(September 10, 2011 at 7:51 am)StatCrux Wrote:(September 10, 2011 at 7:35 am)little_monkey Wrote:Quote: Whatever else may be wrong with our world, it remains a fact that some of the most terrifying instances of human conflict and stupidity would be unthinkable without religion. And the other ideologies that inspire people to behave like monsters—Stalinism, fascism, etc.—are dangerous precisely because they so resemble religions. Sacrifice for the Dear Leader, however secular, is an act of cultic conformity and worship. Whenever human obsession is channeled in these ways, we can see the ancient framework upon which every religion was built. In our ignorance, fear, and craving for order, we created the gods. And ignorance, fear, and craving keep them with us.
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Its interesting to observe that all ideologies that consider themselves to be correct can justify their behavior. Sam Harris doesn't mention the rampant materialism seeking to impose its world view on other cultures as in any way responsible for the troubles and conflict we see today. Materialsim is not a neutral viewpoint, just as any other philosophical worldview is not neutral. We may disagree with other peoples views it does not give us the right to impose our views on other cultures.
Harris is adressing the point that blind devotion to any god, religious or secular (read: the State) is dangerous. I failed to see how materialism fits in there, it's a point of view but hardly a counterpoint to Harris' point.
Secondly, the word "materialism" needs a qualifier. Do you mean metaphysical materialism or epistemological materialism? This would require another thread to explore that.
