I am so enjoying this discussion, it is so fascinating. Interesting though that this is a philisophical discussion and yet philosophy, one of the other mainstays of humanity, is being left out of this debate?
LT: I do think a lot of it has to do with intellectual laziness. I also appreciate the need for those who don't get lost in the intellectualism and are able to keep things (or get things back to) the simple important things in life. I tend to intellectualise things but thank goodness I am married to someone who isn't and keeps me grounded. I think there is a place for both.
Another point reminded to me by being back on this forum (this forum or any other), is that a lot of misunderstanding comes in the limited nature of posting via the written word. We literally can't explain ourselves as expansively as we would each like to, so often misunderstandings arise from the limited nature of communication. Also our individual language skills. I am consciously working on this at the moment - another aspect of my growing self-awareness. For instance yesterday when I said to you "...not entirely true..." I realised as soon as I posted it that it was a negative way of expressing myself. Because I completely agreed with what you said and rather could have said "... in addition..." or "... to expand on what you said..." or "... another facet...". This is a language skill (and I am still trying to limit my overuse of words: 'should', 'but', 'yet', 'however') and it is also related to our emotional intelligence, how willing are we to put forward our opinion for opinion's sake as opposed to working with another human being so both our thinkings our expanded?
For my part, I have an admittedly very limited knowledge of quantum physics, yet it fascinates me and I love reading stuff on it from time to time (maybe put me in the ballpark of "What the bleep you know" was not a new revelation to me when it came out). And I wonder if I am like a lot of people here who are not intellectually lazy yet am also hesitant to wade into a debate I really may know nothing about. I fall into the category of thinking "The more I know the more I realise how much I don't know". For instance, from what I have read, a lot of physicists nowdays are starting to find a lot of flaws in Einstein's work. Yet so much of science today is premised on Einstein's work. The scientific community faces the very same complex difficulties that each of us face leaving a religion - what parts do we keep and what do we leave?
I still don't have an answer. I guess that is why I tend to focus on the attitude or intention behind any endeavour or opinion.
BTW, I have found the personal, human and intimate connection of satsang to be a wonderful way of getting similar and very powerful benefits to that which we are each trying to get here on the net. There is much to be gained through exposing ourselves, opening up, being vulnerable and being amongst unconditionally loving individuals.
Zensim