[Paleopsych] Re: Robust scientific dialog

[G. Reinhart-Waller]

I would suspect that many of our founding fathers were 
quite religious and not the least atheistic.  The Salem 
witch trials were not based on reality but on belief 
that witches walked amongst the people of Salem, 
Massachusetts.  One of the main differences between 
then and now is that some of us presently are so 
steeped in scientism that in some instances it 
functions as a religion.

Gerry Reinhart-Waller



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Hovland" <shovland at mindspring.com>
To: "'The new improved paleopsych list'" 
<paleopsych at paleopsych.org>
Sent: Monday, February 21, 2005 7:35 PM
Subject: RE: [Paleopsych] Re: Robust scientific dialog


> Many of our founding fathers beliefs still have 
> survival value.
>
> Within many religions we find beliefs that I think 
> have
> little survival value, but which continue to have 
> vast
> influence because we tend to value beliefs more than
> facts.
>
> How many times have you seen someone reject a 
> physical
> fact because it conflicted with one of their beliefs 
> about reality?
>
> The God of someone who is deeply steeped in science 
> is
> much different from that of a typical Bible thumper.
>
> Steve Hovland
> www.stevehovland.net
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: G. Reinhart-Waller [SMTP:waluk at earthlink.net]
> Sent: Monday, February 21, 2005 6:48 PM
> To: The new improved paleopsych list
> Subject: Re: [Paleopsych] Re: Robust scientific 
> dialog
>
>
> When anyone regards beliefs as "mere mental 
> structures"
> is when their entire system of socio-political
> assurance dissolves.   These are our founding 
> father's
> beliefs and believe it or not it's what they decided 
> to
> die for.  Oh, yeh, they certainly have a survival
> value.
>
> Gerry