RE: Keep or Remove Religion Poll
December 6, 2023 at 11:24 am
(This post was last modified: December 6, 2023 at 11:25 am by FrustratedFool.)
Yes, all spiritual belief systems would be included in the wand wave.
But note: I didn't say that religion was equally bad to smallpox, let alone say that smallpox=religion (which is absurd).
However, I would be prepared to argue that religion is in the same ballpark of harm as smallpox. You may disagree, but note then that's not a fallacy just a disagreement. No laws of logic have been broken (though I realise you're using fallacy in the expanded informal rhetorical sense - but even then, it's a misattribution).
If you want to discuss whether religion is as harmful as a terrible disease then we can. But it's not necessary for my argument. Let's say, instead, that religion is as bad as the common cold. It would still be worth eradicating, yes?
You agree that a world without religion would be preferable. And you say you wouldn't want to tell people what they should believe. But that's not part of the hypothetical. The wand wave doesn't require anyone telling anyone anything - it simply ensures by magic that everyone ceases to believe. So I really can't see how your scruple about telling people what to believe has any relevance to the thought experiment here.
The idea that religion is 'ok' because it gives believers a sense of belonging (although it comes with jihad, witch burnings, sexism, slavery, homophobia, crusades, creationism, inquisitions, and the rest of the horrors of religion) is odd to me, because so does Nazism yet I hope you would not hesitate to wave the wand to have Nazis stop holding to that ideology (yes, I'm implicitly comparing Nazism to religion, this is not a fallacy for multiple reasons). Besides, a sense of community and belonging can be had without religion, so here religion is providing nothing that couldn't be had without religion except harm (reminds me of Christopher Hitchens rhetorical challenge).
In short, I think religion is grossly harmful both to individuals and to civilisation and the mass of humanity would be better off without it. I guess you think otherwise. Fair enough.
But note: I didn't say that religion was equally bad to smallpox, let alone say that smallpox=religion (which is absurd).
However, I would be prepared to argue that religion is in the same ballpark of harm as smallpox. You may disagree, but note then that's not a fallacy just a disagreement. No laws of logic have been broken (though I realise you're using fallacy in the expanded informal rhetorical sense - but even then, it's a misattribution).
If you want to discuss whether religion is as harmful as a terrible disease then we can. But it's not necessary for my argument. Let's say, instead, that religion is as bad as the common cold. It would still be worth eradicating, yes?
You agree that a world without religion would be preferable. And you say you wouldn't want to tell people what they should believe. But that's not part of the hypothetical. The wand wave doesn't require anyone telling anyone anything - it simply ensures by magic that everyone ceases to believe. So I really can't see how your scruple about telling people what to believe has any relevance to the thought experiment here.
The idea that religion is 'ok' because it gives believers a sense of belonging (although it comes with jihad, witch burnings, sexism, slavery, homophobia, crusades, creationism, inquisitions, and the rest of the horrors of religion) is odd to me, because so does Nazism yet I hope you would not hesitate to wave the wand to have Nazis stop holding to that ideology (yes, I'm implicitly comparing Nazism to religion, this is not a fallacy for multiple reasons). Besides, a sense of community and belonging can be had without religion, so here religion is providing nothing that couldn't be had without religion except harm (reminds me of Christopher Hitchens rhetorical challenge).
In short, I think religion is grossly harmful both to individuals and to civilisation and the mass of humanity would be better off without it. I guess you think otherwise. Fair enough.
