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October 20, 2006
"Faith" at the POPTech 2006 Conference
Martin Marty takes the stage. He is presenting on fundamentalism and religion in the world today. As a prominent pastor, teacher, scholar and interpreter of religion and culture, he has written more than 50 books and received 75 (!!) honorary doctorate degrees.
Richard Dawkins is the other speaker. Richard – an Oxford biologist - also comes with remarkable credentials but from an entirely different perspective. His book, The God Delusion, criticizes religion for its intolerance. He says it's the scientist and humanist in him that makes him hostile to religions—fundamentalist Christianity and Islam come in for the most opprobrium—that close people's minds to scientific truth, oppress women and abuse children psychologically with the notion of eternal damnation.
I’m interested in what the conversational part of this talk will be like when we get to the open mike session.
In the meantime, Marty is talking about modern fundamentalism. The term is traced to the 1920s. (I am thinking about Tom Barnett’s take on religion as we talked over dinner about evangelicalism, which is different in how it emphasizes the conversion of peoples into a particular religion. I wonder how the two are inter-related.)
So far his talk is more folksy-storytelling than anything about technology and religion. I’m curious to hear more about Marty’s thoughts and perspective on the role of religion as a “dangerous idea” within the dialog space of this POPTech conference. So far there’s not more than a commentary that religion will not go away in modern life. It is here to stay, with the sense of mystery with regard to life ensuring the propagation and role of religion.
The search for meaning and the company of people on similar journeys will result in religion always playing a role in life.
Richard Dawkins is now coming on stage. I suspect that his stand is going to be more bold and controversial. He starts with homage to Dr. Marty. Believe in the absence of evidence is what he intends to describe, as opposed to belief based upon evidence.
Throughout the world, children acquire the religion of their parents for the most part, and it is always the “right” religion. He shows a map of 13 major religions around the globe, and finds it remarkable that all of us in society accepts the labeling of people in this way, drawing out what in effect are “battle lines.”
He objects to children being taught “separation.”
He says that scientists are often accused of arrogant certainty, but wonders “What about the arrogance of faith?” Science has the humility and reverence that there are things we do not and can not understand. He says that faith has an arrogance that science does not share.
He says that Faith says:
I know the truth and nothing can change my mind. My holy book tells me the truth. I need to look no further. My priest (Pope, Ayatollah etc.) tells me the truth. I need to look no further. An inner voice tells me the truth. I need to look no further.
He says it is about time that it is about time to criticize Faith, and shift from the polite “hands-off” social convention for automatic respect for religious faith. He believes that science’s polite humility that its postulates are often framed as “It’s only a theory…” awaiting challenge and open discourse, that makes it vulnerable to the attacks from [arrogant] Faith.
Posted by Mike at October 20, 2006 02:47 PM
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