Memory And Survival

[DoubleTap]

One of my favorite bloggers, Richard Fernandez, has some thoughts on what sacrifice, and the rememberance of that sacrifice, means to that which we hold dear.

http://pajamasmedia.com/richardfernandez/2010/05/30/memory-and-surival/#more-9184

[BadAim]

While I can't disagree on the cause-effect relationship, I wholeheartedly cast aside any theory that tries to explain altruism with darwinism: the two 'isms' are at odds here. If the thing that causes a man to lay down his life for his fellow man has anything to do with Darwin's little theory, then this world is not worth the sacrifice in the first place (not that I could believe such a thing anymore if I tried).

I love that he seals his 100% non spiritual work with the words of Jesus though.........

Now, remembering the fallen...... That, I can get behind, I guess we just might have to agree to disagree on the reasons why it's a good idea.

[DoubleTap]

While I can't disagree on the cause-effect relationship, I wholeheartedly cast aside any theory that tries to explain altruism with darwinism: the two 'isms' are at odds here. If the thing that causes a man to lay down his life for his fellow man has anything to do with Darwin's little theory, then this world is not worth the sacrifice in the first place (not that I could believe such a thing anymore if I tried).

I love that he seals his 100% non spiritual work with the words of Jesus though.........

Now, remembering the fallen...... That, I can get behind, I guess we just might have to agree to disagree on the reasons why it's a good idea.

Hmmm, well I did not think this would be that controversial. I think his point was that even Darwinism agrees that selfishness is not a wise way to live.

I don't think that science confirming a spiritual concept robs it of meaning. I think Fernandez' point may be that it confirms its essential truth. Fernandez is FAR from a secularist, but I've read him for years, so I am familiar with him.

No matter. I did not intend to stir anything up with this. I happened to find it to be profound. Others may not.

DT

[Perfesser]

I think what the author is missing is humans' remarkable ability to do absolutely stupid things while still in the mindset that "nothing is going to happen to me".

I will walk away as a hero and it will raise my status in the tribe/ look cool for the chicks.

I once ran across traffic on an icy bridge at night on a 3 lane highway while cars were still sliding/crashing into each other at 60 mph to get a girl out of her car who was just sitting there in shock.

I didn't know her, and was truly in love(first few months of our relationship with my wife of 26 yrs) with someone else at the time. It's not like I was looking for a date.

Got her off to the side of the road safely and drove away home without so much as a goodbye. Only later realized I left my coat on her back.

Damn near got killed and to this day I still have no idea why I did it.

Funny, I can't edit my reply and when I hit reply I find I'm logged out. Must clear cookies I guess.

Oh that's very funny. I hit edit, get error, hit reply, have to log in to reply and now I AM in the reply screen yet it may show up as an addition to my first post.

[BadAim]

D.T.,please don't take my comment for anything other than it is, mate. It's just a comment.

My point of view as a person who believes 100% that the Scriptures are God inspired is going to be at minimum somewhat different to others on many things, and radically different on other things. I only mean to offer my opinion, that it's different is by no means a controversy, as I don't care if what others think is different from me, and it has no bearing on my opinion of them as a person, or whether I will consider them a friend or not (for the most part).

As for the science aspect, I have no problem with science, so long as it's honest with itself. Darwin's theory of evolution has long ago failed by it's own authors parameters, yet the scientific community fails to recognize it.

As for the original subject of self sacrifice, I believe that it's a little demeaning to reduce it to survival of the fittest. Take Perfesser's story, for instance. I believe that he was acting out of love for a fellow human being, whether or not that human being was familiar or not to him was not relevant as he was doing what a person designed in the image of God must do, and that is love. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends"_ JC and similarly "Love your neighbor as yourself"_JC