tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823464755020106132.post4949625112240928412..comments2023-09-11T06:12:40.557-04:00Comments on Meditating on Mormonism: The (False?) Faith/Doubt DivideMattMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837019798571067399noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823464755020106132.post-2013758614764775022008-12-08T13:39:00.000-05:002008-12-08T13:39:00.000-05:00An interesting point, but two perspectives have in...An interesting point, but two perspectives have intrigued me for the past several years.<BR/><BR/> First is Romans 8:7, which tells us that the carnal, natural, biological mind is enmity against God and cannot be subject to God's laws. This means that any physical attempt to define God's laws by the usual logical process will have at least two results:<BR/>1. No one can claim physical authority as God's representative, since no natural mind can be subject to God.<BR/>2. Any attempt to do so would result in an infinity of speciation and splintering of religions or concepts of God, which we see aroumd us today, with more than 30,000 cults, sects, and denominations within christianity alone.<BR/><BR/> My point is not to say there is no God, but that the bible has anticipated the confusion around us today.<BR/><BR/> The second perspective that relates to this is Godel's theorem, which says, basically, that in any consistent axiomatic formulation of number theory, there exists an infinity of undecideable propositions, or as mathematicians have said, there is no finite, ratuonal way to define all truth, which would produce the same results as those described relating to Romans 8:7, above.<BR/><BR/> We could say that truth is given by the Holy Spirit, but there are thousands of religions claiming to have the Holy Spirit. Certainly truyth cannot be whatever you beliefve, or how do we know it is truth?<BR/><BR/> As part of this perspective, we have the Church-Turing thesis, which tells us that the human brain is no different from a computer, since both must operate according to the laws of physics, and the brain can be mathematically modeled, ultimately, so that computers can solve any problem solvable by the brain.<BR/><BR/> This leaves us with an interesting, and perhaps quite nice conclusion.<BR/><BR/> Let us assume that the human brain CAN make propoer decisions leading to truth about God. If so, then such knowledge can be translated into language, which is certainly a necessary prerequisite for religious conversion. If it can be translated into language, it can be translated into algorithms. If translated into algorithms, it can be programmed into computers. If it can be programmed, there is nio reason why we can't program a robotic AI "son of God" which will be better than humans, since it has no human nature, or "sin" to deal with. Further, if we can rationally define the Holy Spirit, we can program a computer with qualities of the Holy Spirit!<BR/><BR/> But we cannot do such things, and both Romans 8:7 and Godel's theorem says it cannot be done.<BR/><BR/> So, if it cannot be done with computrs, it cannot be done with either governments or religions, which leaves evweryone pretty much....free.<BR/><BR/> This, in fact, is what Jesus said regarding false teachers in the 'end time" of Matthew 24:23:<BR/><BR/> "Then if ANY MAN says to you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, BELIEVE IT NOT".Ralphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03242043361089416030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823464755020106132.post-31629121369653277112008-11-02T21:20:00.000-05:002008-11-02T21:20:00.000-05:00Very nice...I would go so far as to say that true ...Very nice...I would go so far as to say that true knowledge can only come to those who are willing to give up everything they think they know.Crustyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15458299808222210322noreply@blogger.com