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To: js1138
Skepticism is not belief lite. It is a different way of thinking.

I believe God exists. But I am skeptical in that I consider it possible that I am wrong. And, therefore, I consider it immoral to demand or even expect that people live their lives, per my belief in God.

So am I a believer? A skeptic? Both? Am I perverting skepticism by attaching morality to my skepticism? Or are we using the term "skepticism" in different, if related, ways?

142 posted on 05/28/2006 11:48:35 AM PDT by Celtjew Libertarian (Give a choice of things to believe in, I tend to choose the most interesting.)
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To: Celtjew Libertarian
Belief in God is an entirely different approach to knowing than belief in a scientific theory. One does not put God to the test. One does not approach knowledge of God through a public, iterative process of observation, conjecture, experimentation and theorizing.

There are non-revealed religions, but progress in them is private rather than public. Each person studying them essentially starts at zero.

Science is a public method for accumulating knowledge. It is possible for a person with a believing temperament to have knowledge of science and to hold this knowledge with a kind of certainty that is indistinguishable from belief.

But this is not science. It is mimicry of science.
143 posted on 05/28/2006 12:05:03 PM PDT by js1138 (Well I say there are some things we don't want to know! Important things!")
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