[CLIP]
> Tyrants commonly profess to be certain they are in the right. This is =
> because few become tyrants without demonstrating political skills, and =
> it is a common political skill to appear certain of the things one is =
> attempting to persuade others. For example, listen to Alan Dershowitz on =
> CNN or CNBC sometime.
>
> He is an atheist, but he always appears more certain of the rightness of =
> his position that anyone I have seen. The practical result: his clients =
> get acquitted in the face of obvious guilt. Hence, the certainty of the =
> rightness of one's position is independent of religious faith and is in =
> fact but a mere tool of persuasion.
>
> All faithful have doubts, but where have you seen the faithless without =
> certainty of the rightness of their position. Thus, may one conclude =
> that atheism is a more potent and perhaps more deadly virus than =
> religion.
I admit counterexamples to "all faithful have doubts" [about the
rightness of their position] are rare.
One such counterexample has written this reply.
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Yes, I've finally got a gasp of time.... I may become current eventually
on this list.
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/ Towards the conversion of data into information....
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/ Kenneth Boyd
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