- Carey F. on A “Document of Faith, Not a Secular Report”: Nahum Sarna on the Book of Exodus: “The phrase “A Document of Faith, Not a Secular Report” is still somewhat ambiguous. Does it mean that we are meant to have faith that the events actually occurred in a historical sense, even though they lie beyond the reach of historians? Or does it mean that the value of the text does not depend on whether the events happened exactly as described, because it still conveys meaningful spiritual truths either way?” Mar 26, 20:11
- on Accommodating People’s Wrong Religious Beliefs: “On some things, I try to apply this lesson because I no longer see them as purely literal. On others, I still feel there is some real underlying component, but I am not always as confident about what that actually is anymore. Either way, the takeaway for me is to be charitable and not insist that an academic lens is the best or only way to approach them, although I do rely on a healthy dose of academic sources to inform and ground my perspective.” Mar 26, 10:57
- on A “Document of Faith, Not a Secular Report”: Nahum Sarna on the Book of Exodus: “Enjoyed this. Thank you.” Mar 26, 10:55
- on Accommodating People’s Wrong Religious Beliefs: “I don’t know, when framed that way hardly anybody disagrees; the point I’m making is that the reflex of respecting different benign beliefs is valid *even for beliefs you think are patently wrong* that come out of your own tradition.” Mar 25, 19:40
- on Accommodating People’s Wrong Religious Beliefs: “Stephen C, would it be better if you re-named your post? Accommodating People’s Differing Religious Beliefs” Mar 25, 19:26
- on Accommodating People’s Wrong Religious Beliefs: “ji: Amen Carey F: Also agree, although I do think one significant difference with that wonderful film is that is that in Groundhog Day everybody is kind of in on it, whereas with religious beliefs people really do believe it, so how to handle disagreement respectfully takes on more gravity.” Mar 25, 18:51
- on Accommodating People’s Wrong Religious Beliefs: “Thanks, Carey F – that puts a really nice spin on a socially-acceptable way to interact with folks whose traditions – of all sorts, including religion, or vaccines, or aliens, clothing customs such as headscarves and long dresses – don’t jibe with ours. The world is complicated, and the more people we have to interact with on a social level, the more complicated it becomes. So a rule of thumb as Carey posited seems very useful.” Mar 25, 17:48
- on Accommodating People’s Wrong Religious Beliefs: “While not exactly the same, I think a lesson learned from an essay a philosopher wrote about Phil Connors overlaps nicely with your post: Phil Connors at the beginning of Groundhog Day is irritated that people seem to treat the weather predicting powers of Punxsutawney Phil as if they were real. He takes it so seriously that it makes him miserable, and he ends up making everyone around him miserable too. But in reality, most people do not literally believe in the groundhog’s predictions. They are either playfully suspending disbelief or just enjoying the tradition for what it is, a shared experience that brings people together. What Phil does not see at first is that the value is not in whether it is true, but in what it does for people. The whole event creates joy, connection, and a sense of participating in something bigger than themselves. His frustration comes from insisting on taking it literally when that was never really the point. Over time, he starts to see that meaning can still be real even when belief is held more loosely, and that sometimes what matters most is how a practice shapes the way people relate to each other and to the world.” Mar 25, 12:59
- on Accommodating People’s Wrong Religious Beliefs: “The apostle Paul allowed for differing perspectives within the same faith community. There are two parallel thoughts: we sustain each other in holding our own sincere beliefs (“Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind”). and we don’t cause others to stumble (“Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”) Someone else said, “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity.”” Mar 25, 06:34
- on What Was Revealed to You In Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About Yesterday), 3/22)?: “Revelation should distill upon you like the dews of heaven, but….. Here is one. The bishop spoke for 40 minutes. A very rambling talk. He left 5 minutes for the stake 1st councilor in the Ward Council Meeting. The 1st Councilor said he was a last minute substitute because the SP was ill. Then it was revealed to me; The bishop was doing the 1st councilor a favor be leaving him 5 minutes as he had not prepared anything special at the last minute. Why is this important? Because I was beginning to be irritated with the bishop for making such an long, disjointed, talk and leaving just 5 minutes for the big gun. It saved the bishop’s reputation in my mind.” Mar 23, 18:32
