During our group discussion the one thing that we all seemed to agree on (besides the fact that we dislike the phrasing of Hecht's questions) is that the main point of the introduction and the quiz seemed to be to show everyone that doubt exists. Doubt is an intrinsic part of our society, which is a fact few seem able to accept. It is a chimerical concept to ponder the fact that many of those who consider themselves "learned" people in the sciences or religion will refuse to deign the reality of doubt. No matter what you choose to do or believe, no person can positively stand beside one view or another without thinking about doubt, which is why we believe the test was in the beginning of the book. I believe two questions that our group could agree on would be:
1. Was the phrasing of the questions in the beginning of the book intentionally ambiguous?
2. What are Hecht's two interpretive ideas of doubt?
It was a good discussion. I remember the conversation bringing up the idea in my head that todays generation is taught not to doubt. They're given a plan from when theyre born and its almost frowned upon if you do show doubt in this plan that you weren't apart of making.
ReplyDeleteI honestly now see a newer purpose to the Doubt Quiz. Initially, I thought it was going to tell me something I already knew, but I think it was diagnostic in it's purpose. When we get right down to it, we all have things we hold dear to us and we think we believe. Even if the what we think doesn't change, the way we think about our views might change. After reading the introduction and doing the quiz, I didn't necessarily begin to doubt my own views, but I did start to wonder if I have good enough reasons. Maybe the fact that I believe it is enough. But sometimes, its nice to be able to back yourself.
ReplyDeletehttp://markmeynell.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/new-yorker-24-jan-2011-easier-religion.jpg
Why suffering? Zoroastrians and the Problem of Evil
ReplyDeleteZarathustra was the founder of Zoroastrianism and worshipped Ahura Mazda, the creator of the universe. He also recognized lesser deities who were concerned with “particular aspects of nature” (pg 16). We get the “problem of evil” from Zoroastrianism: why does suffering and pain occur in the world if God is good and powerful? It would be easy to understand this problem if God was not good or omnipotent. Many struggle with this problem: “Even Jesus asked, ‘Why have you forsaken me?’” (pg 17).
The book of Job in the bible tells the story of a man who God allows to be tortured by Satan in order to “test” him (pg 17). Eventually, God allows Job to live happily again, but he denies that Job needs to understand why he was put through such pain and suffering. But here is the question that the book (and I’m sure everyone else) keeps coming back to: “Why should man suffer for no reason?” (pg 17).
An answer to the problem of evil can be explained through another evil being like the Devil. Zarathustra explained that suffering came from two opposing forces, one all-good and one all-evil. But doesn’t it stand to reason that if the all-good force (God, or Ahura Mazda etc.) was more powerful than the all-evil force, there would be no suffering? And wouldn’t it mean that if there was a being as powerful as “God,” then there would no longer be just one God? So, we are still stuck.
This also begs the question, “what is our personal responsibility in the face of these overwhelming cosmic powers?” (pg 18). Zoroastrianism answers this question with the response of free will.
Questions for Discussion:
What do Zoroastrians believe about lesser Deities? What were their role? Why do Zoroastrians believe that evil exists?
Are these questions of Evil and suffering unique to Zoroatrianism? Why are these such universal and fundamental questions? Why can’t there be a resolution within a religion that seems to satisfy the question of why suffering exists?
I feel like in our last discussion we felt like the doubt quiz was biased to being agnostic or completely atheist. We discussed the position of faith and how no matter what you believe in, or in some cases don't believe in, you have to have some amount of faith because no one can be certain what the real truth is.
ReplyDelete1. Explain how certain questions of the doubt quiz made you think about your thoughts on religion prior to this class.
2. What are the four noble truths of buddhism.