This is the astonishing sort of statement that makes P. Z. Myers in his crabbiest modes of atheism look completely calm and cool in his rationalism.
Our old authoritarian, anti-discussion friend Neil Simpson said:
As a Christian, I scoff at superstitions. I leave those to non-believers.
Yeah, the same Neil Simpson who holds superstitious convictions that evolution is wrong, warming doesn’t occur and CO2 can’t be a greenhouse gas, etc., etc. Check out his blog — is there any statement he makes that is not based in superstition?
He’ll probably argue that he has proof of Jesus, so what Jesus would have called faith, Simpson will call evidence-based views.
How can someone practice the faith when they deny it’s faith? Aye, there’s a huge problem for Christianity these days.
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See Dictionary.com:
superstition [soo-per-stish-uhn] – noun
1. a belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge, in or of the ominous significance of a particular thing, circumstance, occurrence, proceeding, or the like.
2. a system or collection of such beliefs.
3. a custom or act based on such a belief.
and,
relgion [ri-lij-uhn] – noun
1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
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Update: At Dispatches from the Culture Wars, Ed Brayton finds the statement laughable, too. As always, more comments at the more-trafficked sites.
