A great Philosopher - Donald Cuppitt
I didn't know he'd been to Tit Hall!
"Tit Hall" is the nickname for Trinity Hall which is the Cambridge University college I briefly attended.
http://www.doncupitt.com/don-cupitt
I know only a little about his work. But I think I know his basic atheist position.
He sees religion as a human creation.
I have not read any books by him.
But I have to say that it is a great relief to find someone like him saying what he is with regard to religion and Christianity in particular.
A great relief. A pressure off.
He has thought about Chrstianity. And so I ahve I to some extent. Circumstances made sure that I had to.
I must say that I at the moment have come to share some of his views and like to think of myself as a cultural Christian really.
And an atheist - as I said when I first put the "Citizen Sofa" website here in 2006 - 8 years ago now.
After a brief period of belief in the conventional truths of the Christian faith, I am an atheist again.
I feel better saying that.
Why should I have to believe anything?
Surely it is more important that I am virtuous.
What saves aspects of Christianity for me is its power to transform the world for the better.
It is a way of making the world a better place.
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A quote from Cuppitt's website on his beliefs about religion and spirituality:
"We understand all religious doctrines in practical terms, as guiding myths to live by, in the way that Kant, Kierkegaard and Bultmannn began to map out.
We abandon ideas of objective and eternal truth, and instead see all truth as a human improvisation. We should give up all ideas of a heavenly or supernatural world-beyond. Yet, despite our seeming scepticism, we insist that non-realist religion can work very well as religion, and can deliver 'eternal' happiness now.
This kind of thing is absolutely superb and very helpful!
I didn't know he'd been to Tit Hall!
"Tit Hall" is the nickname for Trinity Hall which is the Cambridge University college I briefly attended.
http://www.doncupitt.com/don-cupitt
I know only a little about his work. But I think I know his basic atheist position.
He sees religion as a human creation.
I have not read any books by him.
But I have to say that it is a great relief to find someone like him saying what he is with regard to religion and Christianity in particular.
A great relief. A pressure off.
He has thought about Chrstianity. And so I ahve I to some extent. Circumstances made sure that I had to.
I must say that I at the moment have come to share some of his views and like to think of myself as a cultural Christian really.
And an atheist - as I said when I first put the "Citizen Sofa" website here in 2006 - 8 years ago now.
After a brief period of belief in the conventional truths of the Christian faith, I am an atheist again.
I feel better saying that.
Why should I have to believe anything?
Surely it is more important that I am virtuous.
What saves aspects of Christianity for me is its power to transform the world for the better.
It is a way of making the world a better place.
-----------
A quote from Cuppitt's website on his beliefs about religion and spirituality:
"We understand all religious doctrines in practical terms, as guiding myths to live by, in the way that Kant, Kierkegaard and Bultmannn began to map out.
We abandon ideas of objective and eternal truth, and instead see all truth as a human improvisation. We should give up all ideas of a heavenly or supernatural world-beyond. Yet, despite our seeming scepticism, we insist that non-realist religion can work very well as religion, and can deliver 'eternal' happiness now.
Cupitt sees his religion of ordinary human life as the "Kingdom theology"
that historic Christianity always knew it must eventually move to, after
the end of the age of the Church and the arrival of a final religion of immediate
commitment to this world and this life only.
This final religion, which Cupitt calls 'solar living',
has a few followers everywhere, but is particularly to be found
on the most liberal wing of the British Society of Friends, the Quakers.
Indeed, a non-theist Friends Network UK is currently being
established.
In philosophy, Cupitt starts from the philosophy of
ordinary human life. It sees everything under great unifying metaphors,
such as the Sun, or the Fountain. The resulting outlook may be seen as
standing in the existentialist tradition."
This kind of thing is absolutely superb and very helpful!