philosophy naturalism in religion by michael patiño

2. Naturalism in Religion

3.  Religious Naturalism is the view that nature is
metaphysically ultimate and that nature or some
aspect of nature is religiously ultimate. There is
nothing beyond, behind or below nature. Nature
requires no explanation beyond itself. It always has
existed and always will exist in some shape or
form. Its constituents, principles, laws and
relationships are the sole reality.
Donald A. Crosby, Living with Ambiguity: Religious Naturalism and the Menace of Evil,

4.  Naturalism is the view that every law and every
force operating in the universe is natural rather
than moral, spiritual, or supernatural. Rejecting
the very concept of a personal God. Many assume
naturalism therefore has nothing to do with
religion. In fact, it is a common misconception
that naturalism embodies the very essence of
scientific objectivity.
Dr. V.K. Maheshwari, Ph.D

5.  But how can naturalism have any place for religion
when there is no recognition of the super natural
in its metaphysics?

6.  Religion is exactly the right word to describe
naturalism. The entire philosophy is built on a
faith-based premise. Its basic presupposition—a
prior rejection of everything supernatural—
requires a giant leap of faith. And nearly all its
supporting theories must be taken by faith as well.

7.  In other words, God’s existence can be discounted
because it has no importance; no significance to how
we actually live.

8.  If it is correct that the common attitude toward
religion is that it has validity and somehow relates
us to god, then it is permissible to say that
naturalism is inclined to reduce religion to a
phenomenon of human experience which is purely
natural.
The Status of religion

9.  Do you believe in supernatural being?

10.  This naturalistic attitude maybe understood by
attempting to see how naturalist may reply to their
reduction of religion to purely natural grounds.

11. Asked what she'd
want to hear God say
at the pearly gates, she
responded, "Well, I
guess you were wrong.
I do exist."
Julianne Moore

12. “Even though I
don't believe in
God, we
celebrate pretty
much every
religion in our
family with the
kids.“
Jodie Foster

13. “It's not enough
to say that I
don't believe in
God. I actually
regard the
system as
distressing: I
am offended by
some of the
things said in
the Bible and
the Koran, and I
refute them."
Emma Thompson

27. Just in terms of
allocation of time
resources, religion is
not very efficient.
There’s a lot more I
could be doing on a
Sunday morning.
Bill Gates

30. Whoare science teachers here?
Or Fond of Science?

31. Hare lip

35.  Many naturalists do not use the term God. while
religious may be a valuable phase of life and the
source of genuine inspiration , it is define as purely
natural and affair of man adjusting themselves to
the forces and processes of nature and achieving
harmonious life. Since this is the nature of religion
of naturalist, many naturalists do not include God
in religion.
The Nature of God

36.  Henry Nelson Wieman was an American
philosopher and theologian. He became the most
famous proponent of the naturalism and the
empirical method in American theology and
catalyzed the emergence of Religious Naturalism
in the latter part of the 20th century.

37.  "How can we interpret what operates in human
existence to create, sustain, save and transform
toward the greatest good, so that scientific research
and scientific technology can be applied to
searching out and providing the conditions -
physical, biological, psychological and social -
which must be present for its most effective
operation? This operative presence in human
existence can be called God...

38.  We may attempt what naturalism has to say
about the power and goodness of God. We
do this because of our pre disposition today
to know, “Is God unlimited, Infinite?” and is
God Perfectly good?”
power & goodness of God

39.  “No.” God is within nature; He is not all
of nature, nor more than nature. He is
that particular structure in Nature which
is sufficiently limited to be describing as
making possible the realization of value
and as the foundation of value.

 “Yes!” goodness is a distinctive attitude
of God. whereas in Nature and man
there are evils which frustrate the
realizing of value, a drag which pulls
back , or a positive inference, God is the
power of nature making good possible.
He is therefore deserving of worship and
complete devotion.


40.  This list is only suggestive as most RNs self-identify by
their own criterion.
 The purpose here is not to define a true believer
 but to offer some framework for us.
 It may not be a satisfying paradigm for many
 It avoids the difficulties some people have with
traditional religions.
 It accommodates equally those who refrain from using
good language,
 Those who are godless, as well as those who propose a
naturalized idea of deity.

41. Am I a Religious Naturalist?
You may be a Religious Naturalist if some of the following traits apply to
you:
 Stopped believing in traditional religious ideas and practices
 No supernatural beliefs and assumptions for what is
 Disbelief in holy stuff, an afterlife, and the power of prayer
 A love for autonomous thinking and individuality
 Tolerance for those who also do
 Respect for logical thinking and scientific explanations
 A religious attitude as an integral part of your approach to living
 Awareness of the natural beauty, mystery, creativity in the Universe
 Spiritual like feelings of awe, wonder, reverence, gratitude for Existence
 Ethical apprehension and compassion for all of life and the
environment
 Sense the importance of the interconnectivity of all natural
phenomena
 A responsibility to the future and the continuity of life of all kinds
 Strong moral commitments and behavior that are rational

43.  Man is a child of nature, yet nevertheless he is the
most significant child. For in evolutionary process
that have been at work in the universe so far. He
has the capacities and has achieved heights
common to no other child of nature.
 “The human self is seen by naturalism is an
offshoot of nature and not as spring from beyond
the nature.”

44.  When looking at man from the moral stand point,
naturalism tries not to make him either better or
worse than he actually is. Child of nature that he
is, he participates in the process of nature. He has
drives and he responds to his environment much
as any other organism.

45.  His consciousness may appear in his adult years to
modify and check his primordial nature. Nature
has her delicacies and she also has her law of tooth
and claw and man participates in both.

46.  Naturalism is action, inclination, or thought based
only on natural desires and instincts…

48. One day a group of scientists got together and decided that
man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they
picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done
with Him.
The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided
that we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can
clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't
you just go on and get lost.“
God listened very patiently and kindly to the man and after
the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well, how
about this, let's say we have a man making contest." To which
the scientist replied, "OK, great!"
But God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did
back in the old days with Adam."
The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and
grabbed himself a handful of dirt…

49. God just looked at him and said,
"No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"

50. Thanks Shapers of Young minds…