Comments on: Historical notes on the idea of secular criticism http://www.ssrc.org/blogs/immanent_frame/2008/01/25/historical-notes-on-the-idea-of-secular-criticism/ Secularism, religion, and the public sphere Mon, 13 Oct 2008 01:00:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Norman G. Kurland, J.D. http://www.ssrc.org/blogs/immanent_frame/2008/01/25/historical-notes-on-the-idea-of-secular-criticism/#comment-784 Norman G. Kurland, J.D. Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:54:38 +0000 http://www.ssrc.org/blogs/immanent_frame/2008/01/25/historical-notes-on-the-idea-of-secular-criticism/#comment-784 I think Edward Said is right. "Secular" depends on reason and lends itself to scientific analysis and observable truths. Religious truths, however, are based on faith and do not lend themselves to reason. Sectarian truths cannot be proved or disproved, and, as long as they are not compelled by force or violence, they should be respected and tolerated. To paraphrase the French poet Pascal, "Faith (like the heart) has many reasons that reason knows nothing of." Norman Kurland Center for Economic and Social Justice www.cesj.org I think Edward Said is right. “Secular” depends on reason and lends itself to scientific analysis and observable truths. Religious truths, however, are based on faith and do not lend themselves to reason. Sectarian truths cannot be proved or disproved, and, as long as they are not compelled by force or violence, they should be respected and tolerated. To paraphrase the French poet Pascal, “Faith (like the heart) has many reasons that reason knows nothing of.”

Norman Kurland
Center for Economic and Social Justice
http://www.cesj.org

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