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March 23, 2019 at 1:26 pm (This post was last modified: March 23, 2019 at 1:32 pm by Brian37.)
(March 22, 2019 at 3:22 pm)tackattack Wrote:
(March 22, 2019 at 11:24 am)Brian37 Wrote:
"It is not the label that holds the power"
I AGREE, stop right there.
If we both agree on that, then the only logical conclusion to be made is that the belief is a mere belief, not a requirement.
If one can be good and do good being a Muslim, or not being a Muslim, and one can do good being a Christian, or not being a Christian, and one can be good being a Jew or not being a Jew, and one can be good being a Buddhist or not being a Buddhist, and one can be good being a Hindu, and not being a Hindu, and one can be good being an atheist, and not being an atheist, that says to me our behaviors are in our genes, not in the labels we assign ourselves,
"Power" so what? Again, the ancient Egyptians truly believed in their gods as much as any current believer does today. But that "power" isn't a real power, it is a false perception that can have the real effect of social grouping.
If religion and god belief were a requirement for all life to evolve, one would expect to see other life create religions and gods too. If any one religion or god claim were true, one could expect also, to be able to universally demonstrate it as true beyond personal bias,
The only reason religions exist and god claims exist, is because they are nothing more than our species comic book projection of our own qualities in comic book form. They are nothing more than superstitious politics as a false justification to create excuses to have power over resources,
OK I'm content that we found the first part of common ground. If you don't want to discuss the beliefs formed from labels, and their affect to the good of a society, then that's fine. We can also agree, I believe, that me labeling myself as Christian, has no "God give" or otherworldly power to magically make me good. Since you called an all stop, we can rest it there. Happy Friday!
There is nothing to discuss once you agree we are the same species. The rest is our personal bias.
I'd hope you agree we are the same species. And if you do agree we are, then the more rational conclusion is that humans make up religions as an excuse to ignore that we all want the same things. The only difference between a follower of any religion, and an atheist, is that the atheist does not assign our behaviors to old mythology, super cognitions or superstition. But, like the religious, most humans, including most atheists, love their families, love their friends and co workers, and seek like minded others.