Is dogmatic faith a form of intellectual suicide?

Question

Stayathomemom -- I don't believe in the God of traditional religion, but I also believe in the existence of objective moral truths which human beings are capable of apprehending in an act of moral intuition. Capiche?

Answer 1

YES. That is PRECISELY what it is. Couldn't've said it better myself.

Answer 2

I don't know about "suicide" -- perhaps intellectual stunted growth?

Dogmatic faith requires that a person believe 100% that statements made by their religion (or pastor, holy book, etc.) are completely true. Therefore if any evidence that shows them to be NOT true comes up, the dogmatic person ignores the evidence rather than challenge their beliefs. Without even looking at it, they declare the evidence wrong and their dogma right.
That's a sure path to a complete lack of intellectual growth...but I'm assuming the person could still think if they wanted to -- so no suicide :)

Answer 3

Just because something is taught dogmatically doesnt mean its not true. Dogma is merely a rigid style of teaching. Its not a very effective taching method as it doesnt want to change or adapt, but that still does not mean the content is not true.

With regard to faith, faith is anything but dogmatic. Faith is deep within ourselves and cant really be taught, only practiced and shown! Also faith has nothing to do with giving up on reason. In fact, reason turns out to be an excellent allie of faith. But youll notice if you examine many aspects of life, reason is a very small part of it; where you live, who you like, what you eat, how you dress, what you paint, what church you go to, what you pray for, who you date, who you choose to marry, when you get mad, etc.

There is more to life than sheer reason and one having faith isnt abandoning anything. Some of the smartest most educated men I know have a stronger faith than I do!

Answer 4

Yes. The following and adherance to a set doctrine when it comes to the matters of the spirit is akin to just giving up and doing what you are told. I've met folks like this from about every religion. They can tell you many details about their faith but have never explored for themselves their connection to the Divine. They are usually the 'my god's better than yours' dorks. You see it everywhere, not just in a few faiths.

Answer 5

I'm not saying i agree I am just going to try to show whee I think this line of thought leads

I don't know - that would require an act of killing. I think it would be more like burial alive (which has to be worse). That means somewhere deep inside the intellect would be screaming clawing and scraping to get out, while at the same time never being given the opportunity to develop and grow.

Sounds like child abuse to me.

Answer 6

Yes, if someone thinks differently than you they are stupid or have some emotional illness. Of course this isn't bigotry. Only those who believe that life popped out of a lifeless planet as a result of some static discharge and survived in order to evolve. (Which can't be shown to occur by science). Have any right to use their freedom of speech. Only people who believe these obviously superior "facts" have any credibility... Jim

Answer 7

What do you mean by "dogmatic", if by it you mean "unshakable" or "immovable", then no. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. Without faith in God, my life would be a wreck, my intellect has climbed to greater heights through my Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer 8

sure oh sure, like for example....saying your morality came from society when ask an atheist why they don't believe in God and you will get an answer like this..... "Because I like to think for myself, and not be told how to think by some man-made religion."

So... we have an oxymoron. They say they like to think for themselves, but when it comes to morality, in fact they don't think for themselves. They obey laws made by man and society.
So how is obeying laws, and being influenced by society, a result of "thinking for yourself" and not intellectual suicide.

*edit* Oh puhleeze, no i don't "capiche" b/c you're stating that you have "intuition" but *gasp* you don't state from WHENCE IT CAME????? hmmmmmmm

AND....you can NEVER claim an OBJECTIVE moral truth....go ahead.....I dare you...

Answer 9

Absolutely... anything that says DO NOT QUESTION is for certain. Hence the decline in education in this country... how are we expected to progress when religion cant even accept the FACT of evolution?

Answer 10

Yes, believing in a cultic philosophy makes one "intellectually-challened".

Answer 11

I would be kind enough to call it a form of eternal intellectual infancy
That's just me though, a real sweetie.