RE: When is a Religious Belief Delusional?
September 4, 2018 at 11:41 am
(This post was last modified: September 4, 2018 at 12:28 pm by Neo-Scholastic.)
(September 4, 2018 at 10:36 am)Jörmungandr Wrote:(September 3, 2018 at 10:35 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: Any notion of fairness already presupposes some measure existential equality. You're arguing in circles.
No, it does not. The notion of fairness creates an imperative to treat identical members consistently. That's a question of identity, not of inherent value. Do we have reason to believe that all humans share the identity of human independent of ideas that we should? Yes, we do. So it's not circular.
It absolutely is circular because human beings are not naturally equal. There are all kinds of metrics by which people vary not the least of which are sex, intelligence, age, health, stature, and attractiveness. Any one or more of those natural inequalities could (and has been) used to deny the dignity due to every human being. And if you think that is obvious then you are at odds with the overwhelming judgment of cultures over history for thousands of years. I would suggest that the only reason it is 'obvious' is because Judeo-Christian values, developed over 2000 years, are so embedded in Western culture that even secular people in those societies take them for granted.
(September 4, 2018 at 11:05 am)Abaddon_ire Wrote:(September 3, 2018 at 10:35 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: Any notion of fairness already presupposes some measure existential equality. You're arguing in circles. Let's step further back. I believe there are moral facts. Are those delusions?
How do you determine what exactly these "moral facts" you claim exist really are?
That is irrelevant. The question is about delusions. Are you saying that anyone who believes something, like "humans are existentially equals" or "pederasty is evil",...that person is delusional? Suppose that person has no reason to support that belief. Does that, in-and-of-itself, make that person delusional.
Is the belief in categorical imperatives delusional?
Is it delusional to believe in mathematical objects?
I am highly skeptical that anyone on this thread can propose criteria that capture religious beliefs that don't also capture other beliefs widely held by intelligent people of sound mind.
(September 4, 2018 at 10:33 am)robvalue Wrote: You know what's strange? Everyone who believes in "moral facts" just happens to know what those facts are, or knows the correct way to find them, and they always line up with their own opinions.
That is a total straw man. You don't need to know what a thing is to know that a thing is. I believe moral facts exist even if it takes some reflection, digging, and discussion to parse out just what those might be.
Moreover, you sidestep the issue. The issue is when a belief is delusional. Knowing you, I believe you are personally motivated by animus towards religion and would be inclined to mock any religious belief as delusional. If you think that is unfair the onus is on you and your ilk is to demonstrate that religious beliefs are categorically delusions and to differentiate your criteria so as not to include include beliefs in moral facts or mathematical objects. Similarly, if you are going to broadly categorize people who believe in God as delusional then you have included people who clearly were not such as Plato, Wilberforce, Bonheoffer, and George Washington. One it's face, that position is even more ludicrous than believing in God.
So far you are failing desperately and flailing around and trotting out your typical hobby horses.
<insert profound quote here>