Lazy Atheism?

[Angrboda]

Kind of sad that people think they have to take up christianity to embrace charity. Charity for charities sake is enough, at least for me.

Sounds like the deed is charity and christianity is merely lip service/label. I see little point

In the world as it currently exists, a lot of people motivate and structure their charity through religion. 

We could obviously imagine a world in which things work differently, but that would be counterfactual speculation. Maybe there could be other ways to do it, in scenarios that we would like better.

The point I was making is that people who work this way often don't need anything that you or I would consider proof.

People implicitly believe that what they hold to be true is reasonable. It's a part of human nature. So it's more that they aren't self-conscious about it.

It's also worth noting that people don't doubt their own beliefs, they doubt the beliefs of people who are different. Christians don't doubt their beliefs, but they doubt the beliefs of atheists. Atheists don't doubt their beliefs, but they doubt the beliefs of theists. And one group of Christians will fight another group of Christians.

We are an outward-facing species.

[The Grand Nudger]

It's unclear how a discussion of japans nominal christian population has anything to say about actual christians, in japan or anywhere else, or anyones criticism of actual christianity, in japan or anywhere else.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

It's unclear how a discussion of japans nominal christian population has anything to say about actual christians, in japan or anywhere else, or anyones criticism of actual christianity, in japan or anywhere else.

There are almost exactly as many Christians in Japan as there are in New Zealand. This means nothing.

Boru

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Kind of sad that people think they have to take up christianity to embrace charity. Charity for charities sake is enough, at least for me.

Sounds like the deed is charity and christianity is merely lip service/label. I see little point

In the world as it currently exists, a lot of people motivate and structure their charity through religion. 

We could obviously imagine a world in which things work differently, but that would be counterfactual speculation. Maybe there could be other ways to do it, in scenarios that we would like better.

The point I was making is that people who work this way often don't need anything that you or I would consider proof.

That seems pretty stupid. Maybe it’s just me, but I try to base my beliefs and actions on proof or - at the very least - compelling evidence.

While not disparaging the charitable work that religions do, it’s pretty clear that they do it out of a self-centered motivation. They feed the hungry not because the hungry ARE hungry, but because they hope Jesus will smile at them.

Boru

[Foxaèr]

Some adults replace parental and societal approval with an imaginary religious one.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Some adults replace parental and societal approval with an imaginary religious one.

Agreed, although the term ‘adults’ is a bit of a stretch.

Boru

[brewer]

In the world as it currently exists, a lot of people motivate and structure their charity through religion. 

We could obviously imagine a world in which things work differently, but that would be counterfactual speculation. Maybe there could be other ways to do it, in scenarios that we would like better.

The point I was making is that people who work this way often don't need anything that you or I would consider proof.

That seems pretty stupid. Maybe it’s just me, but I try to base my beliefs and actions on proof or - at the very least - compelling evidence.

While not disparaging the charitable work that religions do, it’s pretty clear that they do it out of a self-centered motivation. They feed the hungry not because the hungry ARE hungry, but because they hope Jesus will smile at them.

Boru

The best charity is done anomalously with no strings attached. When it's known to come from religion strings are automatically added, mostly a feeling of shame and the recipients feel they owe something in return.

[Belacqua]

In the world as it currently exists, a lot of people motivate and structure their charity through religion. 

We could obviously imagine a world in which things work differently, but that would be counterfactual speculation. Maybe there could be other ways to do it, in scenarios that we would like better.

The point I was making is that people who work this way often don't need anything that you or I would consider proof.

The big question is why tie it to religion? Is it golden ticket? Is it esteem within the community? Can they not find self worth/fulfillment without religion?

These are questions for historians, anthropologists, sociologists. Why did society evolve this way and not another? It's a set of complicated questions.

We could speculate about an alternative universe in which there was no religion. Would there be more or less peace-love-and-understanding?

My completely unprovable instinct is that the amount of joy and suffering in a zero-religion world would be the same as the amount in a world with lots of religion. Religions often function as structures which people use to bring about the things they want to do anyway. Unfortunately to demonstrate the truth of this, we'd need a control group, and no such society has ever existed.

[Fake Messiah]

In the world as it currently exists, a lot of people motivate and structure their charity through religion. 

Yeah, lots of people donate to megachurches but it is questionable if that is really charity since they are donating to millionaires who spend most of it on themselves.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

In the world as it currently exists, a lot of people motivate and structure their charity through religion. 

Yeah, lots of people donate to megachurches but it is questionable if that is really charity since they are donating to millionaires who spend most of it on themselves.

I'm sure most people who donate know the money's going to the preacher, but on the off chance that this will get them into heaven they'll still do it. It's the nadir end of charity.