The Unnaturalist Fallacy
As with ‘The Way It Is' Fallacy, few things perpetuate the current science and religion war in America more than what I've begun calling "The Unnaturalist Fallacy"—the position taken by many atheists and fundamentalists alike that all or most of the unnatural-sounding (supernatural) language in religious scriptures, doctrines, and creeds cannot be known to be real in a physical, measurable way, but can only be believed to be real in an otherworldly, unnatural way. To say it another way, the unnaturalist fallacy is the mistaken belief that religious "truths" are not scientifically real at all, but only religiously so. This fallacy is so pernicious that I predict within the next fifty years it will come to be known as ‘The Unnaturalist Heresy'. A few examples:
• Those who think that ‘the Fall' and ‘original sin' are primarily about a talking snake tempting Adam and Eve in a magical garden.
• Those who believe that the main point of salvation is what happens to our non-material souls after we die.
• Those who think ‘the second coming of Christ' and ‘the Rapture' mean that Jesus will come back on the clouds, the faithful will fly up to meet him in the sky, and then Jesus will orchestrate the torture and wholesale slaughter of billions of human beings and animals, including children, as the book of Revelation horrifically details.
Interpreted in unnatural (yet, paradoxically, literal) ways, doctrines such as ‘the fall', ‘original sin', ‘salvation', and ‘the second coming of Christ' are trivialized.
When we hear religious language speaking of God or the devil, angels and demons, heaven and hell, sin and salvation, the virgin birth, resurrection, the second coming of Christ, and so forth—if we think about these concepts only (or mostly) in unnatural, otherworldly ways (as somehow magically real in the past or in the future but not actually real in the present), we belittle our faith tradition and unknowingly commit the unnaturalist fallacy.
On the other hand, everything shifts when we appreciate that most, if not all, religious/mythic "night language" about seemingly supernatural beings, events, places, or processes actually have a "day language" (measurably real) referent. Those who insist on interpreting supernatural language literally—that is, in abstract, imaginary ways—are stuck in the realm of fiction. But when we grasp that religious concepts can be experienced as real in a this-world, scientific sense, a huge door of possibility opens, for us and for our world.
What new meanings will unfold when we begin to interpret traditional language in naturally real ways? And how will those meanings grow and enrich in the decades and centuries to come? Each person, group, culture, and generation has both the opportunity and the responsibility to discover/co-create the most lifegiving interpretations for their time and place.
For example, ‘the fall' and ‘original sin' would be seen as pointing to the fact that all human beings have an unchosen nature, inherited proclivities. We all have reptilian, mammalian, primate, and hominid instincts that evolved to serve survival and reproductive needs in a pre-verbal context, but which can (and often do) cause us and our loved ones great difficulties in today's world.
To cite another example: whether or not salvation has an after-death component is almost irrelevant to those who know heavenly joy and the peace that passes all understanding in this life. Fulfillment, serenity, and faith in the here and now comes to those who abide "in Christ"—that is, who live in integrity, who establish support systems to help them do so, and who acknowledge lapses and then make amends. When we know we can die at any moment with no resentments, no secrets, and no unfinished business, we dwell at the right hand of God—no matter our beliefs.
Thanks for the post, Michael
First, let me say thanks for checking out my little corner of the web. Needless to say, having an author of a book mentioned on my site actually drop by and post was a first.
While admittedly skeptical of a successful science/religion hybrid, I'm never closed to new interpretations and ideas. This is where having a part-time gig at a local bookstore comes in handy. I checked your book out earlier today. Always willing to give all sides a fair hearing.
Best of luck.
Cheers,
Josh
sanityproject.com
God Did It "Creation through Evolution"
http://www.creationbyevolution.com
Micheal,
God Did It presents a spiritual awakening that is both ground breaking and solid as the Bible, from which it was drawn. God Did It is an exegesis of the first seven chapters of Genesis. My interpretation is unique in several ways. It is bound together with basic foundations in religion, science and history. It also approaches the concept of absolutes in a manner that will both startle and confirm your beliefs.
The time is always appropriate to reveal insights into truths known as absolutes. Those truths have been covered, down through the ages, by falsehoods that are accepted, without being diligently searched to see if they are correct. The confusing and age-old questions I answer in my book range from the method and time frame of creation, to what the great flood in Noah's day actually destroyed. After having proved my interpretation of God’s creation, I have passed into time immortal by focusing on dispensations and the end of time in the Epilogue. When one travels through those portals of time, many questions become answered. My book, God Did It, leads you to those answers.
I have been a member of three religious organizations: Baptist, Catholic, and Church of God. Their teachings have left me sifting through doctrines, creeds, and dogmas, until I was able, with God’s help, to see the light. I have been able to cut through many false teachings that have kept so many Christians in bondage. Jesus said: "…ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32. My book proves that many truths are hidden behind a myriad of false teachings. Whenever a truth exposes a falsehood, it is washed away and cascades of other hidden truths appear.
I have written some new insights that are absolutes. They cannot be torn down, for every truth is an absolute. To this end, I challenge anyone’s dispute.
I would very much like to speak with you and have you read my book God Did It. My son informed me about your web page after hearing a broadcast on the radio. We are going to order both the book and CD as I am very excited to better understand your concepts. Please visit my web page and feel free to contact me. My email address is hanstheman@suddenlink.net
Sincerely,
Betty J. White
The Unnaturalist Fallacy - the Bible as Metaphor
Hello,
As far as I can tell what you are proposing is that the bible should be taken as metaphor. but this is not at all the way Christians I know talk about it. As just one example, it is fundamental to all Christians I know that Christ actually rose from the dead - not metaphorically, but literally. He was clinically dead, and then returned to life. For them a rational explanation (he was in a coma, etc, etc) would be an unacceptable explanation. And this is crucial to their belief in god, because it has to do with the basic promise of everlasting life for believers. So supernatural phenomena (violations of the laws of physics, aka miracles) are fundamental to Christians. In light of this your interpretation of the bible seems to be an effort to carefully make miracles understood as metaphors to scientists, while leaving them as literal causality violations for Christians. I see this as a dishonest way of trying to paper over one of the two fundamental and unavoidable incompatibilities between science and religion ( the other being faith - the exaltation of belief in the face of empirical evidence to the contrary - versus rational empiricism - in which skepticism and doubt ('prove it') are essential attributes of the scientific method.