Comments on: Debate With Larry/Rebuttal II, Part I http://www.agnosticmom.com/2005/12/18/debate-with-larryrebuttal-ii-part-i/ Raising a Healthy Family Without Religion. Sun, 17 Oct 2010 06:11:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Agnostic Mom » Spirituality At Your Favorite Alcohol Distributing Venue http://www.agnosticmom.com/2005/12/18/debate-with-larryrebuttal-ii-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-1404 Agnostic Mom » Spirituality At Your Favorite Alcohol Distributing Venue Sat, 10 Jun 2006 05:15:27 +0000 http://www.agnosticmom.com/?p=31#comment-1404 [...] These experiences are endorphin-driven, organic reactions that bring us beauty, joy, and even a desire to be a better person. They are moments to seek after. They are what make it all so worth it. [...] [...] These experiences are endorphin-driven, organic reactions that bring us beauty, joy, and even a desire to be a better person. They are moments to seek after. They are what make it all so worth it. [...]

]]> By: Larry Keim http://www.agnosticmom.com/2005/12/18/debate-with-larryrebuttal-ii-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Larry Keim Mon, 19 Dec 2005 05:21:26 +0000 http://www.agnosticmom.com/?p=31#comment-32 Well done. I read your rebuttal, as well as the three related pieces to which you linked. I will respond, but don’t expect much of an argument. In fact, you don’t have to write part II, unless you want to. I really do agree with you. My last piece was more of an exercise in sophistry and debate. My only objection, in truth, is to using words inaccurately, which in the case of “spiritual” is not that bad, especially as you define it. As I near the end of “The End of Faith,” I find myself agreeing with the perspective of neuroscience. As you are well aware, what’s left of my struggle between faith and reason has much to do with the perceived spiritual experiences of my past – the locus of which came from my brain (its natural and trained inclinations). Although I’ve read some stuff on the theory of memes, I appreciate you directing me to these enlightening and impressive articles. I am quite sure that memetic influences have played a huge part in the shaping of my religious paradigm. I was particularly intrigued by the statement that these religious memes could be transmitted via “catch phrases,” which lends credence to some suspicions that I’ve had concerning certain key words that I have called “triggers.” Anyway, I’ll write something. Thanks for the fun, Noell. This is what does it for me – not walking on a treadmill. Well done. I read your rebuttal, as well as the three related pieces to which you linked. I will respond, but don’t expect much of an argument. In fact, you don’t have to write part II, unless you want to. I really do agree with you. My last piece was more of an exercise in sophistry and debate. My only objection, in truth, is to using words inaccurately, which in the case of “spiritual” is not that bad, especially as you define it.

As I near the end of “The End of Faith,” I find myself agreeing with the perspective of neuroscience. As you are well aware, what’s left of my struggle between faith and reason has much to do with the perceived spiritual experiences of my past – the locus of which came from my brain (its natural and trained inclinations).

Although I’ve read some stuff on the theory of memes, I appreciate you directing me to these enlightening and impressive articles. I am quite sure that memetic influences have played a huge part in the shaping of my religious paradigm. I was particularly intrigued by the statement that these religious memes could be transmitted via “catch phrases,” which lends credence to some suspicions that I’ve had concerning certain key words that I have called “triggers.” Anyway, I’ll write something. Thanks for the fun, Noell. This is what does it for me – not walking on a treadmill.

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