Burning the book of Mormon

[skipbelt 0]

quote from winsor
If something requires belief to be taken into serious consideration, it is not deserving of such. Ridicule is the appropriate response.
there are numerous appliances , conveyances , and systems we know little to nothing about the theory , manufacture , or inner workings of. yet we rely on them or others literally putting our lives in their hands. this requires faith unless you value life so little !

[winsor 236]

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quote from winsor

If something requires belief to be taken into serious consideration, it is not deserving of such. Ridicule is the appropriate response.

there are numerous appliances , conveyances , and systems we know little to nothing about the theory , manufacture , or inner workings of. yet we rely on them or others literally putting our lives in their hands. this requires faith unless you value life so little !

These appliances, conveyances and systems withstand scrutiny. They do not REQUIRE faith.

FWIW, I happen to know the theory, manufacture and inner workings.

[skipbelt 0]

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quote from winsor
If something requires belief to be taken into serious consideration, it is not deserving of such. Ridicule is the appropriate response.
there are numerous appliances , conveyances , and systems we know little to nothing about the theory , manufacture , or inner workings of. yet we rely on them or others literally putting our lives in their hands. this requires faith unless you value life so little !

These appliances, conveyances and systems withstand scrutiny. They do not REQUIRE faith.
FWIW, I happen to know the theory, manufacture and inner workings.

even if what you assert is true , you did not conceive , make or assemble them. you have to have faith outside yourself . you have to have faith in other drivers on the road. you have to have faith in your pilot , mechanic , bus driver , train engineer , ships captain , dam builders bridge builders architects , you put your life in their hands. total strangers. the list goes on. even if you could invent build and operate it all , you're not perfect, and it takes faith to trust in the imperfect !

[winsor 236]

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quote from winsor

If something requires belief to be taken into serious consideration, it is not deserving of such. Ridicule is the appropriate response.

there are numerous appliances , conveyances , and systems we know little to nothing about the theory , manufacture , or inner workings of. yet we rely on them or others literally putting our lives in their hands. this requires faith unless you value life so little !

These appliances, conveyances and systems withstand scrutiny. They do not REQUIRE faith.

FWIW, I happen to know the theory, manufacture and inner workings.

even if what you assert is true , you did not conceive , make or assemble them. you have to have faith outside yourself . you have to have faith in other drivers on the road. you have to have faith in your pilot , mechanic , bus driver , train engineer , ships captain , dam builders bridge builders architects , you put your life in their hands. total strangers. the list goes on. even if you could invent build and operate it all , you're not perfect, and it takes faith to trust in the imperfect !

Our problem here is semantic, which is pivotal. Semantics is the study of meaning, and we are thus actually talking about two different things.

You have latched on to the word "faith," and thereby completely missed my point.

Life is a crapshoot, and you point out examples where the odds are less than 100%, which has nothing do do with what I am talking about. I draw the line at a bet where the odds are zero, which is where the "faith" necessary for religion begins.


BSBD,

Winsor

[skipbelt 0]

i see your point
i acknowledge your point
that 0% threshold is difficult to cross
many cross back and forth over it
even mother teresa toward the end was hounded by doubt
for those who believe no proof is necessary
for those who don't believe no proof is possible .
attribution to follow !

[billvon 3,063]

>>If something requires belief to be taken into serious consideration, it is not
>>deserving of such. Ridicule is the appropriate response.

>there are numerous appliances , conveyances , and systems we know little
> to nothing about the theory , manufacture , or inner workings of. yet we
>rely on them or others literally putting our lives in their hands. this requires
>faith unless you value life so little !

Of course. But if you do not believe in the various theories of aerodynamics, your plane will not fall out of the sky; your belief is not required for it to continue to operate. Likewise, you may not believe in evolution, but if you end up with a nosocomial VRE infection, it can still make you sick (or even kill you.) Heck, you can even believe with all your heart, mind and soul that God will save you if you jump without a parachute, and have 100% faith in His mercy - but that belief won't do anything to save you if you do that.

Belief is not required for the world to operate according to the same physical principles it always has, and a potential misunderstanding of those principles does not hamper their effectiveness.

[skipbelt 0]

agreed , in addition when it comes to human existence belief and faith are inescapable !

[nbblood 0]

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I live in UT and if you dont already know, the vast majority of the population out here is mormon. Would I be within my constitutional rights to burn this book here? Methinks I would get convicted with a charge of inciting a riot. Anywho what are your thoughts on burning a book of mormon in SLC?

I am from Utah, although not living there right now, and I am also Mormon. Personally I think that you're giving yourself way too much credit for being controversial. Do you really think that it would be the first time? LDS members have always been under constant scrutiny. That's fine.

If you're looking for a reaction, here you go: Eh....whatever. Even the personal attacks and gross misconceptions in this thread are nothing new. A fundamental precept of the church is the importance of agency and for each to "worship how, where, or what they may." I am certainly not going to worry, even a little, about actions/words that have no purpose other than to incite reaction.

Of course, somebody will always get their feathers ruffled and provide the response you're looking for. So if that's what you seek, knock yourself out. Have a nice day.

Blues,
Nathan

If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.