CelticBear's Musings - Latest Comments

Re: You’ve Got to be Kidding Me – Red Pen Too Mean?

Teacherernest — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:26:44 -0000

AMEN!!! I agree 100%

Re: Response to Deceptive Leafleteers, and Christianity in General

CelticBear — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:43:24 -0000

If you read the top of my post, you'll see that I'm only REposting this story by someone else. You can follow the links in that opening paragraph to where you can reply to their original posting of it.
Thanks for replying, though. :)

Re: Response to Deceptive Leafleteers, and Christianity in General

Beadknitter — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:42:54 -0000

I'd say you had a pretty good day. I also give you a round of applause. I wonder if that second fellow is wondering what train that was that hit him?

Re: Why The Very Basis of Orthodox Christianity is Absurd and Cruel

CelticBear — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 01:37:09 -0000

Thanks for visiting. Indeed, I was using the small-o definition of "orthodox" in the same way Protestants use small-c catholic to mean "universal" and not big-C denomination.
This is an old post, and I've long since stopped using "orthodox" in that way to avoid confusion.

I'd be interested where it's recorded that Einstein said anything like that. I'm exceedingly... skeptical, he'd say such a thing.

To say the universe is "outside" logic is like saying it's outside calculus. Logic, like math, is simply an epistemological tool devised to help us explain the natural universe. There's nothing written in the fabric of the universe that says "a tautology is a fallacy," but neither is a2 + b2 = c2 written anywhere. But the evidence of the conclusions we reach using these tools, if used well, is ample proof that these are perfectly valid tools to help us understand the universe.

For example, I can use logic to point out that your statement: "logic doesn't apply to love. If God is love, then truly God is not logical" contains the logical fallacies of category error and special pleading, at least. One reason I can't stand philosophers in general is because they perpetrate semantic fallacies left and right. To say logic can't be applied to love is like saying algebra can't be applied to dreams and thinking you've just undermined and invalidated all of mathematics. Logic isn't an applicable tool to, what, measuring(?) an emotion any more than algebra can quantify a dream state, but I can still apply logic to a set of premeses and a conclusion as I can use algebra to solve for X.

But you've got one thing right: God's not at all logical! Neither as a concept nor as a fictional character in a book.

Re: Why The Very Basis of Orthodox Christianity is Absurd and Cruel

Fr. Brendan — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:11:32 -0000

Dear friend, I enjoyed your blog in which you describe Orthodox Christianity as "absurd and cruel." In fact, it made me laugh. You see, I am a priest of the Orthodox Church (with a capital "O"), and I thought your blog was about that--so I was intrigued. What I discovered on reading your analysis was that you have never encountered Orthodox Christianity; therefore, I could agree with much of what you say. The point is that you are using logic, whereas Christian faith is about relationship and analogic (Greek, "above-logic"). Einstein pointed out that it doesn't work to apply logic even to the universe itself: we are contingent beings, and will not be able to use our logic to describe a world which is supra-logical. Physics is not "logical" but it is fascinating precisely because the more we discover, the more we realize that its own logic is far beyond our assumptions and ideas. Similar, Wittgenstein pointed out that logic doesn't apply to love. If God is love, then truly God is not logical! Not, at least, in terms of our own logical abilities. In any case, I would enjoy a dialogue with you--not a debate, but simply getting to know you and to learn more of what you think. If you like, read my blog site (orthodoxpilgrims.wordpress.com) and let me know what you think of it. And may God, who truly exists, bless you and grant you abundant grace. The unworthy priest, +Fr Brendan

Re: Only in America.

CelticBear — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:02:51 -0000

Really? Are you sure? I mean, you live there so it'd be silly of me to argue with you :) ... But... not only have I read many sources that cite how undergrad degrees are super-cheap if not free, my own research when I was trying REALLY hard to get into Trent U. in Peterburough showed that Ontario, at least, offers free tuition to Ontario citizens -- even for many graduate degrees!

(I was SO upset when I had to face the fact that I simply was not going to be able to afford to earn my most desired degree at my most desired university.) :(

Anyway, thanks for reading and contributing! :)

Re: Only in America.

Lewin — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:53:32 -0000

"...most of higher education in Canada is also as free as their healthcare?"

Canadian here--that's not exactly accurate, though tuition is much lower here. Typical undergraduate tuition at a university is between $4000 and $8000 per year, less at community colleges.

Re: Actor’s nightmare; guitarist’s dream

liminalD — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:02:12 -0000

I have these nightmares too... I didn't know there was an actual name for them tho :o

Re: Darnit, Jim, I’m a doctor — not a faith healer!

Inspirationdebunked — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:26:55 -0000

Great post. In the Alpha course I did, and in Nicky Gumbel's book, he gives a detailed anecdote of Ajay Gohil who underwent a miraculous cure. I've attempted a debunk here: http://inspirationdebunked.wor...

