Freethought & Rationalism Archive

sotto voce · 10-01-2012, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clivedurdle

Quote:

t is not entirely an accident that the country that is most capitalist is also the most obsessed with Christianity, and notoriously hypocritical about it

Is there a subtext to free marketeers of religion? I cannot get my head around why Stiglitz, Krugman, Keynes etc are not listened to, and why in UK Labour is kowtowing to these Tory free market ideals.

Gods well hidden in the background might be the missing piece of the equation.

I don't think so. This is an interesting economic question, but it's hardly the subject of this thread.

anethema · 10-01-2012, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sotto voce

Quote:

Originally Posted by anethema

there is a real cognitive dissonance in the US in the political discourse regarding regarding religion. in a country based on seperation of church and state the easiest way to appear patriotic is to show off your religiosity. not your particular sect mind you, because then it gets sticky, but your belief in the supernatural. i know this isnt news to anyone here, but i just wonder if any of our UK and euro friends really appreciate the dichotomy and mindset.

Europeans with historic sense appreciate this, because Europe has been through it, and is very glad to see the back of it. There is sympathy for thinking Americans.

But they do have the compensation of cheap petrol!

how cheap with the burden of thousands of young people dead before their time? i know this far afield from the op but i cant help but express dismay at the different attitudes between the US and EURO. from what ive read HJ is something of acuriosity in europe, in that it doesnt seem to matter either way. i cite hoffman etal. here to even bring it up brings on vitriol in an aa kind of way, in other words you dont know what your talking about MORON. without trying to sound "new agey" (sic), cant we all thinking people if i can count myself among them at least argue rationally here!!!

sotto voce · 10-01-2012, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anethema

Quote:

Originally Posted by sotto voce

Quote:

Originally Posted by anethema

there is a real cognitive dissonance in the US in the political discourse regarding regarding religion. in a country based on seperation of church and state the easiest way to appear patriotic is to show off your religiosity. not your particular sect mind you, because then it gets sticky, but your belief in the supernatural. i know this isnt news to anyone here, but i just wonder if any of our UK and euro friends really appreciate the dichotomy and mindset.

Europeans with historic sense appreciate this, because Europe has been through it, and is very glad to see the back of it. There is sympathy for thinking Americans.

But they do have the compensation of cheap petrol!

how cheap with the burden of thousands of young people dead before their time? i know this far afield from the op but i cant help but express dismay at the different attitudes between the US and EURO. from what ive read HJ is something of acuriosity in europe, in that it doesnt seem to matter either way. i cite hoffman etal. here to even bring it up brings on vitriol in an aa kind of way, in other words you dont know what your talking about MORON. without trying to sound "new agey" (sic), cant we all thinking people if i can count myself among them at least argue rationally here!!!

The difference between the USA and Europe is that most Americans have regular consciousness of religion, whether they want it or not, while many Europeans can go through their whole adult lives without a significant religious thought, barring the odd visit from JWs and Mormons. Europeans think about other things, unless they are serious about their own religion. It's a private matter to them, whereas in the States it's public.

Clivedurdle · 10-01-2012, 11:38 AM

Anyone know if they will be doing electric healing at the conference?

Quote:

BJHS 39(3): 341–362, September 2006. f British Society for the History of Science doi:10.1017/S0007087406008363
Revealing sparks: John Wesley and the religious utility of electrical healing
PAOLA BERTUCCI*
Abstract. In the eighteenth century, dramatic electrical performances were favourite entertainments for the upper classes, yet the therapeutic uses of electricity also reached the lower strata of society. This change in the social composition of electrical audiences attracted the attention of John Wesley, who became interested in the subject in the late 1740s. The paper analyses Wesley’s involvement in the medical applications of electricity by taking into account his theological views and his proselytizing strategies. It sets his advocacy of medical electricity in the context of his philanthropic endeavours aimed at the sick poor, connecting them to his attempts to spread Methodism especially among the lower classes. It is argued that the healing virtues of electricity entailed a revision of the morality of electrical experiment which made electric sparks powerful resources for the popularization of the Methodist way of life, based on discipline, obedience to established authorities and love and fear of God.

http://www.yale.edu/history/documents/Bertucci.pdf

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