Recent Threads / True Mental Health...

[Saperstein, David (RAC)]

Amen

 

________________________________

From: religionlaw-bounces at lists.ucla.edu
[mailto:religionlaw-bounces at lists.ucla.edu] On Behalf Of W. A. Wildhack
III
Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2007 2:43 AM
To: 'Law & Religion issues for Law Academics'
Subject: RE: Recent Threads / True Mental Health...

 

Ironically/coincidentally/providentially (your choice!), the quote of
the day on my iGoogle home page today is this from Bertrand Russell:

 

If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will
scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will
refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something
which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he
will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is
explained in this way.

 

That would seem consistent with David Masci's new piece from the Pew
Forum on Religion and American Life dealing with "How the Public
Resolves Conflicts Between Faith and Science" (available at
http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=243).  At a glance, it looks like Pew's
research backs up Russell's assertions to some extent (except maybe for
the comment about myths at the end of the quote), though it also
suggests that even overwhelming evidence may not be enough for some
folks.  Oh, well.

 

Anyway, maybe it's time to move on from parsing
proselytize/evangelize/whatever and get back to "Law & Religion issues
for Law Academics."

 

Bill Wildhack

Member, Florida Bar and bar of the U.S. District Court for the Middle
District of Florida
Minister of Word and Sacrament, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Commander, Chaplain Corps, U.S. Navy Reserve 

 
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