Why do we have to be so PC??

[_Scottie]

I've been having some conversations about religion with this new girl at work.

Yesterday, Noah's flood came up. She, being the chapel Mormon that she is, believes in a literal flood and that Noah's Ark literally held 2 of every animal. I asked how she could believe this with such overwhelming evidence that a global flood never happened?

Her answer: Faith.

I asked why she refused to use her brain and why she shut it off? She got really agitated and basically told me not to call her stupid! But... what else am I to think?? She point blank told me that she does not use her brain to deduce the things of God.

As I was thinking about this, we are always so careful to make sure we don't call apologists stupid. But... why? How is it that you can be faced with such incredibly overwhelming evidence that Mormonism is false and still believe without being stupid? Are we supposed to believe that these apologists are somehow the brightest minds because they believe Horses=Tapirs, or that prophets are speaking as men 98% of the time?? The more I'm out of Mormonism, and the more it becomes painfully obvious to me that it's false, the less I can respect men that know these things and still believe.

Believers, help me understand why I should consider you intelligent, because I'm really having a hard time here.

[_Some Schmo]

As I was thinking about this, we are always so careful to make sure we don't call apologists stupid. But... why? How is it that you can be faced with such incredibly overwhelming evidence that Mormonism is false and still believe without being stupid?

Now you understand why I'm not careful to avoid calling them stupid. If they say something stupid, we have a taxonomic duty to call it what it is, in my opinion.

And by the way, just because someone says something stupid doesn't necessarily mean they are stupid. If they make it a habit, however...

[_stemelbow]

I've been having some conversations about religion with this new girl at work.

Yesterday, Noah's flood came up. She, being the chapel Mormon that she is, believes in a literal flood and that Noah's Ark literally held 2 of every animal. I asked how she could believe this with such overwhelming evidence that a global flood never happened?

Her answer: Faith.

I asked why she refused to use her brain and why she shut it off? She got really agitated and basically told me not to call her stupid! But... what else am I to think?? She point blank told me that she does not use her brain to deduce the things of God.

Heh...to be fair I call people here stupid all the time, and I do believe I've been called stupid, most often justified, here too.

As I was thinking about this, we are always so careful to make sure we don't call apologists stupid. But... why? How is it that you can be faced with such incredibly overwhelming evidence that Mormonism is false and still believe without being stupid? Are we supposed to believe that these apologists are somehow the brightest minds because they believe Horses=Tapirs,

Well its stupid, for sure, to create strawmen in some attempt to demonize, and sensationalize as you just did. I don't know if an action on your part means you are as a whole stupid, but that was surely stupid, right?

or that prophets are speaking as men 98% of the time??

Again with the stupid strawmen and sensationalizing. Whose telling you this percentage? Also, whose to say they don't speak as men 100% of the time? They are afterall men.

The more I'm out of Mormonism, and the more it becomes painfully obvious to me that it's false, the less I can respect men that know these things and still believe.

Then show no respect. Its really not hard to respect people who are believers. I also think its easy to see how wrong other religions are, but I can easily respect the adheresrs to those religions.

Believers, help me understand why I should consider you intelligent, because I'm really having a hard time here.

I personally don't care. If you don't want to recognize that there are intelligent believers, then that's your hangup, that's your prejudice. Besides, for me, I know I'm not all that intelligence, I only wish you were able to acknowledge the same about you. I don't see any Hawkings here, afterall.

[_stemelbow]

And by the way, just because someone says something stupid doesn't necessarily mean they are stupid. If they make it a habit, however...

That's a far cry from your calling people liars if they happen to tell a lie mantra, which was stupid. Its easy to identify the stupid ideas and comments.

[_Rambo]

Oh I don't think their stupid at all. They may be kind of dumb in terms of religion but they a trained not to use their brains when it comes to god. You know the saying "we can understand God's ways" it basically means I don't think it makes sense either but I'm not going to question God. It basically shuts off their brain in that area. However; when it comes to other things believers are reallys smart!

[_Buffalo]

Faith causes intelligent people to suspend all critical thinking when it comes to their faith. It doesn't mean they're intrinsically stupid, it just means their faith is making them act stupidly.

[_Morley]

....

I personally don't care. If you don't want to recognize that there are intelligent believers, then that's your hangup, that's your prejudice. Besides, for me, I know I'm not all that intelligence, I only wish you were able to acknowledge the same about you. I don't see any Hawkings here, afterall.

Do you actually read the threads, here? There are plenty of brilliant people. And then there are some idiots. They are not all the same.

.....

Too often, stupidity is a choice. Choosing to not think is seen as virtue: as an exercise in faith. But it's not. It's just choosing to not think.

[_Buffalo]

I don't see any Hawkings here, afterall.

Tarski is our Hawkings :)

[_stemelbow]

Do you actually read the threads, here? There are plenty of brilliant people. And then there are some idiots. They are not all the same.

What makes you think I'm saying any differently--well I wonder about the rather loose interpretation of "brilliant" but I agree with your general idea.

.....

Too often, stupidity is a choice. Choosing to not think is seen as virtue: as an exercise in faith. But it's not. It's just choosing to not think.

I can see it both ways--i'm cool like that. Sometimes trying to be critical or skeptical is just doing so for cynicisms sake and isn't really thinking much at all. Surely, suggesting thinking is somehow opposed to exercising faith misses the boat in my mind. I'm not saying,at all, that there is the "rely on faith" attitude when it comes to tough questions or problems. I'm just saying you can think on faith and faith questions and still be faithful.

[_stemelbow]

Tarski is our Hawkings :)

Which surely identifies us as a whole nowhere near the top of the intellect meter.