From: aa888@freenet.carleton.ca (Mark Baker)
Subject: Re: The arrogance of Christians
Reply-To: aa888@freenet.carleton.ca (Mark Baker)
Organization: The National Capital Freenet
Lines: 22

In a previous article, mhsu@lonestar.utsa.edu (Melinda . Hsu) says:

>
>Well the argument usually stops right there.  In the end,
>aren't we all just kids, groping for the truth?  If so, do we have
>the authority to declare all other beliefs besides our own as
>false?
>

If I don't think my belief is right and everyone else's belief is wrong,
then I don't have a belief. This is simply what belief means. Where does
the authority for a belief come from? Nowhere, for a belief is itself
authoratative. If I produce authority for a belief, where will I find
authority for my belief in the legitimacy of the authority. In short, 
the mind has to start somewhere. (By the way, the majority of Christians,
i.e. Catholics, believe in the authority of the Church, and derive the
authority of the Bible from its acceptance by the Church.)
-- 
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Mark Baker                  | "The task ... is not to cut down jungles, but 
aa888@Freenet.carleton.ca   | to irrigate deserts." -- C. S. Lewis
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