today to clarify misunderstandings that trigger my entries on some online forums, misunderstanding, which led to my speech during the earlier and subsequent meetings with colleagues instead of the usual entry in the blog I decided to put a general synthesis of their own beliefs - creed on 4 January 2009. And so:
• Following a number of the most prominent anthropologists of the twentieth century and religioznawcami acknowledge that the myths of all systems except the religious language of poetry telling the truth deep psychological, sociological and spiritual. They teach inner harmony and harmony with the world and society, prepare to the challenges, the stages of human life brings: puberty, marriage, parenthood, old age and finally death. It is not true that they were preparing for death, suggesting the mendacious promise of eternal life - they're just in a poetic way indicate this aspect of our existence, which really is immortal (the immortality of my entry of October). Myths allow us to touch that part of reality, the language of science, nor the language of prose "never failed to describe. Their role was never a meeting (not very important for most people), or the astronomical nature of cognitive curiosity, telling about the creation of the world, animals, our species, etc.. Their role has always been social, psychological and spiritual. Cosmogony appeared in them in order to show the eternity, immutability and power depicted rights. Myths and parables of the great religious systems: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, mazdaizmu also carry profound philosophical content.
• myth presented in Genesis is not for me or more important, or more beautiful than many other myths, however, is the most I I "tamed." Its literal reading ever - even during najżarliwszej faith - I considered the idea absurd.
• Fundamentalism harm to the truth, and that (contrary to Dostoyevsky's famous declaration) should be for us more important than any konfesyjności (Weil). I do not believe, moreover, that the true faith would be reached by closing their eyes to reality. Fundamentalism harm the religion itself, because it discourages people internally honest. Sam, I can not believe in anything, when the mind screams to me "is not true."
• Prayer and rhythm are key elements of spiritual practice - are direct contact with the reality of the myth, and thus indirectly (and perhaps direct) contact with the one reality which gives our lives any meaning. Develop character and spiritual attitude towards the world and against fate. Finally there are the gateway to transcendence, the gate (sorry for the pathos of this term) to the highest mystery of existence. [ changed June 16, 2009 ]
• religious experiences, mystical states, rapid conversion phenomena are entirely natural and not indicative of mental disorders a person who has the experience (which attempt to suggest militant atheists such as Dawkins). Some are familiar with similar conditions, moreover, even people who find to be agnostics or atheists - you are simply unaware that delight, which embraces them (and us) when in contact with the majesty of nature, the vastness of space, great simplicity and consistency of the laws of physics, or with an extraordinary personality, a religious feeling. The Japanese have the lovely term "kami" which means penetrating the sanctity of every being, which, however, with particular strength is manifested in the beauty and awe of nature, and in extraordinary people.
• I believe that the commonality of religious experience (the experience of mystics of different religions), the commonality of themes mythical in isolated cultures confirm the reality of the fact that these experiences and myths illustrate. Intersubjectivity of experience is always a fundamental test. This commonality, independence from the religious context, but it is also proof that the Catholic Church or Christianity in general, do not have a monopoly on access to the truth.
• Mircea Eliade was telling one of his essays the story of how at an international conference of religion an American anthropologist, asked the Japanese szintoickiego sage to explain the ideology and theology of their religion. The man said to him: "we do not have an ideology or theology - we're dancing." I deeply regret that a similar abandonment of Christianity were unable to ever get it. Theology is a discipline for me, very "suspicious" - do not trust her. I do not trust dogmas, because they kill the authentic religious experience - come down to the prose poetry of myth (in addition the prose, which the modern, critical mind, he can not have the most to accept.) Sometimes I dream that one day the church announced that all the previous dogmas are only a theological hypothesis that does not oblige the already faithful. I have a dream, because such an event (which of course never happen) I would facilitate a deeper identification with the only religious community that such identification would be possible in my case.
• The Old Testament is not for me a source of moral inspiration (how could he be), but I appreciate the depth of psychological observation and philosophical reflection in it. At the same time I think it loftiest Gospel Book written by man. Paper, though no doubt written by people in their significance, spiritual and moral sublimity overwhelming everything human. Hitchens remarks about the alleged immorality of the New Testament, I think it is simply hilarious.
• As a (admittedly heretical) Catholic, I recognize the Incarnation as the central event in history. Also reject the Gnostic belief about the possibility of "self-salvation," the man who by effort and meditation may achieve a "knowledge." Without the help of God we can do nothing. He alone is the giver of what is truly good. [ I added 16 June 2009 ]
• I admire the deep sense of ethics of the Catholic Church and accept fully the moral teaching, though often to its use in practice, he had trouble. I do not think the requirements were "too large" - I know many people who conduct consistent with it, harmonious life. They are just people happier than others. I agree that the Catholic Church has the right to speak on important social debates, but I do not believe whether politicians should always be subject to suggestions of the Church.
• The main task of the Church does not see in activities for the poor or educating a moral society, struggle to change unjust laws, etc.., But in the implementation of the faithful in the world of the Great Mystery, the mysterium tremendum et Fascinans , which is the depositary - no I'm not talking about the world of theological speculation and dogma derived from them, but the reality of myths, parables, stories, rites and sacraments.
