<<Nor have I tried to. I am not talking about individual cases, I am
talking
about the overall behavior of humanity as a whole.>>
Jim: But when you multiply individual cases by millions, you begin to
affect the
behavior of "humanity as a whole," don't you?
Perhaps. Assuming that there are these 'millions of cases' and that the
overall effect of christianity is of betterment of humanity.
<<Atheism is about more than just "turning away from God". By describing it
in this negative light, you automatically bias your argument in favor of
your desired conclusion. And there are certainly plenty of books about the
beauty of understanding the universe from a naturalistic perspective. One
I can think of off the top of my head is "At Home in the Universe", by
Stuart Kauffman.>>
Jim: I'll check it out. But I remember reading another ode to the
natural--Cosmos, by the late Carl Sagan--and I found it, unfortunately, a
paean of self-deception. I think it is impossible to be "at home" in a
godless
universe, if one really thinks it through.
Perhaps the latter statement is self deception ? After all why believe in
something that cannot be observed ? At least Sagan marveled at the Cosmos.
Perhaps what you consider self-evident isn't ?
Jim: Sartre, for example, thought it through, and saw the inevitable
consequences. That's why I think there is always a bit of self-deception
(or inconsistency) in feeling at home in a purely naturalistic universe.
And what is the inevitable consequence of no deity in our cosmos ? Your
statement of self deception need not be restricted to others who do not
share your beliefs ? Words like 'inevitable', 'self deception' etc are
very subjective in the sense you used them.