the believers. For instance all the ills of society are blamed on evolution. Most, if not all, the listed ills have been around in society long before Darwin. His view is that the creationist reasoning is that belief in evolution results in loss of faith and this is why it must be opposed at all costs. As with almost all fundamentalist movements (using the term in its modern sense of a movement that thinks it is the only one with the “TRUTH”) they see objective reality as being secondary to the revelation in the Bible. This view is born out by Kenneth Miller’s[7] description of an encounter with Henry Morris after the later had lost a debate to Miller, and the content of books like “Scientific Creationism”[8]. While this was centred on creationism and its refutation there were other philosophical issues. Shermer’s second book “How We Believe”[5] looks at the psychology and sociology of religious behaviour. He starts off by describing his own conversion and deconversion and how he now views himself as an agnostic. (Moving through atheism upon leaving Christianity.) Shermer’s testimony rang a bell as it was very like my own experience of complete conviction and certainty and now (though about 25 years later than Shermer) I was questioning the fundamental truth of what I believed. He had raised questions because of a friend who was a Jehovah’s Witness who had described his certainty about his faith. Shermer was struck with the question of how could someone be convinced he had the truth when it was so different from his own faith that claimed to be the truth. The big crunch came, like mine with creationism, with Hal Lindsay’s wild interpretations of biblical prophesy in “The Late Great Planet Earth”. In discussing the book with his philosophy professor he was apprised of some of its logical errors. So he encountered a logically untenable defence of a Christian position. As he sought out further understanding he realised that the key was faith. Through a leap of faith the believers “bootstrap” themselves into a system that is self-consistent but divorced to a greater or lesser extent from objective reality. This is my problem I have been stirred to look for the truth and I have found my religion wanting. “How We Believe” goes on, from Shermer stating his position at the outset, to analyse why there is a strong sense of religion in all human societies. This religious behaviour arises and is influenced from various sources. Shermer is very clear that he believes that God is not dead and people will be putting their trust in religion for some time yet. Religion meets many social and personal needs that cannot just be rationalised away for most people. |