Happy Atheist Forum

General => Philosophy => Topic started by: MarcusA on April 24, 2023, 07:08:26 AM

Title: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on April 24, 2023, 07:08:26 AM
Jesus is a myth, and myths just never die - believe it or not.

And, believe it or not, this is a haiku. Some things just stick around in the head and rattle around a bit. haha
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Asmodean on April 24, 2023, 01:59:26 PM
Myths may not die often. Jes... There we go again. An -us word. Jesuses? Jesi? I vote for Jesi.

In any case, myth or no, Jesi are as finite as the rest of us, sooo... It's after Easter. Jesus is dead.

:smilenod:
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on April 24, 2023, 07:28:15 PM
If God is dead, why are the religious still living?
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Asmodean on April 26, 2023, 08:00:19 AM
In that sort of sense, one could say that children have absolutely no obligation to die with their parents, no?
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on April 28, 2023, 03:19:50 AM
Quote from: Asmodean on April 26, 2023, 08:00:19 AMIn that sort of sense, one could say that children have absolutely no obligation to die with their parents, no?

When children die before their parents, that is the tragedy.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Asmodean on April 28, 2023, 07:25:34 AM
Indeed. Even with the oft-brutal history of humankind, much of it being quite deadly in far too many ways, our very language has evolved to reflect the proper passage of generations. When you have lost both parents, you are an orphan. What are you when you have lost your children?
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on April 28, 2023, 10:51:55 AM
A lie is a lie, no matter its value.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Asmodean on April 28, 2023, 11:14:08 AM
That's a bit of a useless statement. a is a no matter its property b. So what?

That said, a lie is not a lie beyond the broadest sense of being knowingly untrue/designed to deceive; there are different kinds of lies, which may or may not serve their individual purposes, and the former may or may not serve them well.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Tank on April 28, 2023, 11:30:07 AM
Quote from: MarcusA on April 28, 2023, 10:51:55 AMA lie is a lie, no matter its value.

You're obviously not married :rofl:
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Asmodean on April 28, 2023, 11:55:32 AM
You see, Tank knows. :smilenod:
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on April 28, 2023, 09:43:01 PM
To me, fiction is a lie but not all lies are bad. But taking into consideration that the Bible is a work of fiction, who knows? Fiction might just be bad to imagine.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Asmodean on May 02, 2023, 11:44:03 AM
...So you see, a lie is not a lie, is not a lie.

Not unless you think that a firts-degree approximation is enough for a workable model of human interaction, which... Personally, I very much do not think that.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on May 02, 2023, 08:29:02 PM
All I know is that I will die one day. On that day, I will have just one lie to worry about.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Recusant on May 02, 2023, 09:45:01 PM
What lie would that be?
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on May 02, 2023, 10:11:22 PM
Quote from: Recusant on May 02, 2023, 09:45:01 PMWhat lie would that be?

The Afterlife.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Recusant on May 03, 2023, 01:39:13 AM
Quote from: MarcusA on May 02, 2023, 10:11:22 PM
Quote from: Recusant on May 02, 2023, 09:45:01 PMWhat lie would that be?

The Afterlife.

Though given you believe that it is a lie, not really a worry I would hope. In any case, it is a matter of which afterlife we might confront. There is a smorgasbord to choose from after all.  :mb lol:  :smilenod:

Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on May 03, 2023, 05:26:55 AM
All truths face opposition from liars.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Asmodean on May 03, 2023, 08:50:25 AM
They also face opposition from "better" truths. Are Newtonian mechanics based on lies because Einsteinian ones can do certain things they cannot? They are still useful in many an application.

You can measure some things in terms of "just true" or "just a lie." Others, however... Not so much. Even the afterlife can, in the broadest sense, be "true" in that what components make up your body will be recycled into other life forms after you yourself cease to be one. In that sense, we are the afterlife of long-dead stars.

Then of course you can spiral more into the realms of hope, where you are still in some way you after death, which is far more bullshitty. Then, the debate is more about how hard one should look for a kernel of truth in such matters... I'd say "as hard as you care to." If you don't - it doesn't matter.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on May 03, 2023, 10:42:57 PM
Quote from: Asmodean on May 03, 2023, 08:50:25 AMThey also face opposition from "better" truths. Are Newtonian mechanics based on lies because Einsteinian ones can do certain things they cannot? They are still useful in many an application.

You can measure some things in terms of "just true" or "just a lie." Others, however... Not so much. Even the afterlife can, in the broadest sense, be "true" in that what components make up your body will be recycled into other life forms after you yourself cease to be one. In that sense, we are the afterlife of long-dead stars.

