Discussion Of Belief In Hogfather

[David_Nicoson 1]

My wife's a big Terry Pratchet fan, so we were watching The Hogfather on TV. I thought Death's comment here is pretty thought-provoking. For those unfamiliar with the story, the Hogfather is approximately Santa Claus in Discworld. Anyway, enjoy and discuss.Death: Humans need fantasy to *be* human. To be the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape.Susan: With tooth fairies? Hogfathers?Death: Yes. As practice, you have to start out learning to believe the little lies.Susan: So we can believe the big ones?Death: Yes. Justice, mercy, duty. That sort of thing.Susan: They're not the same at all.Death: You think so? Then take the universe and grind it down to the finest powder, and sieve it through the finest sieve, and then show me one atom of justice, one molecule of mercy. And yet, you try to act as if there is some ideal order in the world. As if there is some, some rightness in the universe, by which it may be judged.Susan: But people have got to believe that, or what's the point?Death: You need to believe in things that aren't true. How else can they become?

[jmkiser 0]

I wouldn't dare to understand the answers to certain things that aren't tangible. I believe we have learned traits, but I think all of us can hear a rousing symphony and wonder why we get the tinglies.I'm sure there is a logical explanation, but I don't want to know it just yet... don't ruin my symphonies:)