Re: Bonobos digest, Vol 1 #205 - 3 msgs

In response to my posting on the problem of evil Kendall wrote quite a bit 
on process theology.

Thanks, I'm not sure I needed to know that stuff, but then who wants to know 
only what they need to.  I've had my nose in the Leibniz/Clarke 
correspondence for the past week or so, writing about Leibniz's arguments 
against substantival space and time.  These letters, along with their 
historical, scientifc and philosophical significance, are primarily 
theological in nature.  Leibniz would be appalled.

I am, admittedly, a fairly ardent atheist.  However, I do take some interest 
in theology.  Many aspects of process theology, as you describe, seem like 
apologetics to me.  One thing that I did want to comment on is the idea that 
we are a part of God and that God a part of the universe <insert Leibniz 
screaming>.  (One of my favorite linguistic toys is "a part of" vs. "apart 
from.")  I have often wondered how differently Western history might have 
been had it not been influenced by the seperation of divinity from the 
world.  This is to ask, had "the objection of greatest regard" (Tillich, 
right?) not been essentially apart from the world, how might things have 
been different?  Now, my approach is to do away with "god-talk" altogether, 
and just value existence (both in its being and its becoming) relationships 
and the complex patterns of which we are a part, but I do respect the 
process theologians, inasmuch as I understand them from what Kendall wrote, 
for moving theology away from the "apart from" approach.

Shifting gears a bit, I wonder if I could indulge myself by presenting a 
version of the PoE that I have been toying with.  To my knowlewdge, the PoE 
hasn't been formulated in this way.  Perhaps some of you could offer 
possible responses?  What would the process theologian say?  Anyway, here 
goes:

1)If God exists then the devout ought to be the most holy.
2)Throughout history the devout have (often) been the most atrocious.
3)Therefore, ~G

Have I betrayed my affinity for arguing with a hammer? I like 3 premise no 
nonsense formulations.

In Peace and for Civil Liberties,
Jeremy


_________________________________________________________________
MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: 
http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx