[TLuker]

Originally Posted by Bear304inc

I respect the opinions of most here but have to ask" critical thinking leads to religion? " REALLY? ?

Please keep in mind this is just my greatly over simplified opinion (I know better than to even mention religion, but I just can't help myself).

Humility is the basis of most religions and religious teachings, i.e the imperfection of man and the perfection of God. To believe in most religions requires that one accept that we are not perfect. That is humility.

Humility is also the most important virtue for critical thinking. "I am certain of nothing but my own ignorance." or more commonly quoted as "I know nothing." That is also humility. It is humility that allows us to admit that we don't know. Once we admit that we don't know we are free to ask questions and then try to find answers. Which by the way is why us men won't stop and ask for directions. That requires us to admit that we don't know, and we don't like doing that.

One could argue that our ability to feel empathy would cause us to have morals without religion (and many atheists have used that argument). That maybe true, but humility is generally much harder to come by than empathy. I personally believe that religion is the primary way we learn humility? That humility then enables critical thinking.

As for critical thinking leading to religion, as already pointed out we can logically understand how beneficial religion is to society and to ourselves as individuals. Yes, religion does place limits on our behavior, or accepted behavior, but I think that having limits on our behavior is ultimately beneficial? This belief is in opposition to the notion of complete individual freedom that took over in the 60's, and which seems to still be very popular. Never the less our actions have consequences, and to exercise complete individual freedom generally has really bad consequences. It is critical thinking that allows us to realize that our actions have consequences and that we need to have limits on our behavior (ask Hendrix, Morison, and Joplin about that). Once we realize that limits on our behavior is a good thing, we can see the need for religion in society and that leads us to religion.

Critical thinking and religion do not have to be mutually exclusive.

And again that is just my opinion for whatever it is worth.

[TLuker]

Originally Posted by Zombiegirl

Teachers. I see most of my kids more than their parents do. I definitely do more than just teach math. I try to teach them to make wise choices, have self esteem, etc.......

Just for curiosity, please take a poll when school stats back and ask your kids to raise their hand if they know what Pearl Harbor is?

I'm assuming that they are old enough that they should know.

[Zombiegirl]

Originally Posted by TLuker

Just for curiosity, please take a poll when school stats back and ask your kids to raise their hand if they know what Pearl Harbor is?

I'm assuming that they are old enough that they should know.

I teach 8th grade Algebra so I might get some funny looks, but sure I'll ask. They'll probably say it's the movie with Ben Affleck unfortunately......

In terms of your post earlier, I completely understand what you're saying, but I feel that people learn humility from their parents and others around them. Some may learn this from religious teachings but I feel that people can learn it without as well. I think sometimes (and I'm just generalizing and not referring to you) that people use their religion as a crutch for their wrongdoing and sin and say "god will forgive me", yet they keep doing the same thing over and over. There is of course good and bad in all groups of people. For example, I caught a student from another team cheating on a paper in the hallway so I approached him. His exact words to me were "I would never do anything wrong, I'm a christian". I just feel in life that it's better to be a good person and not worry about categorizing. I live by a "leave things better than you found them" philosophy.

[HockaLouis]

That's a very polynomial perspective not everyone operates under...

[TLuker]

Originally Posted by Zombiegirl

I teach 8th grade Algebra so I might get some funny looks, but sure I'll ask. They'll probably say it's the movie with Ben Affleck unfortunately......

In terms of your post earlier, I completely understand what you're saying, but I feel that people learn humility from their parents and others around them. Some may learn this from religious teachings but I feel that people can learn it without as well. I think sometimes (and I'm just generalizing and not referring to you) that people use their religion as a crutch for their wrongdoing and sin and say "god will forgive me", yet they keep doing the same thing over and over. There is of course good and bad in all groups of people. For example, I caught a student from another team cheating on a paper in the hallway so I approached him. His exact words to me were "I would never do anything wrong, I'm a christian". I just feel in life that it's better to be a good person and not worry about categorizing. I live by a "leave things better than you found them" philosophy.

That sounds like a good philosophy to me.