I'll be real up front here: I absolutely do not believe you have a right to believe that π = 3. I am not even apologetic about my dogmatism on this issue. I don't really care what you say you believe, any more than I care what you say is your favorite color or flavor of ice cream. Those aren't beliefs, those are opinions and personal preferences. It would be horribly presumptuous of me to make any statement at all about your personal preferences and opinions.
How about another one: I do not believe you have to right to believe that the earth is flat. The earth is not a flat plate sitting on the back of a turtle. No amount of consideration for your feelings nor appreciation of your rights is going to change the facts. The earth is not flat, π does not equal three; if you really believe they are, then you are nut job. That doesn't make you a bad person, I wouldn't restrict where you can live or whom you can marry. You're still a nut job.
There are really three things happening in that last statement whose distinctions are woefully blurred. Let's clarify: we have fact, belief, and opinions. First: I have an opinion that those who believe that the earth is not flat or that π does not equal three. My opinion can't be right or wrong; it's just my opinion. The flatness (or lack thereof) of the earth and the value of π are facts; they are whatever they are, and my knowledge of their value does not affect their value. Finally, I believe -- based on evidence and logical arguments -- that the earth is not flat and that π does not equal 3. My opinions are my own, the facts are whatever they are; beliefs is where our world's collide.
I don't really care how sincere Joe Bob is in his belief that the world is flat and that π = 3; they aren't. I can't allow Joe Bob to build structures based on his belief that π = 3, because they would represent a danger to the public. I can't let Job Bob's mistaken belief that the earth is flat affect public policy. He doesn't believe in communication satellites orbiting in geosynchronous orbit; that's his problem and I cannot and will not allow it to impede progress.
One more step before we get to the punch line. I cannot actually show Joe Bob a π and say, "See! It's not equal to three! It's an irrational number that begins 3.141592653589793..." (Here's a sad aside: I didn't need to look that up; I have π memorized to 15 decimal places. Not for a contest or anything, just because it's something I thought I should know.) I can must all sorts of very tight logical arguments, but at the end of the day, Joe Bob may very well say, "I see you are sincere and that you really believe everything you are saying. I also can't find the logical error in your thought process; but I know you are wrong."
Whether or not there is a Creator is a fact. My belief and other's non-belief does not affect His existence (or, G-d forbid lack thereof). I can't point to Him, but I have all sorts of very tight logical arguments that have led me to the beliefs I have. As the end of the day, you may very well say, "I see you are sincere and that you really believe everything you are saying. I also can't find the logical error in your thought process; but I know you are wrong." You are, I believe, quite wrong. That doesn't make you a bad person, I wouldn't restrict where you can live or whom you can marry. You're still wrong; just as wrong as Joe Bob is about the earth and π.
That, of course, means that I am going to need to fight against legislation that ignores the spiritual reality in which we live. Fish live in water, whether they believe it or not. We live in a Creation, whether some believe it or not.
How about another one: I do not believe you have to right to believe that the earth is flat. The earth is not a flat plate sitting on the back of a turtle. No amount of consideration for your feelings nor appreciation of your rights is going to change the facts. The earth is not flat, π does not equal three; if you really believe they are, then you are nut job. That doesn't make you a bad person, I wouldn't restrict where you can live or whom you can marry. You're still a nut job.
There are really three things happening in that last statement whose distinctions are woefully blurred. Let's clarify: we have fact, belief, and opinions. First: I have an opinion that those who believe that the earth is not flat or that π does not equal three. My opinion can't be right or wrong; it's just my opinion. The flatness (or lack thereof) of the earth and the value of π are facts; they are whatever they are, and my knowledge of their value does not affect their value. Finally, I believe -- based on evidence and logical arguments -- that the earth is not flat and that π does not equal 3. My opinions are my own, the facts are whatever they are; beliefs is where our world's collide.
I don't really care how sincere Joe Bob is in his belief that the world is flat and that π = 3; they aren't. I can't allow Joe Bob to build structures based on his belief that π = 3, because they would represent a danger to the public. I can't let Job Bob's mistaken belief that the earth is flat affect public policy. He doesn't believe in communication satellites orbiting in geosynchronous orbit; that's his problem and I cannot and will not allow it to impede progress.
One more step before we get to the punch line. I cannot actually show Joe Bob a π and say, "See! It's not equal to three! It's an irrational number that begins 3.141592653589793..." (Here's a sad aside: I didn't need to look that up; I have π memorized to 15 decimal places. Not for a contest or anything, just because it's something I thought I should know.) I can must all sorts of very tight logical arguments, but at the end of the day, Joe Bob may very well say, "I see you are sincere and that you really believe everything you are saying. I also can't find the logical error in your thought process; but I know you are wrong."
Whether or not there is a Creator is a fact. My belief and other's non-belief does not affect His existence (or, G-d forbid lack thereof). I can't point to Him, but I have all sorts of very tight logical arguments that have led me to the beliefs I have. As the end of the day, you may very well say, "I see you are sincere and that you really believe everything you are saying. I also can't find the logical error in your thought process; but I know you are wrong." You are, I believe, quite wrong. That doesn't make you a bad person, I wouldn't restrict where you can live or whom you can marry. You're still wrong; just as wrong as Joe Bob is about the earth and π.
That, of course, means that I am going to need to fight against legislation that ignores the spiritual reality in which we live. Fish live in water, whether they believe it or not. We live in a Creation, whether some believe it or not.
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