Re: CONTACT

Tom Jones (tsjones@indqual.com)
Tue, 22 Jul 1997 13:35:05 -0400

McCarrick, Allan wrote:
>
> Saw the movie last week and was entertained (but I'm easily
> entertained). I appreciated the role of Foster's at several levels: a
> strong female doing the science she loved, a positive father figure, her
> costly honesty, and her ability to change (or at least open up). The
> science part was a mixture of interesting and hookey (sp), but thats OK.
>

I saw the movie this weekend also, and very much enjoyed it. Another
aspect of Foster's role that I identified with was the researcher trying
to gain some level of respect. The traditional scientific community
thinks her research quack-ish. The religious community finds it too
God-less, and her sponsors find it not worthy of funding. Tough
situation.

> However, Sagan's hand was also there in several ways: violent
> cement- headed Christians (the only kind), chameleon-like mysticism
> (basically good), and contentless "religious" truth (the only kind).
> Reread Scaeffer's "Escape From Reason" before you go.

I felt the violent Christian character was regarded as clearly fringe
and not representative of the larger Christian community. The male lead
(unordained seminarian) represented more the mainstream Christian view.
Certainly less violent; in many ways less hostile, but still deeply
disturbed at the "we've explained away God" mentality of much of the
scientific community.

>
> I always must be reminded that Christianity is not just a set of
> beliefs, but also is a relation (mystical) with the real God who is
> there. That mystical part is real, but is beyond quantization.
>
> Al McCarrick
> MCCARRIC@mailgate.navsses.navy.mil

Amen

Tom

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