Re: Be it resolved…

CelticBear — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 12:15:47 -0000

Heh, yeah, irony. Ain't it a bitch, though. :)
You're not a regular reader. Otherwise you'd know I write the blog completely stream-of-conscious -- I write it as I think it and I never go back to edit. Sure, that means a lot of grammatical and spelling errors get put out there; but blogging for me is a vent, not another project to be gone over with a comb, fine-tooth or otherwise.
I like to think my 3.93 GPA as a grad student speaks for my ability to write grammatically well when the need arises. ;) Thank you for commenting. :)

Re: Be it resolved…

Jim Turner — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 05:43:07 -0000

I know it's not done to criticise grammar on blogs, but I couldn't resist when you mention gaining your English Masters and then write "there's been legal scares / financial difficulties", etc., in the same paragraph! There HAVE been legal scares...
*runs for cover*

Re: On voting.

CelticBear — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 13:39:37 -0000

Holy moly! Thanks to a recent podcast episode of American Freethought, I've just discovered a write-in for Congress for my district that actually represents me! Kinda cool that when I vote tomorrow, I'll have at least one write-in that'll be an actual person who I'll feel good about connecting my vote to: http://www.nilvsdcbs.com/

Re: The devil’s in the details.

Arne Sahlbery — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 10:35:20 -0000

Well written and super awesome! A really intresting blog! Looking forward to more of it! :D

Re: The devil’s in the details.

Korou — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 05:24:52 -0000

Celtic Bear, I'm really enjoying your posts. Thanks a lot!

Re: Prayer? Cheese! Ah, that’s power!

CelticBear — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:58:04 -0000

Oh man, indignant, no doubt!
I'm sure he also thought, if there were angels with me, why the heck not just prevent the accident from happening.

Thanks for the comment. :)

Re: Prayer? Cheese! Ah, that’s power!

Simon Allaway — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:17:28 -0000

That's the concept that polarised my views as a teen (38 yrs old now). I remember reading an article in Reader's Digest about a guy who lost his legs in a bizarre farming accident. He managed to free himself and crawl (across miles of rugged corn fields) to get help. People kept telling him how angels were 'with him' and he was 'saved'. He got very indignant and said "um no, I was the one that saved me!". That concept of Christianity ferociously denying our own abilities as humans irked me, and led to my own atheism. Great series of posts, by the way.

Re: Explore The Meaning of…Bitten Tongues

CelticBear — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 22:52:57 -0000

Thanks for sharing! :)
I've gotten past the hard annoyance now and am kind of curious to see what stuff each week brings that I can have a one-sided debate on. :)

Re: Explore The Meaning of…Bitten Tongues

turnipseed — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 20:36:57 -0000

I also attended a couple of the Alpha meetings. Our experiences were eerily similar, you just express your feelings better than I can. It was definitely an attempt to recruit members and not meant to answer any real questions. I only lasted two or three sessions and then I realized I was in the wrong place. Like you I was appalled at the videos that opened each meeting. How can you have a discussion with a video? At the small group session, the leader asked questions from a list that she was reading. The only thing the experience accomplished was to let the people in my small community know that I was an atheist.

Re: Why’d Jesus Die?

CelticBear — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 00:47:33 -0000

Thanks. :)
Sorry for the delay in approving your comment; I'm still getting used to Disqus' odd quirks. :-/
No, I'd not seen those sites. I'll take some time to take a look. Thanks!

Re: How Can We Have Faith; How Do We Debate Ideas?

CelticBear — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 10:53:25 -0000

Heh, thanks. :) And I've not worried about Wife, she's so liberal a Christian, she's Christian in label only. She's really more a pantheistic non-secular humanist. :)

Re: Explore The Meaning of…Bitten Tongues

CelticBear — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:35:19 -0000

Ah, thanks. I was going by phonetic memory. :) I'll fix that.

Re: Why’d Jesus Die?

Jim Turner — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 07:08:36 -0000

Loving this blog! Thanks for the insightful analysis of the machine-gun lies!
I assume you're also familiar with
www.jesusneverexisted.com and
http://jesuspuzzle.humanists.n...

Re: How Can We Have Faith; How Do We Debate Ideas?

Sam Radford — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 04:34:14 -0000

I can say that, on the whole, Alpha's strengths is that is does aim to facilitate genuine conversation and questions. My parents have run lots of Alpha courses here in England and it is actually the questions and discussion that they are most invigorated by. Do they hope people become Christians? Yes. But they totally recognise that many won't. And they hate the idea of forcing it on someone. Are all Alpha courses like this? Who knows. Probably not. But my sense with the 'heart' behind Alpha is that - whilst boldly presenting the Christian essentials - they are not about indoctrination or forcing or anything like that. It creates space for people to explore without - when run well/properly - any sense of pressure.

Re: How Can We Have Faith; How Do We Debate Ideas?

chicago dyke, mediocre of lime — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 04:10:34 -0000

hey, man. just had to drop by here and wish you well. the things we do for lurv, right? hang in there, mang. life is a funny thing; she'll be futureblogging something like this 30 years from now while a robot cleans the cat litter. ;-)

Re: Explore The Meaning of…Bitten Tongues

Damarc — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 03:39:42 -0000

Nice article, but one small correction: it's "Gott mit uns", not "Gott mit eins".