This is the point I was trying make earlier. Once you decide that you’re going to accept some things on faith, or on “just a hunch,” instead of applying reason to them, you have absolutely no mechanism to differentiate between miracles, or, for that matter, between pants and clown pants. All miracles become equally probable, all pants are equally wearable.
For anyone out there who feels that Polycarp’s latest revelation has drifted off into the loony fringe, but who still believes that his explanations of his core religious beliefs somehow make sense, I think you’ve got some pondering to do. The uncomfortable (for some) fact is that there’s nothing stranger about his latest fixation than there is about his more mainstream faith. It’s all equally irrational, no matter how eloquently it’s defended.
It may be unpleasant to acknowledge, but I think Polycarp has been revealed to be just lekatt, with better social skills and writing ability.
No, that’s actually unfair. When Poly is posting about something that doesn’t involve religion, his posts are excellent, definitely worth paying attention to. But when the subject is the supernatural, he’s just as much of a wacko as lekatt.
Well, so far we’ve had the Scylla Thanksgiving thread, and the Polycarp Second Coming thread. As these things are said to come in threes, who among our popular posters is up for a third? And who will be the John the Baptist that starts the thread that goads the popular poster?
Enquiring minds want to know…
I read Poly’s post as a somewhat of a qualifier, i.e that the “messiah” will come in an unexpected way. i also read the preamble to his bio post as a clue that he expects (as he has posted sevral times on other subjects) that God would choose to work in a naturalistic way rather than the decidedly silly spectacle anticipated by the bulk of Christianity.
Asd I suggested before, I think it might be more akin to interpreting Martin Luther King as a “servant” of God but not necessraily as God. I’m reasonably sure that Poly doesn’t think this kid is actually God incarnate but even if he did think that, it would be no more ridiculous than thinking that Jesus of Nazereth was.
Anyway, I’m not so much defending this Walmart kid as the Messiah as I’m annoyed with the hypocrisy of other Christians in this thread. None of these Christians are virgins when it comes to bizarre beliefs so it’s a little disingenuous for them to avert their eyes over Poly’s speculations.
Well, in this thread in GQ, a poster dismisses my assertion that it’s not a good idea to eat your own extremities by implying that I’m pretending to be a doctor.
QtM, you shameless self-promoter you!
You do have to get the offending party to start the new thread down here in the Pit, you realize?
(Truly a bizarre thread, btw. I’m beginning to think this place is getting wackier by the minute. Full moon’s on Monday. Maybe the wackiness will peak on that day?)
If you decide to google around to try and figure out who this kid is, do NOT type in “gay teen websites” for your search words as I just stupidly did. ESPECIALLY if you are at work
[/PSA]
(brought to you by the association for the blinding obvious)
As an atheist I would maintain that anything “naturalistic” will be quite unconvincing, however what you describe as a “decidedly silly spectacle” might actually make me believe. Do you differ in you perspective?
Polycarp didn’t describe Martin Luther King as the second coming of Jesus, while he did describe the kid that way.
I think he does. I think he has a “very strong hunch” that he is. He said so.
I mentioned before that while I agree both are unreasonable, at least the “more” fundamentalist believers have the understandable influence of societal pressure. Poly just wants to make Jesus look just like him, an unhappy boy with homosexual (not that there is anything wrong with that) tendencies. If you ask me he’s got some serious guilt issues going on.
Perhaps you should be a little more even handed in pointing out who’s beliefs you think are bizarre instead of giving Polycarp the perpetual pass at the expense of others just because you think he’s a swell guy. It’s not like this is the first time I’ve noticed it.
Yes, I do have such strong hunches, and have posted on them. Now I think I’ll bow out and cease my shameless self-promotion and let this thread run its natural(?) course.
I always thought that was close to badchad’s point re Polycarp’s criticisms of fundamentalism. You know, Poly acting like his made up religion was more firmly founded than their made up religion?
It sure feels like you are doing backflips to give Poly wiggle room here. I say this as someone who honestly has no grudge and doesn’t like to dance on the graves of fallen heros.
Polycarp doesn’t attack other people for their beliefs. That’s why I’m dfending him.
I actually don’t have much to say about atheists/agnostics who think that Poly’s theory is absurd…as long as they’re careful to point out that all religious beliefs are absurd.
What I’m trying to get across is that there should be no diffrence in the way Poly’s beliefs are treated and the way any so-called “orthodox” beliefs are treated. Let’s be equally respectful or equally dismissive. Let’s not say that some religious beliefs are kooky and other ones “normal.”
There is something to the charges that I’m defending Polycarp because I like him. I have a natural impulse to defend underdogs or individuals who I think are getting piled up on. Poly’s a decent guy who doesn’t deserve to be snowballed over one unusual theory (which, btw, he has stopped short of asserting as solid fact or inside knowledge).
Since Poly is someone who already believes, I don’t think the convincing nature of an event means anything. I just think he may be casting a religious interpretation over an event (well, actually an anticipated event) which is something that people have literally been doing since time immemorial.
For example, Elizabeth’s Smart’s family have publicly characterized her rescue as a “miracle.” I dont think it was a miracle but I also don’t think they should be verbally savaged for holding that belief.
(just to keep this thread on topic)