Fethullah Gulen Quotes
Avoiding the physical sciences due to the fear that they will lead to heresy is childish.
Gülen, M. Fethullah. Pearls of Wisdom. Tughra Books, 2005.
This turns out to be very much a cultural phenomenon. Amongst educated Englishmen and many scientists and philosophers from America and other cultures but in some cultures opinions stated without passion are often not believed�this is particularly true in the Middle East but exists in many subcultures of America. In science, and the logical philosophy that Russell was so expert in, either you could prove something or you could not. If you could, the passion was unnecessary. If you could not, it was irrelevant. However, in most political issues, except those based on science, most assertions are not provable and although there may be some evidence for a view, it is not determinative. So volume. Bombast, and passion tries to persuade where logic cannot. Russell and many scientists and Philosophers distrust these statements, but the politician must deal with most of them, as public policy must be made whether the issue is scientifically demonstrable or not. Life and society must go on. However, when scientists testify before Congressional committees or in other political arenas, their lack of passion is taken by many as a lack of conviction or a lack of surety, while if they did speak with great passion, they would break the norms of the scientific community in which they work, for it is regarded as unethical to persuade people with anything but the evidence and logic.
The Illuminati was a secret society. At the time, anyone who differed with the Church on issues of philosophy, ethics or religion could be tortured and burned at the stake, and anyone who criticized the Monarchy could be tortured and hung or beheaded. The result was the concept of a secret society of which the Illuminati was one.
He was writing about the superstitions that there were specific people—witches and warlocks—whose magic could bring hail, thunder and other natural phenomena. At the time he wrote this most educated clerics believed in witchcraft and magic.
Even in free America, Allen had a very difficult time getting this work printed because it was so controversial culturally. He argued that existing religions contribute to superstitious fears of the population.
Spinoza was one of the most feared intellectuals in human history—feared that is by the established power structures. He is the only known person who was excommunicated by the Catholics, the Jews and the Muslims—all were forbidden to read his works. He was the enemy of authority and advocated personal reason as the guide for men.
The classic dilemma is that religious moderates and scientists do not argue to force everyone to follow the dictates of science, but in almost all societies and nations, religious fundamentalists strive to force their beliefs on all and make disagreement illegal.
