Slaying the Flying Spaghetti Monster by Robert Barron

Posted on January 16, 2014 by

About William Ockham

I am a father of two with eclectic interests in theology, philosophy and sports. I chose the pseudonym William Ockham in honor of his contributions to philosophy, specifically Occam's Razor, and its contributions to modern scientific theory. My blog (www.teilhard.com) explores Ignatian Spirituality and the intersection of faith, science and reason through the life and writings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (pictured above).
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8 Responses to Slaying the Flying Spaghetti Monster by Robert Barron

  1. Atomic Mutant says:
    January 16, 2014 at 5:44 am

    And that’s all? “My god is totally different than the god many, many, many Christians actually believe in, because they don’t give a rat’s ass about complex theological problems!” and the argument from design? Nothing new here, sorry.

    And concerning evidence: Either god HAS influence on this world (and chose to use it) or NOT. If he has, then we should be able to detect this influence -> Bingo, evidence. If nothing in this world points to an influence of god, than there is no need to believe in him. Simple.

    Reply
    • William Ockham says:
      January 16, 2014 at 6:01 am

      Thank you for stopping by. As much as I would love to, I do not have time to get into a detailed discussion about the existence of God. There are a lot of other good sites to do that. However, I will simply state I was a practical agnostic for most of my early adult life for some of the reasons you mention. It was not until I had a serious of unexplained experiences, most notably holding my son for the first time and lack of joy in a career despite apparent external success that caused me to re-examine my beliefs.

      For examples of great stories that look at the theism / atheism discussion and how two sides can look at the same evidence and reach different outcomes I strongly recommend Mary Doria Russell’s two books, The Sparrow and Children of God.

      Peace,
      W. Ockham

      Reply
      • Atomic Mutant says:
        January 16, 2014 at 6:05 am

        I was raised catholic, so nothing new here. I understand that troubled people seek solace everywhere – but as with drugs, I cannot say that it’s a good idea. Extreme states of emotions would never convince me of god, as I know myself well enough not to trust such extreme states.

      • William Ockham says:
        January 16, 2014 at 6:22 am

        I absolutely agree that extreme states of emotion are unhealthy. Extreme certainty in the righteousness ones beliefs is also unhealthy as it is tied to the identity ego and leads to fundamentalism (which is dangerous in whatever form). Recognizing that our common humanity is greater than whatever our differences in tribe, nationality, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc. is the first step to perpetuating the Noosphere. I wish you well in your journey.

        Peace,
        W. Ockham

  2. Mary Adrienne says:
    January 17, 2014 at 2:55 pm

    I think you intended this just for me and my upcoming dinner. Thank you!

    Reply

  3. Pingback: Meditation 9 – What we ask in faith, God provides | Walking With My Brother

  4. twbrann says:
    October 8, 2020 at 10:35 am

    That’s not a podium, that’s a lectern. A podium is a raised area that you stand on. “Pod-” = foot.

    Reply

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