Posted: Aug 17, 2013 1:03 pm
Cito di Pense wrote:orpheus wrote:He pointed out that learning about all the various claims to The Truth is a an excellent inoculation against indoctrination into any particular one.
Unsubstantiated claims and indoctrination are not limited to religion. There does come a point at which a government and its institutions will not encourage the questioning of just-so stories. Remember, your government is there for you.
True enough. But the truth of your first sentence (especially) means we could say the same of many subjects: we shouldn't teach politics, for example, because unsubstantiated claims and indoctrination can occur there too. Your government is there for you…to teach that socialism is the best system. Or any of the various flavors of democracy. (Or economic systems, etc.)
There's always that old chestnut from Ben Franklin or Mark Twain or somebody like that, to the effect of pondering the absurdity of being a loyal citizen of a democracy whilst believing the universe is a monarchy.
I like that!