• I agree with those of my colleagues who criticize the Second Vatican Council II to be carried out changes in the liturgy. Replacement mysterious and dignified-sounding Latin swojskimi everyday language, a reversal of the priest "facing the faithful" (and so back to him, what is "outside"), made like the celebration of sacrifice, to a lecture or performance. Also regret over the devastation of sacred architecture - the symbolism of the temple was somewhere completely lost. Today's churches, like bunkers or concert halls. The medieval cathedrals of every detail of a parable.
• I am a moderate nominalist. Moderation is clear that the ideas and the universals I categories as necessary, so that we can experience reality. However, they are creations of our minds and outside the context of words and thoughts simply do not exist. Popular Richard Weaver on the right with his criticism of nominalism totally gets me and I find it almost as an intellectual of the pest.
• The word transcendence has many meanings. For example, we talk about the transcendence of the electromagnetic, gravity, and the like. When people talk about God's transcendence, however, have usually mean a complete separation of God from the world - So God has to be something the shape of Platonic ideas, inexplicably endowed with the possibility of active operation in the world. I find this approach totally wrong. The God in whom I believe God is immanent or transcendent in such a way as attributes of matter, as the law organizing the universe, not the same as universals, which defended the reality of medieval thinkers. He is the supreme principle of (set of rules?), A collection of properties of matter and the universe. Is the soul of the universe and the universe is infinite (as if) his body. Defies all categories and is unknowable, because the final rule organizes the matter is unknowable.
• The universe is constructed in a manner consistent with our mind - I think the logic of the universe's greatest mystery. It is an authentic miracle (those who do not believe in the existence of miracles recommend that took the hand of any textbook of physics or biology). It is also a confirmation of the words of Genesis, that we were created in the image and likeness of God.
• I believe that awareness, the ability to feel, is a riddle of existence, which we humans will probably never manage to solve. Close to me is neomisterianizm. But I think that the inextricable link between spirit and matter, the hypothesis suggests panpsychizmu or panprotopsychizmu (about their conceptions mentioned in the entry). I also believe that the spirit without matter can not exist.
• I believe that the human soul is a function of the brain and can not exist outside the body. Our "afterlife" is carried out in other people - all, however, not specific (as proponents believe the naive version of reincarnation). Individual self is an illusion.
• The consequence relation of spirit with matter, I find it also in the entanglement God, beyond the matter of the concept of God does not make sense (maybe that is why Genesis says that "at the beginning of the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters"?). Creatio ex nihilo is a concept completely foreign to me, unless they understand it as a metaphor that God continually sustains the universe form.
• I believe (and this faith has a rational foundation) that the universe is infinite in time and space that the Big Bang, it's just baloney United . Supporting this false theology is not science or science or theology. • I believe
(And also that faith has a rational basis) that life in the universe is eternal (my entry of December and the website Briga Klyce'a ) - has always existed and never will not stop there.
• accept the scientific fact that life on Earth has existed for nearly 4 billion years and has evolved through the mechanism of natural selection and mutation. I believe that a decisive role in these mutations (the formation of new species) has played a mechanism of horizontal transfer of genes from micro-dealers, which hit the Earth from space.
• I am absolutely sure that the forces of inertia are the gravitational influence of bodies from the distant masses in the universe. Mach's Principle is najdonioślejszym and surest law in physics that was ever made. To disregard these rules by the dominant model today is a disgrace to modern physics.
• Space is not a physical entity, a product of the human mind to facilitate our description of the relationship between material objects. All indications are that the full description of reality is enough for us, and three-dimensional Euclidean space. Why? It is an inexplicable mystery. Introduction of extra dimensions in the physical models of the universe is only a convention - indeed bad and confusing.
• Every scientific theory should be built based on experience and observation - only for building models of the Universe "at the desk" using mathematical tools is a culpable error of method. The fact that consistency of structure of the universe does not mean that there is a single formula that describes all the laws of physics.
• Any theories constructed by the natural sciences are the only path to truth, the same is true about the nature of the universe is unknowable, because (I believe) the universe is infinitely complex. It occurs in there are infinitely many types of phenomena. General Theory of Everything will never be built.
• "There are more things in heaven and earth, which never dreamed of in your philosophy."
• Christianity and Catholicism are mine - I was born and raised in a Catholic country, Catholic family, Catholic culture. So, just because so and until I see no reason to change the rite to another, a stranger, whose symbols and language will never be as clear to me what the symbols and language of Christianity and ancient paganism.
• There is a relationship between civilization and its religion. Although the full nature of this compound do not understand, none of its existence probably do not deny. Spiritual dimension of our lives is linked with the social dimension. Greatest civilization that arose in the history of world civilization is Latin. Maybe this is another reason why I consider myself a Catholic. [ I added 14 June 2009 ]
• I share his political views with a group of friends who subscribe to the manifesto post-conservative Thomas Gabisia.
