If the views you have just expressed so succinctly is not a critique (attack on) of ones belief system then what is the point you are labouring to get across?
Are you implying that this fraudster and his father took believ ... read full comment
If the views you have just expressed so succinctly is not a critique (attack on) of ones belief system then what is the point you are labouring to get across?
Are you implying that this fraudster and his father took believers for a ride so people dare not believe, eh Prof? Is that your logic?
Prof. Lungu, would you say the biggest scientific fraud in the century, the Piltdown Man "discovery", otherwise known as 'the missing link' which was acclaimed by all notable scientists as discovery of the century, but later found to be a hoax - would you say because of this hoax people should not believe in science? Are you so cognitively adrift so as to put this out there for public consumption? This makes me sad.
Prof Lungu 9 years ago
Kwabena Yeboah,
Sad, you may be!
You will agree, though, that "'the missing link'...hoax" was refuted with objective scientific data and reason, unlike an unprovable claim based on a belief, as is the case in Malarkey. ... read full comment
Kwabena Yeboah,
Sad, you may be!
You will agree, though, that "'the missing link'...hoax" was refuted with objective scientific data and reason, unlike an unprovable claim based on a belief, as is the case in Malarkey.
In fact, we can hazard that a segment of the public will still "believe", even after the retraction. That is their business, not worth our time and "critique"!
Directly, "...this fraudster and his father..." can believe in what they want. That has no public policy ramifications, and as a result, is of little interest to us.
It is to say that all so-called "divine interventions", particularly the brand articulated by many Ghanaians in positions of power - our focus, are malarkey. They are at best diversionary to the extent they tend to "negate the tough work to higher/(quicker) human development (economic, physical, spatial, social)".
We hope you get our "drift"!
Thanks.
Kwabena Yeboah 9 years ago
The belief system has no public policy implication, or as you put it ramifications. Whoever you have targeted with your article can believe all he wants, but at the end of the day those who put him there would find him out as ... read full comment
The belief system has no public policy implication, or as you put it ramifications. Whoever you have targeted with your article can believe all he wants, but at the end of the day those who put him there would find him out as the Piltdown Hoax was exposed.
What you are not getting is that the Piltdown Hoax, with all its scientific format was believed at first before it was disproved. The belief system is an intricate part of human construction, without which there will be no Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. Just think about it.
What you are doing here is throwing out the baby with the bath water with your narrow interpretation of the belief system, which is uncharacteristic of one who is supposed to be cognitively adroit. There are professors like you, scientists and people of eminence in society who believe. Sir Isaac Newton was a believer, and through his beliefs aided by "divine intervention" gave us the law of gravity - everybody believes in something whether there is proof or not, but sadly when the African attains a certain degree of knowledge and achievement he appropriates his success to his own intrinsic elements.
Please keep your atheist views to yourself because some of us as intelligent as you are if not more, believe.
Teacher 9 years ago
If believers are not keeping their beliefs to themselves with Christians and Muslims so actively proselytizing, why should atheists keep their non-beliefs to themselves?
If believers are not keeping their beliefs to themselves with Christians and Muslims so actively proselytizing, why should atheists keep their non-beliefs to themselves?
Nana 9 years ago
ISAAC NEWTON BELIEVED IN SOME STUFF THAT ALCHEMY THAT AND OTHER. STUFF THAT HAS BEEN PROVED FALSE. GRAVITY HAS HELD ITS GROUND AND SO UT IS STILL HELD AS TRUE.
SCIENCE THEORY IS UHPELD UNTIL IT IS PROVEN FALSE. SCIENCE GO ... read full comment
ISAAC NEWTON BELIEVED IN SOME STUFF THAT ALCHEMY THAT AND OTHER. STUFF THAT HAS BEEN PROVED FALSE. GRAVITY HAS HELD ITS GROUND AND SO UT IS STILL HELD AS TRUE.
SCIENCE THEORY IS UHPELD UNTIL IT IS PROVEN FALSE. SCIENCE GOES THRU RIGOROUS EXAMINATION. RELIGIOUD DOGMA DOES NOT CHANGE, NEW EVIDENCE DOES NOT CHANGE THE BIBLE OF KORAN. THE CREATION STORIES REMAIN THE SAME DESPITE ANY NEW EVIDENCE.
ALL FAITH WOULD BE QUESTIONED LIKE ANYTHING ELSE. THE WRITER HAS THE RIGHT TO QUESTION THIS BACK FROM HEAVEN STORY. AS SOCIETIES BECOME MORE EDUCATED AND SCIENTIFIC RELIGION FADES. LESS AND LESS PEOPLE IN EUROPE BELIEVE IN RELIGION BCOS RELIGION CANT STAND LOGICAL SCRUTINY. CHRISTIANITY HAS ALMOST DIED IN EUROPE.
I THANK THE WRITER FOR THIS ARTICLE. IT IS LIGHT ON OUR PATH TO UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD.
