schu

Posted by Ockhamite on the Welcome Forum.

"How is it only a theist would think it reasonable to drag their muddled concept of a super-natural god into the world of science, logic and precise semantics and demand we disprove god's existence beyond a preponderance of scientific evidence. "

They are brainwashed into thinking it is reasonable! I've discussed the madness of religion on these boards and have had the hall monitors defend the madness. Even people who don't hold religious views demand respect for the madness.

Our social system is such in this country that we are supposed to have respect for the madness of religion while the preachers tell lies on the pulpit about what an atheist is.

Up until the last few years no one was allowed to talk about the abuse of children by Catholic priests in this country. This institutionalized conduct of abuse and coverup has gone on for fifty years or more but because the madness of religion demanded no one talk about it, the conduct continued. Time and again charismatic preachers commit atrocities and they are forgiven.

And why shouldn't they be forgiven? The do nothing worse than the god of their bible. The god of the OT kills children and has them killed. What can be more of an atrocity than that? What can be more evil than a god who kills children? What can be more mad than a person who pretends to love such a being?

happyboy

religion is the most destructive mental illness on the earth, and yet we tolerate it. religion causes people's minds to shut down and run on autopilot, and this is NOT a good thing. people have committed horrible atrocities in the name of various divinities, especially monotheistic divinities.

religion is a dangerous thing. and yet we tolerate it. :banghead:

happyboy, who anticipates another dark age before too much longer

Scottyman

I think that's a little alarmist. I understand your concern but look at this forum. Just a little over a hundred years ago you could have forcefully been converted to Christianity or banned from your community. We are lucky to live in a country where we can have these discussions. The real problem as I see it lies in countries where control is in the hands of the religious fanatics like Saudi Arabia and Iran but change is coming to these places as well. All over the world countries are making an effort to reign in hardcore religious fundamentalism to some extent. As I stated in a couple other posts, education is the key to wipe out this form of fanatacism. MIT has pledged to put all of their credited degree programs on the internet by I think 2004 stating that education is the key to the development of third world countries and the prevention of future conflict. Companies are donating older but usable computers and internet access to countries that want to educate their people. It's only a matter of time before more and more of the masses wake up the the fundamentalist deep sleep.

Ockhamite

Education and a world-view is key to combating a narrow fundamentalist mind-set. Yet in the US, the entire lower-level secular education system is in great jeopardy. Fundamentalists have managed to paint the debate about school vouchers as a quality-of-education consideration, when, in actuality it is only a way of securing funding for expanding the scope of religious indoctrination in early education. Diverting funds from secular schools will cripple and shrink any hope of preventing childhood mind-blitzing by the dominant religions.

Yes, we are fortunate to live in a place and a time when we can freely discuss these issues, yet, i don't doubt there are those who would pull the plug on the secular net if given the opportunity.

Gemma Therese

Happyboy, if you think religion is for the "weak", I suggest you check out St. Teresa of Avila.

Gemma Therese

Scottyman

We must always keep up our guard!

Amie

Happyboy do you think that *every* person who believes in God is mentally ill?

religion *can be* a dangerous thing depending on how it is manifested within particular individuals...

don't hold your breath...

fando

There is a pragmatic reason for this: It's easier to coexist with and convince people when you show them respect. While it's also possible to force change through revolution, you need to have revolutionaries first--they don't grow on trees.

schu

Xians claim to love the person, but hate the sin. Can't we do as the xians claim to do? Respect the person, but not the madness? I'm not talking here about killing people over their beliefs, I'm talking about not ignoring their madness. As with a child, if everyone condones their bad conduct it will continue, the only hope of changing it is by confronting it. We have the "leader of the free world" making the claim the JC is his favorite philosopher. What philosophy? "Believe in me or you are going to hell? This bad conduct has to be confronted or how can we expect to change it?



"Happyboy, if you think religion is for the "weak", I suggest you check out St. Teresa of Avila." Gemma Therese


Happyboy said nothing about religion being "weak". You are bringing up a strawman argument and then asking him to read about a brain dead xian to prove to him that xians are not weak minded. I hate to tell you this GT, but Jessie Ventura was right!

Puck

I tend to agree with you somewhat. But as free people, we must be allowed to live our lives in such a way as to make life worthwhile to us. So, say that I was having a hard time coping with things in my life, and I examined a spiritual solution. Wouldn't I have the right to turn my back on the harsh realities and turn to something that gave me solice and comfort? That somehow made it all worthwhile to me. That made me happy and able to function? I should be outlawed? Put into an institution? To psycologically have that removed?

Yes, it would be wonderful if people didn't want or need religion. We'd remove so much of what causes strife among us humans. One of the biggest excuses for mass murder would be gone. I know alot of people who wouldn't have had their lives ruined because of false guilt and shame.

However, religion in one form or another has been around as long as we know about ourselves. It seems to be human nature to tend to believe in god stuff. The only way it will ever go away is when we evolve out of it, and we ain't there yet. And we won't be for a long time to come.

Meantime, we must work to keep religion from getting out of hand. From letting people with bad intentions use it to manipulate the masses. Religion has evolved to be the perfect tool for those who would rule the world. It's up to us and religious people to keep the dangerous part of religion at bay.