Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Religion and Truth
I was chatting with a barely-understandable postdoc at Caltech and somehow started talking about religion. They were saying that raising their kid with religion (Buddhism, Christianity, whatever) is good because it encouraged good morals. All I could think of was "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard." I really wanted to go Dr. Cox on them. Of course I didn't and tried to explain how I don't know any Christians who are in it for good morals or some crappy reason like that but because we think it's true. Somehow it doesn't even occur to people that religion can be true and knowable. That's why I love Christianity - it is at its heart a historical religion, meaning it is historically reliable. It's hard for me to have patience for people who disconnect religion and truth.
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Hey Nath, I think you're spot on here. If you're getting your kid involved in some religion... pick the one you like... for morals, all the while living an amoral existence yourself it's just going to wash out with your kids anyway. Beyond that it just seems weird.
This, I think I'm right about this, sort of backs up to a Kantian ethic... We know there isn't a God but we should behave as though there is because it's best. I just don't think you can really behave as though something were true knowing all along that it isn't.
I like your statement about historic Christianity. I'm sure that comforts you!
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