Then of course you can spiral more into the realms of hope, where you are still in some way you after death, which is far more bullshitty. Then, the debate is more about how hard one should look for a kernel of truth in such matters... I'd say "as hard as you care to." If you don't - it doesn't matter.

Gravity is no lie, even though you can't see it.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Icarus on May 04, 2023, 10:19:02 PM
Quote from: MarcusA on April 28, 2023, 09:43:01 PMTo me, fiction is a lie but not all lies are bad. But taking into consideration that the Bible is a work of fiction, who knows? Fiction might just be bad to imagine.

That is a claim that could start a spirited conversation. Is the Bible an intentional work of fiction or is it the result of a very long history of adjustments for convenience or unintended mistakes.

In the distant past, scribes used feather pens to transcribe what they read from the writings of other scribes. Plenty of opportunity to make an unintentional mistake there. The Massorete scribes of 400 to 600 CE tried to translate writings from the Aramaic languages. The Aramaic used very few vowels. That made the translation a matter of capricious interpretation by the individual scribe.

The Latin Vulgate bibles preceded some of the many that came afterward,the Latin new testament from about 1300, the Gutenburg bible 1455, German translation of the old testament 1560, Greek new Testament from the late tenth century. Luther did some mods to the texts that were current at the time, with his 95 theses. 

The kicker is when king James, about 1611 assigned 54 scholars to create a bible that the commoners could read, that is if they could read. That one was created as a bible by committee and is still the most revered and most widely used version in the U.S.

I do not think of "the Bible" as fiction. I do think of it as a severely fucked up history of the Christian religion.  I am most annoyed by the claims from so many of the devout, that "every word of the bible is true".





 
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on May 05, 2023, 12:24:35 AM
The mediaeval Jewish scribes amended the Old Testament to hell and back, even though it was meant to be against their religion to change one word of it.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: No one on May 05, 2023, 01:07:05 AM
The almighty is very indecisive for a know it all.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on May 05, 2023, 02:35:01 AM
Quote from: No one on May 05, 2023, 01:07:05 AMThe almighty is very indecisive for a know it all.

The Almighty knows nothing and knows it.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Asmodean on May 05, 2023, 08:10:53 AM
Quote from: MarcusA on May 03, 2023, 10:42:57 PMGravity is no lie, even though you can't see it.
Is it not though?

Well, is it a force one object exerts on another? Because if it is, it can't really be the geometry of space said objects find themselves in, now can it?

If I were to present Newtonian gravity to you, I'd be discussing gravity as something I know it not to be, thereby lying by the broad definition of the word. Still, Newtonian understanding of gravity is useful in many application, bringing me back to the point; yes, I'd be misingorming you (based on my understanding, naturally, but then, that's how lies work - you have to know something to be untrue, and speak it as if it were true) if I told you that gravity is an attractive force between two massive objects. However, you could use that "inaccurate" model of reality to represent many situations more-than-well-enough for your purposes.

Not every statement should be easily judged in terms of truths and untruths.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Tank on May 05, 2023, 08:54:46 AM
Quote from: MarcusA on May 05, 2023, 12:24:35 AMThe mediaeval Jewish scribes amended the Old Testament to hell and back, even though it was meant to be against their religion to change one word of it.

Please would you point us to the research about this.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on May 05, 2023, 09:17:38 AM
Quote from: Tank on May 05, 2023, 08:54:46 AM
Quote from: MarcusA on May 05, 2023, 12:24:35 AMThe mediaeval Jewish scribes amended the Old Testament to hell and back, even though it was meant to be against their religion to change one word of it.

Please would you point us to the research about this.

I'm sorry. I can't help you. I just read it somewhere.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: Tank on May 05, 2023, 09:32:14 AM
Fair enough.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on May 05, 2023, 09:41:44 AM
Nietzsche pointed out that the New Testament was written in Provincial Greek. Whatever makes them happy, I say.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on May 05, 2023, 09:51:23 AM
The Koran is apparently nearly a third gibberish because it is written in Arabic.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on May 05, 2023, 10:01:44 AM
I have read parts of the Koran and it is nuts.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on May 05, 2023, 10:04:31 AM
I have read parts of the King James Bible and it is more poetry than philosophy.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: No one on May 05, 2023, 10:04:47 AM
All religious text is somewhat bonkers. But, chronicles of Abraham's wish granting magic sky pixie turns it up to 11.
Title: Re: On the Noble Lie
Post by: MarcusA on May 05, 2023, 09:03:14 PM
I like how Mohammed says that you can call me insane but I will chop your head off. It's in the Koran.