There used to be some really powerful thinkers on the list (was

Bertvan@aol.com
Wed, 18 Aug 1999 06:30:11 EDT

BV>>Stephen and I probably disagree about whether the Christian God
>>personally interfered in the process.

>SJ: Apart from our disagreement over "the Christian God", I would also
>"disagree" with Bertvan about the word "interfered". If indeed "the
>Christian God" created, sustains and governs the universe, and in fact
>*owns* it, then it is a poor choice of words to use the word "interfered".

>The word "interfere" has connotations of lack of legitimacy or disruption.
>See the following Webster's online dictionary where "interfere" means
>(inter alia) "to interpose in a way that hinders or impedes...or be in
>opposition"; "to act reciprocally so as to...diminish...one another":

Hi Stephen,
I've long thought there might be a way in which your view and mine would not
necessarily be in conflict. Something "intervenes" (I agree, a much better
word)
constantly in nature to prevent it from being a perfectly mechanical,
predictable
process. You call it God. I call it "will", that mysterious quality of
spontaneity
possessed, to some degree, by all life. Most atheists don't actually
believe in free
will. They regard the existence of will as an illusion.

Thanks for helping me find the thought.

Bertvan