[MD] Why the return to literal anti-intellectual religion

[David M]

Hi DMB

Yes the below is a very serious concern. How have we got to this place?
I think that failure on the intellectual level has much blame to carry.
Western thought and science is dominated by an obsession with SQ,
order: knowledge and power over SQ. Such a view has disenchanted
existence and people have returned to anti-intellectual forms of religion.
What I think we need is a form of intellectual outlook that allows DQ
to be brought back into play rather than banished. New ideas in physics,
post-enlightenment radical theology (eg Don Cupitt), eastern religious
thought, post-modern irony, Roy Bhaskar's critical realism,
and the MOQ are all possible ways forward, there are others.

Regards
David M

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "david buchanan" <dmbuchanan at hotmail.com>
To: <moq_discuss at moqtalk.org>
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 12:30 AM
Subject: Re: [MD] False Messiah


> DM, Scott and all y'all:
>
> DM said to dmb:
> ...Here's an example from New Zealand: http://sof.wellington.net.nz/ 
> ...What
> are you trying to prove and how would you like to set about banning 
> theism?
> Personally I suggest encouraging radical theology of which there is a 
> great
> deal. Have a look at Don Cupitt's After God.
>
> dmb tries this one again:
> I looked briefly at the 'sea of faith" web site and at Don Cupitt a bit 
> too.
> Again, to the extent that that these organizations and authors are not
> theists they are not the target of my criticisms of theism. But just in 
> case
> there is any chance that you're actually interested the real target, you
> might want to check out a book called AMERICAN THEOCRACY" by Kevin 
> Phillips,
> a long-time Republican and former Reagan Administration offical. That's 
> how
> bad its getting gents. Supreme Court Justice O'Connor, who was appointed 
> by
> a Republican, recently complained about the death threats leveled against
> her and explained how it was part of the American right's attack on the
> Judicial branch, and how that attack was part of a movement toward a
> dictatorship in the United States. Justice Ginsberg has also had death
> threats and agrees with her more conservative peer. John Dean, another
> long-time Republican and former Nixon Administration bigshot recently 
> wrote
> a book about the present administration called "Worse than Watergate".
> President Dumbass says Jesus is his favorite philosopher, "because he
> changed my heart". Again, when this thread began I hoped it would be a
> discussion of neo-Victorian moral decline. And the current tendency to
> theocracy is at the heart of this moral decline, the slipping back to the
> last static latch. It tends to undo the intellectual principle upon which
> the US was founded AND tends to result in a rather aggressive foriegn
> policy. And the wider global tensions and downright bloodshed also happens
> to involve some theism of a different flavor. See, the Republican Party is
> run by literalist (Its true. There are hard numbers on this. 55% of them
> believe in the "end times" prophecies, for example) And presently the
> Republican party has control over all three branches of government so that
> they control the nation with relatively unchecked power. International
> checks and balances on their power are relatively inert too, given the 
> sheer
> size of the US military and, more specifically, the administration's
> contempt for the United Nations, the Geneva Conventions, and such. Gents,
> when you add it all up, we're talking about religious fanatics with nukes,
> fanatics on a mission from God. And I don't mean Islamic fundamentalists.
> I'm talking about how dangerous our own Christian fundamentalist are. 
> That's
> the target. OK?
>
> If you think Don Cupper or anybody else can help to diagnose or treat that
> problem, feel free to explain. Personally, I like the MOQ, Wilber, 
> Campbell,
> Watts, and lots of other thinkers. I think they offer something like a
> diagnosis and a recommendation for treatment. But again, if you have your
> hands on a better idea, or even just a pretty good idea, bring it. I've 
> been
> bringing plenty and boy are my fingers tired.
>
> "The selling out of intellectual truth to the social icons of organized
> religion is seen by the MOQ as an evil act." RMP
>
> Thanks.
> dmb
>
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