Reg the Fronkey Farmer

How about this Robert?

Rousseau is really only talking about what is best for society in terms of its laws. Once laws are established and adhered to then social norms can develop. Not all people want to follow social norms. I ignore or disagree with many of them. Treating people with respect and kindness only becomes a social norm in societies where the rule of law and…[Read more]

I am sure Rawls must have read “The Social Contract” by Rousseau (1792) and his idea of “General Will”.

In order for a society to work its members must be prepared to give up a degree of freedom by obeying the rules of that society. By doing so they gain certain advantages, such as protection, community groups and access to shared resourc…[Read more]

I participate in it with my family and whomever “turns up” on the day. I am fortunate that we are all atheists and the day has no religious significance. It is just another occasion in the year for us to all meet up. Sometimes I go abroad to get a week of sun and extra daylight. A few times I have forgotten that it was Christmas day. Once I was in…[Read more]

OK, my statement was too short and merits further comment.

I do not give any consideration to moral or ethical concerns when it comes to how “cosmogenesis” occurs. For the sake of argument let’s assume it is possible to create one. If China builds its own particle collider and a collision creates a “Big Bang” or it discovers a monopole that infl…[Read more]

Our cosmos could thus have been burped into being by the laws of physics alone.

It could only come into being via the Laws of Physics.

I think Science can describe how species came to be….I think only Science can.

I also think many people are unaware of concepts like teleonomy…. Yes, especially amongst theists who tend not to develop their reasoning capabilities as they believe that “god-did-it”. You can’t convince them they are only seeing shadows.

I think people confuse the terms “Purpose” and “Meaning”. I see all life on Earth as random creations. Be it a jellyfish, a beetle or a human,, we are all just “lucky” to be alive given the odds of any one particular member of a species being born in the first place (something Dawkins also mentioned). That leads most of us with frontal lobes to…[Read more]

Michael, my psyche (naked or not) will never join with Christ. That would be my vision of Hell. Do I still get a “second birth” to be told that I am unsaved? Am I going to be somehow corporeally reunited with my body as it was before I died?  Could the unsaved just be allowed to have their psyches burnt in hellfire after their first death? If…[Read more]

Humans do not have souls.

Hmm, that is a tough question that probably needs a theologian to answer. It might even be an ecumenical matter. Not only would it want a bite to eat, it would also want a bite to drink. I would shoot it in the head and hammer a stake though its heart or bring a priest along to talk it down in the name of Jesus.

I think Jesus has to be real. I mean why would vampires be afraid of a crucifix if he was not?

Sorry, it was not my intention to imply Dr Bob was an incognito W.L. Craig.  Dr. Bob was a theologian. This is why he could not answer a direct question. If he tried he would waffle and misdirect. If confronted with a solid argument that clearly refuted his point, he would ignore it completely or attack a minor part of the counter argument and…[Read more]

Are you a theologian?

If the Day of Judgement is in (say) 80,100 years time, Christ will bring me back from the dead to tell me I am going to Hell so I can die a second death? Why bother?  What is the point? When I am resurrected and the intervening time only seems like a second has past since my first death, Jesus is going to tell me that I am…[Read more]

Michael, the outcome of Judgement Day is irrelevant as either way an infinite “second life” ensues. Whether you get to Heaven or end up in Hell it is still for infinity.

Sometimes the Bible can be very clear in what it says:

And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life John 2:25.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His o…[Read more]

OK. But how does it feel to know that this “new birth” will make you an immortal? Does knowing you will exist in 30 billion years time not feel strange?