Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 23:45:09 -0500
From: Walter Nusbaum <walter@thechoicenet.com>
Subject: Dar has been duped too!
WALT JR writes:
Dar, You are simply confused. You and I know exactly what we
mean by the western view of God. >>
DAR
I think you misunderstand. Michael must answer for himself
but let me say that perhaps the word "incoherent" is a better
description for your western god. Self-contradictory might work
too. I have no trouble with saying that a self-contradictory
statement is meaningless.
WALT JR
It is not a meaningless term any more than the term unicorn is
meaningless. Just because unicorns don't exist doesn't make it a
meaningless term. >>
DAR
So the analogy goes, just because the bible god doesn't exist
doesn't make it a meaningless term? Maybe this analogy does
have hope!
No, I agree, the word unicorn is not meaningless. At the very
least, it describes a horse with a single horn. I know horses exist.
I know horns can exist. No big deal. A much better analogy with
your god would be an INVISIBLE PINK UNICORN. I would
perhaps posit that the description "Invisible Pink Unicorn" is
meaningless or incoherent in the same way as this bible god is
meaningless or incoherent (I have used the IPU as an example for
over a year with Dave but was never able to figure this out but let
me give it away now). This is because the word "pink" describes
a color, that is, something by definition "visible". The word
invisible describes something "not visible" and therefore,
necessarily, without color. So we have a contradiction. A title
that describes a single solitary critter (IPU) with two distinct,
flatly contradictory, incompatible, attributes.
What a wonderful resemblance this has to bible god (being
both three and one at the same time too!)
Let me explain how I understand Michael's point:
1) The bible describes it's god as the three OOO's (omni's).
2) The bible describes it's god as confused, mistaken and
suffering from divine Alzheimer's in this Balaam talking donkey
incident.
3) ... Therefore, bible god, is incoherent.
Synonyms or other words that might apply equally as well:
inchoate
disordered
unintelligible
confused
untenable
senseless
meaningless
We understand that premise number two is giving you a little
trouble, but that's OK. I hope you understand WHY or HOW
Michael arrived at the idea that: bible god = meaningless.
WALT JR
We have grown up in this western tradition and have been
exposed to the western view of God,... >>
DAR
And we are simply saying that this bible god is incoherent.
As Tolstoy put it:
"Even in the shadow of death, two and two do not make six" --Leo Tolstoy,
WALT JR
...therefore, it is not a meaningless term. You are again deluded
and arguing for arguments sake. >>
DAR
No, I argue because I think you're wrong.
We are just trying to gently teach you Walt Jr. If the scales of
superstition are ever lifted from your eyes perhaps someday you
will thank us.
Enjoy the extra copy of this post.
cheers,
Darrel
-------------------------
"Invisible Pink Unicorns are beings of awesome mystical power. We
know this because they manage to be invisible and pink at the same
time. Like all religions, the Faith of the Invisible Pink Unicorns is based
upon both logic and faith. We have faith that they are pink; we
logically know that they are invisible because we can't see them." --
Steve Eley