Rationalism
Definition
Rationalism describes any philosophy that claims that beliefs and opinions should always be logical, deductive conclusions rather than being based on experience, observations, religious teachings, or divine revelation.
Keywords: Rationalism, Philosophy, Logical, Reasoning, Deductive, Experience, Observations, Religious, Revelation, Contradictory.
Veracity
Rationalistic claims are false .
Proof
All self-refuting or contradictory claims are deductively false.
Premise 1: Only deductive conclusions should be believed.
Premise 2: Premise 1, being the foundation or starting point of the philosophy, is not itself a deductive conclusion.
Conclusion: Therefore, premise 1, also known as "rationalism", should not be believed.
Rationalistic claims, when adhered to, require the rejection of rationalistic claims. To accept them is to reject them, making rationalism inherently contradictory and deductively false.
Gilbert Guttlebocker, Defender of Dragons
Riveting, yet absurd; romantic, yet innocent; Gilbert Guttlebocker, Defender of Dragons is a little Roald Dahl, a little Harry Potter, and a little Chronicles of Narnia, all rolled into one. Timothy McCabe collaborates with the great Benedict Ballyhoot to bring you the novel of the century!
In Printed Form
Along with numerous other authors including Don Landis, Bodie Hodge and Roger Patterson, Timothy McCabe contributes analyses of various world religions and cults in this volume from Master Books.
Other Writings
"Is what is morally good commanded by God because it is morally good, or is it morally good because it is commanded by God?"
This question has been around at least since Plato, and is known by the name of the "Euthyphro Dilemma". It's really nothing more than a silly trick question wearing a "deep" philosophical mask. If one were to go with the first option provided, it leads to the conclusion that God is subject to the authority of Objective Morality and is not actually able to do whatever He wants, making Him not really God.
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"What's an easy way to show that Mormonism is false?"
An extraordinarily important, core aspect of the Mormon faith is the concept of "free agency." Jesus Christ exercised free agency, Satan exercised it, and we also exercise it. Their "free agency" seems to be identical to what others refer to as "libertarian free will." Unlike many other Christian groups, Mormons correctly realize that their concept of "free agency" cannot be correct if we, and everything around us, were actually entirely created by God.
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"Why did God only send Jesus to Palestine at one particular point in history? If God wants everybody to be saved, wouldn’t the gospel have spread a lot faster if he had sent Jesus to every place on earth in all time periods?"
Are you sure that God wants everyone to be saved? There are many Christian philosophers who do indeed claim that this is the case, but it seems to me that this concept contradicts scripture. John 12:39-40 (re Isaiah 6:8-10) For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, "HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM.
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