From: Leland Jory (ljory@mts.net)
Date: Thu Mar 25 2004 - 13:38:02 GMT
On Mar 25, 2004, at 2:15 AM, Sam Norton wrote:
> I think you've slightly misunderstood what I'm driving at. I didn't
> think you'd disagree with the
> 'basic tenets' point, so I was wanting to drive you towards explaining
> the language that secular
> humanism provides to enable that Dynamic evolution of the basic
> tenets. Which essentially you've
> answered by saying 'free speech' (which I think is right). Yet, on the
> other hand, on pragmatic
> grounds, you rule out religiously grounded criticisms of secular
> humanism, so in effect you're
> saying that "secular humanism can evolve through free speech (except
> religious free speech)".
I'm jumping in here to say I don't think there is such a thing as
"Religious Free Speech", especially in terms of comparitive theology
and philosophy. The reason for this stance is that most (if not all)
religious rhetoric is based on a very static set of value patterns. In
my experience, there is no room for truly free speech in a traditional
religion, because the religious power structure has usurped Truth, and
they aren't willing to change their view of it. Free speech, on the
other hand, requires dynamic flexibility of one's view of Truth
(because anyone interested in truly free speech recognizes that Truth
is a dynamic thing).
So, the statement "Secular humanism can evolve through free speech
(except religious free speech)" is self-evidently true because
'religious free speech' is a contradiction in terms.
I'm putting on my asbestos jumpsuit now, because I fully expect to get
flamed on this. ;^{)>
--
Leland Jory :^{)>
Cafeteria Spiritualist and Philosopher
"It is a puzzling thing. The truth knocks on the door and you say, 'Go
away, I'm looking for the truth.' and so it goes away. Puzzling." -
Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
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