Materialism and theism

[hmkpoker]

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"Completely incompatible. If I believed that I was going to an eternal paradise after I died, I don't think I'd ever care whether I ever landed a good career or even got laid."

Suppose paradise is, as I've mentioned before, a stretching out of the last millisecond of your existence such that it seems to you that it lasts forever, and it comprises reliving the best experiences of your life?

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That would be different, but we're not supposing that. Heaven has infinite, eternal, unlimited utility; doesn't matter what you did in your life.

[benjdm]

For reference, materialism is referring to this meaning:

In philosophy, materialism is that form of physicalism which holds that the only thing that can truly be said to exist is matter; that fundamentally, all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions.

[John21]

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The two seem mutually exclusive to me. Does anyone know of any serious attempts at reconciling the two?

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Deism comes close. You could argue that the U.S. was formed by Deists.

Major tenets:
1. Belief in God based on Reason, Experience and Nature (nature of the universe) rather than on the basis of holy texts and divine revelation. Essentially, through the use of Reason, God’s existence is revealed by the observation of the order and complexity found within nature and our personal experiences.

2. Belief that the nature of God is abstract and generally incomprehensible which puts it beyond definition for humanity at this time. Furthermore, human language is limited and inadequate to define God; however, man can use Reason to theorize and speculate on what this possible nature is.

3. Belief that mans relationship with God is transpersonal. However, this does not create a feeling of a distant and cold deity but of one in which God has a profound and unfathomable relationship with all of creation (nature) rather than just one aspect of it.

4. Belief that humanity has the ability to use Reason to develop ethical/moral principles and through the application of Reason these principles can be used to implement moral behavior, which in turn creates a Utilitarian-Humanist morality. Essentially, humans can be guided by their conscience in matters of morality.

5. Belief that humans have the individual capability of experiencing God, which is defined as spirituality. These spiritual experiences are multi-faceted and can include awe, epiphany, fellowship and even the transcendental. Essentially, each human is capable of having a profound experience of God and nature.

6. Belief that God should be honored in a way that the individual believes is best and most appropriate for them. Individuals must determine for themselves how best to honor God and only they can develop how to accomplish this. For many, it is a multi-faceted and an individualized process.

7. Belief in the principle of Natural Law that states that all men and women are created equal to each other with inherent freedom and liberty so that no human has more worth than another. Essentially, each human is equal in terms of the freedoms that they have and in the eyes of the law.

8. Belief that mankind’s purpose is to use our God-given reason to understand what it means to be alive in every sense of the word (to live life to the fullest) and to act in such a way as to secure human happiness and contentment for all involved.

9. Belief that Reason and Respect are God-given traits to mankind and that we are to utilize them in all aspects of our daily lives thus creating a pragmatic approach to life. This includes respecting other alternative views and opinions of God (other religions) as long as they do not produce harm and/or infringe upon others.


About Thomas Paines' "The Age of Reason"
In examining organized religion, the book advocates a skeptical and rational view of religion, known as Deism. Paine stresses his belief in the oneness of God, and the "Word of God" as exemplified by nature and the exercise of reason. Thus, he rejects many of the tenets of both the Old Testament and New Testament. As he stresses: "I sincerely detest it (the Bible), as I detest everything that is cruel." Paine provides not only criticism of religion, but a foundation for belief in a supreme being free from the confines of dogma.

While the work is well-remembered today, Paine's argument in favor of the existence of a Creator is often overlooked in lieu of his criticism of the prevailing religions of the day. Ultimately, Paine envisions a God based on reason, at one with nature and free of superstition, equally skeptical of both atheism and Christianity.

p.s. According to Wiki, Deism is the fastest growing religion in the U.S.

[hmkpoker]

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For reference, materialism is referring to this meaning:

In philosophy, materialism is that form of physicalism which holds that the only thing that can truly be said to exist is matter; that fundamentally, all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions.

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Oh, that materialism.

Well in that case, heaven and hell are simply alternate dimensions. Case closed.