John Gray on delusions.
One reads something and considers it an interesting perspective on a balance between theism and atheism.
Two days later, I read this absolute stunner of an excerpt from a book by John Gray. I don't know what to say. At an intuitive level, much of what he says makes immense sense.
Zealous atheism renews some of the worst features of ( Read more... )
Two days later, I read this absolute stunner of an excerpt from a book by John Gray. I don't know what to say. At an intuitive level, much of what he says makes immense sense.
Zealous atheism renews some of the worst features of ( Read more... )
My understanding of what his view is:
Christianity originally introduced the ideal of progress in terms of spiritual upliftment. The carrot at the end of the stick notion by proposing salvation as a goal of existence. With industrialization of the early 1900s and later, rational schemes of thought challenged this notion and espoused progress (in the material sense) minus the soul,spiritual part. The author believes that the idea of progress as an end - politically, ethically and socially - can be traced back to the notion that Christian doctrines originally proposed.
that their belief in progress is basically because they came in contact with Christianity.
They need not have come into contact with Christianity personally to believe in progress. What he seems to be saying is that belief in progress as an end is itself questionable. And since different groups tend to view progress differently on social and ethical lines (check the article for examples), he reasons that a group's fixed notion of progress will eventually lead to suppression of opposing ideas and notions.
Okay, much of this does not make a case for allowing fanatic religion a free reign, but one may get deluded in thinking strong atheism is doing anything different. Nazi and communist crimes exuded a strong sense of belief in doctrines devoid of religious overtones and were even anti-religious to a good extent. My sense of agreement with the author is where he says that different categories of thought are guilty of constructing their own utopian visions of the world. And for this, he blames attaching oneself to the notion of progress. I suppose I need to read more of him, but this is what I could get.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment