With regards to some agnostics who defend the utility of religion; I don't quite understand.
One the one hand it isn't convincing enough to them (they are aware it's fiction). And on the other hand they try to shame atheists for wanting a world without a religious influence on politics, laws etc.
In other words they know masses of people are deluded, trying to impose nonsense on others, and still support that, claiming without it the world would implode somehow; that there would be no ethics or compassion left.
To me that is an insult to our species; it's as if they thought they were safe enough not believing, while having a presumably superior intellect, but most people would simply revert to a primitive condition overnight if they thought they were no longer supervised by a god. That's some claim of superiority right there.
I understand why believers would be passionate about their views, but in this case, I don't.
I've interacted with a few of them and was taken aback by their defence of bigotry, since "the religious are deluded but they're still better than atheists, who would destroy the world". They would back people claiming Noah's flood had actually happened.
Any thoughts?
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.At what point did we lose the right to be deluded?
People, both religious and non-religious, need to stop telling other people what to think and what to believe. Put forward reasoned arguments, by all means, but the insistence that your side is right and everyone who is wrong has to accept it, isn't constructive for anyone.
There are countries where you can still be executed for giving up on your faith. I can't help feeling some atheists and agnostics would gladly line up believers (particuarly evangelical ones) and shoot them, too.
Religion has no place in politics. Thankfully, I live in a country with the common sense to see that, these days.
NicoleCadmium
Level 7
Mar 16, 2018
1
I think this is a very interesting question. It's not a simple matter, but I have come to think that sometimes a religious person will become an agnostic because they can't really believe their religion anymore, and yet they haven't fully outgrown it or let it go. This is sometimes evidenced by comments like "religion still does some good" or "the Catholic Church is changing" and what seems to me to be defensive views about, as you said, the utility of religion. As an atheist who see religions as nothing but a drag on the evolution of humanity I find this unacceptable. When a person is completely and honestly detached from religion, and there is no residue in their thinking and values from religion, it evaporates for them into the wrong side of history, where it belongs.
David1955
Level 8
Mar 16, 2018
0
I'm an agnostic because the nature of science demands that we be so if we are to subscribe to the scientific method.
There are no absolutes or facts in science. Only postulates and theoroms, which are based upon the laws of the universe as we currently grasp them.
Science and atheism do not mix. One cannot call themselves a scientist and an atheist in the same breath because by doing so they reject the very nature of science, which at it's core has been, is and always be the exploration and study of possibilities.
Religion is good for seperating you from your money, taking away your rational thinking, allowing someone to control you, causing you to basis towards any who do not follow your religion, making you something that you are not.
commander42
Level 5
Mar 15, 2018
1
Fuck yes all that is slightly difficult is to actually know what it would be like with no believers like how would we tell the time or would we keep the time system because its easier. animals do it all the time.
LeighShelton
Level 8
Mar 15, 2018
0
it's just difficult to answer because I personally think a lot of wars aren't actually directly about religion but its used to justify taking power and killing each other. I think a lot of Americans are just as religious over there right to bear arms too. it is a lovely thought that we would be in a much happier environment without guns and honestly, as very intelligent creatures we should be. if you look at the life of wild chimps that are very similar to us, they are very aggressive to other chimps not from there group, murdering them on site and they are not religious. most wars if not all could be talked out over a table and eventually are in the long run anyway meaning that humans as a species are quite happy to die for territory or because they like fighting.
Perhaps that idea comes from observing oppressive Communist governments that ban religion, so they think it must be bad to have no beliefs.
birdingnut
Level 8
Mar 15, 2018
1
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