Journal 5:
Challenges to Faith
The Three Most Important Ideas:
     The key idea to remember in this section

regarding Challenges to our Faith is the

impact of the media on our culture, and how

we respond to this influence.  The media is

an ever present aspect of our society and as

an institution, they impact how each and

every one of us respond to our daily lives.

  The media ingrains into our minds how we

should think and act.  The ultimate goal of

the media is to sell us something.

Regardless, of whether that thing is an idea

or a product, the process works the same.

  They flood us with ads displayed on the

television, radio, bill-boards, and in

magazines with a hope to reach us in such a

way as to make us think, "Wow, that is so

cool, everyone has that (or thinks in that

way), so I want to be like that too and

therefore I better buy that product (or

behave like that person they are showing)."

  However, our challenge is to filter out all

the information that is presented to us which

is contrary to our own set of moral

guidelines.  We must, in a way, be counter-

cultural and not fall prey to all the hype,

propaganda, and filth that is creeping into

our minds.
1.  Although atheists don't believe in a God, not all atheists are the same.  Nietzsche and Hobbes are both atheists, yet they have radically different views.  Nietzsche  realizes that not all humans are perfect, but he feels we will eventually evolve into a super race.  Also, Nietzsche is a nihilist and doesn't think that reasoning can uncover truth  Hobbes, however, looks down on humans and feels that we are no different from animals; in addition, he feels that the universe can be understood.  In conclusion, Nietzsche and Hobbes have fundamental differences.
2.  The history of the relationship between Science and Faith in relation to the human life cycle is very important.  Children age 1-14 are in a state of unreflective unity.  They blindly accept their parents and everything they tell them.  Teens age 15-21 are in a state of reflective disunity.  They start to think about the world by themselves and no longer accept everything they were told as children.  Adults age 22-26 are in a state of reflective unity.  After thinking about everything they were told and after having time to think about issues by themselves, they realize that their parents were usually correct, thus they "re-unite."
3.  Existentalism is also an important concept in this section.  This philosophical movement was originated by Nietzsche, Kierkegard, and Dosteoevsky and the philosophy says that the most important questions one must face are the subjective questions.  These questions force us to think deeper and look past the obvious in order to better understand our lives.  It helps us to better understand God, immortality, free will, and the meaning of life and death.
-An image that reminds me of a Challenge to Faith is the channel MTV.  This channel uses media to infiltrate the minds of the viewers and actually form the culture in which we live.  Rather than simply reflecting the culture, MTV influences what people say, listen to, wear, and ultimately buy.
Pictue link
-A question that comes to mind after studying this section on the Challenges to Faith is, "why do people let themselves be negatively influednced by culture?"  Even though it is difficult somethimes, I don't understand why more people don't try to make more of an effort to fall back on their own moral guidelines rather than the media's morals, which are driven by profit, not the welfare of the recipiant.
-I have learned that there are many Challenges to my Faith and as a Catholic I must try to become counter cultural.  Also, I must realize that not all atheists share the same beliefs.  Even though all people who don't believe in God are brushed into that category, their views can be very different and they deserve consideration.