[FRIAM] the role of metaphor in scientific thought

[Steven A Smith]

Glen -
> What would you call people like me, who were reared Catholic, including confirmation and duties as an "altar boy", but who never believed a single word uttered in Mass, by parents, or in the official books?  In fact, the only concepts I took, believed in, from Catholicism are 1) catholicism (little "c") and 2) mystery, both of which I could have more readily learned from other traditions had my parents been more worldy.  Thank Yog for open-minded priests, who took the time to explore their own mental gymnastics with a child like me, in lieu of the stupidity that is Confession.
>
> I kinda like "aborted acolyte".  8^)
Works for me, I was thinking "crypto athiest"... and while it is not 
accurate to the original usage, I like the sound of "Refusenik Catholic".

I was not raised with much overt religion, though my mother attended 
(and included her children) a local Presbyterian church now and again... 
my father got drug in for occasional Easter or Christmas services where 
he insisted on singing louder than anyone else and when the collection 
plate was passed, he would just wave it off and say "thanks, but I've 
got plenty already".

Interesting that you didn't believe "a word uttered in Mass" while I, as 
a young adult came to believe (or at least a appreciate) a great deal of 
what was uttered in Mass.   Of course, I had unique priests.. the first 
being Father Abiwyckrema, whose first language was probably Hindi... 
although Mass was held in English by that time, his singsong accent made 
most of what he said entirely unintelligible, but at least as lyrical as 
if it had been in Latin. The second being Father Charlie Brown (yup, 
that was his given name!) who dropped out of seminary after a year, 
realizing that he couldn't minister to a "flock" if he was isolated and 
sequestered from the common person.   He studied psychotherapy instead 
and practiced well into his 40's before realizing that without a more 
spiritual grounding he felt he was less effective in his ministrations 
and returned to Seminary.    The bottom line for me was that his 
Homilies were actually quite well considered and relevant to the real 
world.   I "believed" a great deal of what he offered in those Homilies.

I lost what little "faith" in Christian Dogma I might have had when 
during a summer Bible School teaching (9 years old?).  I got really 
excited by the many "miracles" (manna from heaven, red sea parting, 
burning bushes, virgin birth, rising from the dead, etc.) and when I 
expressed my enthusiasm, taking these to be literal and true and 
verifiable stories, my Bible School teacher became very stern with me, 
but did not attempt to explain allegory or parable to me, leaving me to 
believe that SHE didn't believe those stories either. Kinda undermined 
the magic of it all!  I got a little back years later when I came to 
understand allegory and parable.

And THAT kindof undermined the phrase in the Pledge of Allegiance 
referencing "under God"...

Carry on!
  - Steve
>
> On 06/23/2017 11:39 AM, Steven A Smith wrote:
>>     I tend to ask those who
>>     were raised (and usually Confirmed) Catholic but no longer
>>     practicing if they are "Escaped", "Reformed", or "Recovering"
>>     Catholics.  I doubt those three terms cover the space fully, but
>>     seem to provide some pretty good sampling.   Most have used the term
>>     "Recovering" but many are taken aback by the alternatives and the
>>     nuances implied.