Originally posted by NemesioI don't believe that BS was an atheist; I was merely offering one possibility for the situation. From the sound of his writings and various biographies of his life, I would say that BS simply saw things more organically than did his contemporaries. That organic view allowed him to see the patterns of God's thought throughout many aspects of life... something his counterparts were not accustomed to seeing.
But this is my very question: Why, if he was so articulate on his
beliefs about (what he called) God and especially since he defended
himself against the very claim of being an atheist, did he maintain
that he was a theist?
Obviously, he didn't have any shame in making his unorthodox
claims about who he thought God was even though it was radical ...[text shortened]... I don't know (I've read nothing
except excerpts I can find on the internet).
Nemesio
The visionary wins again.
Originally posted by Bosse de NageSpeaking tersely may be equated by the habitually loquacious as being akin to wisdom, but those of us who are accustomed to such paucity in discourse regard this stratagem as being a highly dubious one. Which is to say that while 'brevity may be the soul of wit', There inevitably comes a point, a reductionist threshold if you will, which, if surpassed, points inexorably toward delibarate obscurantism. I think that point is well nigh. Hitherto you seem to have delighted in tossing off presumptive bon mots encapsulated within an absolute minimum of verbiage, but I daresay this charade grows a wee bit tiresome. If you could be so kind as to indulge those of us who are less quick on the uptake with a more expansive explanation of your various semi-koans within this thread, it would be greatly appreciated.
Do I believe in God?
Yes and no.
Originally posted by rwingettand yet, a windbag is still only a windbag.
Speaking tersely may be equated by the habitually loquacious as being akin to wisdom, but those of us who are accustomed to such paucity in discourse regard this stratagem as being a highly dubious one. Which is to say that while 'brevity may be the soul of wit', There inevitably comes a point, a reductionist threshold if you will, which, if surpassed, poi ...[text shortened]... ve explanation of your various semi-koans within this thread, it would be greatly appreciated.