[I wrote four longish paragraphs of response from gmail, then hit the wrong button on the page, which deleted it all.
So, this is a shorter version.]
The most obvious example from a Quaker business meeting is the decision of whether to spend money that we don't have, on something we believe God wants us to do.
The general guideline for the theist is that God wants us to take leaps of faith when so commanded; if we do, resources we need will be provided in due time. The question of means is secondary to whether the action is a leading by God.
The atheist is in a much (I think) scarier position of making a rational decision factoring in both means and ends. Neither of which are primary concern for the theist; the ends don't need to be clear either.
In the balance, I believe this can lead to a conservative person making radical decisions without betraying any of their conservative principles, and without acquiescing to the group as I might otherwise expect from consensus decision-making.
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Date: Thursday, 23 February 2006 10:57 pm (UTC)So, this is a shorter version.]
The most obvious example from a Quaker business meeting is the decision of whether to spend money that we don't have, on something we believe God wants us to do.
The general guideline for the theist is that God wants us to take leaps of faith when so commanded; if we do, resources we need will be provided in due time. The question of means is secondary to whether the action is a leading by God.
The atheist is in a much (I think) scarier position of making a rational decision factoring in both means and ends. Neither of which are primary concern for the theist; the ends don't need to be clear either.
In the balance, I believe this can lead to a conservative person making radical decisions without betraying any of their conservative principles, and without acquiescing to the group as I might otherwise expect from consensus decision-making.