Re: paleonet Psychopathology of religion

[Frank Holterhoff <frank@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hear, hear, Andy!  At the very least, we can't expect to make any 
headway against the "spiel" (Creationism or whatever) of intolerant 
Fundamentalists if we ourselves sound intolerant.  Perhaps Ms. 
Armstrong's next book should be about Scientific Fundamentalists.

I'm a firm adherent of both Christianity and evolution (in fact, I have 
a Jesus fish and a Darwin fish nose-to-nose on the back of my truck, 
and, no, I haven't been shot at yet).  I try hard not to be discomfited 
by/afraid of new ideas, or at least not to interpret my unease as 
non-validity.  In fact, I'll volunteer that I'm an American 
Episcopalian...talk about lately being asked to consider new thinking 
without phobias of any kind!

I must say that I think the "Word of God" (I hope nobody's offended by 
the "G" word; it is part of the English language) has a lot more to do 
with the tolerance or lack of it displayed by either Creationists or 
Evolutionists than with the official "line" of either faction.

Sorry to those who feel (rightly) that this thread isn't about 
paleontology.  But I agree with Kenneth that it's pertinent here because 
it impacts so profoundly how (whether?) paleontologists go about their 
business now and in the future.  And, like Kenneth, my point in writing 
is to try to turn the heat down, not up - I hope I didn't have the wrong 
effect.

F

Andy Rindsberg wrote:
>  >  Some time ago, I tried to find something on the ‘psychology of 
> religion” on the internet but most of the sites seemed at best 
> subjective productions by believers. Does anyone know of such sites 
> which are not? Furthermore, does anyone know of any websites/books on 
> the psychopathology of religious fundamentalism?
> 
>      
> 
>     -----------------------------------------------------------------
>     Dr John R. Laurie  
> 
>      
> 
>     Hey, guy, rein it in. Lack of respect can be nearly as wearing as
>     outright intolerance. Anyway, religion is not generally
>     pathological; it's just that people tend to believe deeply in what
>     they learned early. Accordingly, Dawkins advised, "Don't teach your
>     children things that are not true."
> 
>      
> 
>     Andrew K. Rindsberg
> 
>     Geological Survey of Alabama
> 

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