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To: dsc
Firstly, Satan is a supernatural being, and therefore not a part of this discussion.

You originally said "person". Angels, in heaven nor fallen, are persons.

Secondly, it seems too obvious to need mentioning that I was not talking about scientists who occasionally arrive at an incorrect experimental result
No. It is not obvious. You stated "intelligence" without a qualifier, and there is nothing inherent in "intelligence" that would limit the scope of examples I can use to counter.

RBG might do well on an IQ test, but remains a “leftie” despite all her exposure to questions of political philosophy. This is a crashing, resounding, catastrophic failure of intelligence.

Many errors can be described as a failure of intelligence at some level. You are treading close to the the "No true Scotsman fallacy". Your example of Hawking is a good one. I would describe him more as "blinded" than unintelligent.

We agree a lot more than we disagree, but I am unwilling to put RBG at the same level of intelligence as AOC, for instance. I consider intelligence a good, but one that can be misused, or abused, especially if misjudged, because only God's intelligence is infinite. There are some simple, good people who are not particular intelligent, but are wiser than the Stephen Hawkings and Marilyn Vos Savants of this world.

Faith is a gift that Justice Ginsburg does not have. Sin cloud's the judgement, and with all of us, that cloud takes whatever level of intelligence we have, and makes it counterproductive. I have also known "intelligent" lefties, who eventually stopped being lefties, and when I discuss religion and politics such, I take a different approach than I would with someone who is less intelligent.

I am willing to stipulate that there are many who are quite intelligent, but are not wise.

Perhaps my response implied more contention than I intended it to. This could be a by-product of exchanged posts rather than natural conversation, where inflection and tone, and clarification on the spot comes in handy.
32 posted on 05/07/2020 5:17:16 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
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To: Dr. Sivana

“You originally said “person”. Angels, in heaven nor fallen, are persons.”

Still a stretch when the topic was people of the human persuasion.

“No. It is not obvious.”

Well, then, I must apologize for my lack of clarity.

“I am willing to stipulate that there are many who are quite intelligent, but are not wise.”

That’s one way to look at it. However, if their intelligence leads them to get almost everything wrong, is that really intelligence, or just a glib facility with language? True intelligence should lead one to the truth: if not in one’s youth, like Rush Limbaugh, then later, like David Horowitz.

G.K. Chesterton wrote that the purpose of an open mind was to close it, eventually, on the truth. This is something that RBG has failed to do, even at her advanced age, and with every possible advantage and opportunity. I know a number of people who thought their way out of the leftist swamp, but RBG doesn’t seem likely.

Is it really accurate to write that off to a lack of wisdom? That is central to her ability to perform her professional duties. Looks to me like a case of being a glib dumbass.

When one fails to achieve that which is absolutely essential to discharging his professional responsibilities, I think it is an unmistakable sign of insufficient intelligence.

“You are treading close to the the “No true Scotsman fallacy”

I’m not moving the goalposts; just clarifying what I initially meant. I recently read something by somebody famous, in which he deplored the fact that we must now make explicit what men of good will would take for granted.

Did you really think my remarks were meant to extend to spiritual beings such as Lucifer and the Triune God? Or to scientists who got a false reading because of faulty data input?

“I am unwilling to put RBG at the same level of intelligence as AOC, for instance.”

And yet they are wrong about the same things, and in the same way. Many people have created the illusion of intelligence, like the Bent One, with a good memory and the gift of gab. I don’t see any sign that RBG is more likely to reason her way to the truth than is AOC. A snowflake’s chance in Hell in both cases.

“Sin clouds the judgement, and with all of us, that cloud takes whatever level of intelligence we have, and makes it counterproductive.”

Mostly true, but that’s due to the corruption of intelligence. I was speaking of its presence or absence.

“I have also known “intelligent” lefties, who eventually stopped being lefties,”

The ability to think their way out of it almost certainly indicates intelligence.

“Perhaps my response implied more contention than I intended it to. This could be a by-product of exchanged posts rather than natural conversation, where inflection and tone, and clarification on the spot comes in handy.”

Could be, but I must confess: despite my best efforts, I’ve been pissing people off for pushing seventy years now. I had a habit of jumping from A to L to Z, expecting that people would take the rest as given. But noooooo...


36 posted on 05/07/2020 9:48:25 PM PDT by dsc (As for the foundations of the Catholic faith, this pontificate is an outrage to reason.)
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