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Why is religion bad?
August 17, 2014 at 11:03 am
I think there are so many threads stating how religion is bad and the evidence on that is so compelling that even many of the religious have to admit to it although often with the caveat that it's 'organized' religion that is bad, or man's twisting of the religion that causes it to be bad or some such. What's seems to be lacking in the discussion often is why religion is bad. What is it specifically about large groups believing something that isn't true that makes it harmful? I have my own theories on the subject, but I am curious to hear what others have to say before I share my own opinions.
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RE: Why is religion bad?
August 17, 2014 at 11:28 am
It's the us vs others mentality that is the bad. It creates unnecessary division.
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RE: Why is religion bad?
August 17, 2014 at 11:34 am
Exactly. In order to draw the group together it creates enemies, whether other religions or sects, or small groups like the gays, which can easily be targeted. It's a power structure, undemocratic and unaccountable, intent only on promoting itself. They leaders elect each other, and support each other.
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RE: Why is religion bad?
August 17, 2014 at 11:47 am
It's a set of mind that discourages critical thinking. No questioning allowed. No evidence needed to prove claims.
"Every luxury has a deep price. Every indulgence, a cosmic cost. Each fiber of pleasure you experience causes equivalent pain somewhere else. This is the first law of emodynamics [sic]. Joy can be neither created nor destroyed. The balance of happiness is constant.
Fact: Every time you eat a bite of cake, someone gets horsewhipped.
Facter: Every time two people kiss, an orphanage collapses.
Factest: Every time a baby is born, an innocent animal is severely mocked for its physical appearance. Don't be a pleasure hog. Your every smile is a dagger. Happiness is murder.
Vote "yes" on Proposition 1321. Think of some kids. Some kids."
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RE: Why is religion bad?
August 17, 2014 at 11:49 am
It's bad because people don't like what they cannot explain or understand....it's human nature.
But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.
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RE: Why is religion bad?
August 17, 2014 at 11:56 am
(August 17, 2014 at 11:03 am)CapnAwesome Wrote: I think there are so many threads stating how religion is bad and the evidence on that is so compelling that even many of the religious have to admit to it although often with the caveat that it's 'organized' religion that is bad, or man's twisting of the religion that causes it to be bad or some such. What's seems to be lacking in the discussion often is why religion is bad. What is it specifically about large groups believing something that isn't true that makes it harmful? I have my own theories on the subject, but I am curious to hear what others have to say before I share my own opinions.
Religions isn't necessarily bad but they have a history of causing diversion among people.
Exploiting money from people.
Wasting productive time, with prayers for example.
Offering false hope.
But on the other side of the coin religions have a history of doing charity work, giving people in bad situations hope and so on.
Are you ready for the fire? We are firemen. WE ARE FIREMEN! The heat doesn’t bother us. We live in the heat. We train in the heat. It tells us that we’re ready, we’re at home, we’re where we’re supposed to be. Flames don’t intimidate us. What do we do? We control the flame. We control them. We move the flames where we want to. And then we extinguish them.
Impersonation is treason.
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RE: Why is religion bad?
August 17, 2014 at 12:01 pm
'Child of christian scientist dies after parents refuse to take their child to a hospital' add another thousand variations of this headline, and that is why religion is bad.
'The more I learn about people the more I like my dog'- Mark Twain
'You can have all the faith you want in spirits, and the afterlife, and heaven and hell, but when it comes to this world, don't be an idiot. Cause you can tell me you put your faith in God to put you through the day, but when it comes time to cross the road, I know you look both ways.' - Dr House
“Young earth creationism is essentially the position that all of modern science, 90% of living scientists and 98% of living biologists, all major university biology departments, every major science journal, the American Academy of Sciences, and every major science organization in the world, are all wrong regarding the origins and development of life….but one particular tribe of uneducated, bronze aged, goat herders got it exactly right.” - Chuck Easttom
"If my good friend Doctor Gasparri speaks badly of my mother, he can expect to get punched.....You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others. There is a limit." - Pope Francis on freedom of speech
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RE: Why is religion bad?
August 17, 2014 at 12:17 pm
(This post was last modified: August 17, 2014 at 12:21 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
Regardless of whether or not some authoritarian god exists in the sky, the acquiescence to such an authority -even in principle- breeds earthly misery. Thus we have "the divine right of kings"- just as one example. The various doucheries perpetrated by authoritatrian states and leaders who claim their legitimacy by the legitimacy of the principle (and then accepted- even participated in- by the very people whom they oppressed), being another.
I have the power, I make the rules. If people believe this about their god, why wouldn't it hold for their potentate?
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Why is religion bad?
August 17, 2014 at 12:30 pm
Anytime people, especially a large group of people, believe that they know the absolute truth, they are dangerous. Add to that, they believe the truth comes from an absolute authority, the situation gets even more dangerous.
People can be made to do almost anything in the name of their absolute truth.
You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
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RE: Why is religion bad?
August 17, 2014 at 12:35 pm
(This post was last modified: August 17, 2014 at 12:36 pm by Baqal.)
(August 17, 2014 at 12:30 pm)Simon Moon Wrote: People can be made to do almost anything in the name of their absolute truth. It scares me, really. Some Christians I talked to have actually said that they would kill humans if God told them to.
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