Teacher 9 years ago
You may also be missing some of the point, Prof Lungu. The power of religion is not found in its truth state. By pointing out its marlakey nature, you risk arguing that religion has no power over the people. It has and in cop ... read full comment
You may also be missing some of the point, Prof Lungu. The power of religion is not found in its truth state. By pointing out its marlakey nature, you risk arguing that religion has no power over the people. It has and in copious amounts. It's this that Marx referred too in his "religion is the opium of the people" formulation that has been so often misquoted and mis-represented.
The case of Mahama calling on divine intervention does not necessarily mean a belief that the divine one actually intervenes in our affairs. It only means that the people he was addressing believe that it does. It is how one makes use of this belief (false though it may be) that has serious policy implications.
Mahama was talking to a nation that believes it is a Christian and a Muslim nation. He was using a language that they understand and believe in.
Perhaps Mahama shouldn't have made that statement but I don't think it's his duty to start "educating" the people about the falseness of religion. He won't succeed in that.
Nkrumah saw it all and simply declared himself a "non-denominational Christian". Today he may add a nod to the Muslims in our midst. You think it will be because he believes?
Prof Lungu 9 years ago
Teacher,
You will agree that balance, even in "local" politics, is important.
We do not expect Mahama to "start "educating" the people about the falseness of religion."
Not at all!
On the other hand. at the bares ... read full comment
Teacher,
You will agree that balance, even in "local" politics, is important.
We do not expect Mahama to "start "educating" the people about the falseness of religion."
Not at all!
On the other hand. at the barest minimum, Mr. Mahama and others like him could use the other side of their mouths to promote the promise of science, rational thought, and the usefulness of objective data required to engender faster/higher human development (economic, physical, spatial, social, etc.).
Divine intervention and spiritual forecasts do not solve problems of health for the people, to use as just one example.
But understanding the nature of diseases, how they spread, tried/tested(best) remedies and treatment options, do!
Nkrumah understood, and provided a balance weighed productively (for developmental reasons) in favor of the later!
Nana 9 years ago
It is opium of the masses. Newton grew up in a time where people believed some crazy religious stuff. If He was alive today, he would not believe those crazy superstitious stuff
It is opium of the masses. Newton grew up in a time where people believed some crazy religious stuff. If He was alive today, he would not believe those crazy superstitious stuff
Prof Lungu 9 years ago
Thanks, Teacher!
Thanks, Teacher!
Paul 9 years ago
Such fantasti stories deceive gullible Americans, not me. Who in their right mind would come back from heaven if they ever got there? Reminds me of the Ghanaian young man who last week claimed he had come back from the dead a ... read full comment
Such fantasti stories deceive gullible Americans, not me. Who in their right mind would come back from heaven if they ever got there? Reminds me of the Ghanaian young man who last week claimed he had come back from the dead after a year. Interestingly he remembers everything that was done to him, including he regaining his breath when diagnosed as dead and being 'whipped back to sleep' by the mortuary man!!
If the views you have just expressed so succinctly is not a critique (attack on) of ones belief system then what is the point you are labouring to get across?
Are you implying that this fraudster and his father took believ ...
read full comment
Kwabena Yeboah,
Sad, you may be!
You will agree, though, that "'the missing link'...hoax" was refuted with objective scientific data and reason, unlike an unprovable claim based on a belief, as is the case in Malarkey. ...
read full comment
The belief system has no public policy implication, or as you put it ramifications. Whoever you have targeted with your article can believe all he wants, but at the end of the day those who put him there would find him out as ...
read full comment
If believers are not keeping their beliefs to themselves with Christians and Muslims so actively proselytizing, why should atheists keep their non-beliefs to themselves?
ISAAC NEWTON BELIEVED IN SOME STUFF THAT ALCHEMY THAT AND OTHER. STUFF THAT HAS BEEN PROVED FALSE. GRAVITY HAS HELD ITS GROUND AND SO UT IS STILL HELD AS TRUE.
SCIENCE THEORY IS UHPELD UNTIL IT IS PROVEN FALSE. SCIENCE GO ...
read full comment
You may also be missing some of the point, Prof Lungu. The power of religion is not found in its truth state. By pointing out its marlakey nature, you risk arguing that religion has no power over the people. It has and in cop ...
read full comment
Teacher,
You will agree that balance, even in "local" politics, is important.
We do not expect Mahama to "start "educating" the people about the falseness of religion."
Not at all!
On the other hand. at the bares ...
read full comment
It is opium of the masses. Newton grew up in a time where people believed some crazy religious stuff. If He was alive today, he would not believe those crazy superstitious stuff
Thanks, Teacher!
Such fantasti stories deceive gullible Americans, not me. Who in their right mind would come back from heaven if they ever got there? Reminds me of the Ghanaian young man who last week claimed he had come back from the dead a ...
read full comment