(February 23, 2014 at 9:00 am)Marsellus Wallace Wrote:(February 23, 2014 at 7:54 am)Crossless1 Wrote: 1. Possibly, though there is no necessary connection between atheism and enthusiasm for science. I suppose some atheists are relatively indifferent to science and spend little time investigating it, and it doesn't follow that there would be a corresponding increase in research spending (especially in resource-poor nations) just because people gave up belief in the supernatural. In an entirely secular world there would still be plenty of room to quarrel over how taxes are allocated.
2. I fail to see the connection. Space travel for even a few is a damned expensive proposition. Space travel for anyone is a technological and money issue, not a god issue.
3. I seriously doubt this. People being what they are, they will likely always find things to fight over -- especially in a world of ever-increasing pressure on vital resources. If people start slaughtering each other over access to fresh water, will you attribute that to a resurgence in religious belief?
1. Remember those days when someone firmly believes in god so he doesn't want to go to the doctor ? cuz he thinks that god will cure him , what if that guy was a politician also, do you think he will try to help science improve one day ?
maybe if he was an atheist , he would have tried to fund the same medical researches that is trying to find the cure for his illness .
There is a connection.
2. when science improve , the methods for space travel will be easier, more available and cheaper .
3. as I said before , soldiers are the main reason for war , take their beliefs in god out and most of them won't go .
I see nothing in your response that invalidates my points.
With regard to #1, I didn't say there was no connection (and allowed for the possibility that research funding could increase); I merely said there was no necessary connection. There is just so much pie to divide, and the money could be legitimately spent on programs that don't advance science (though I would hope a significant amount would be so spent).
#2 is likely true, provided the advances are related to the technologies needed for space travel. I still don't see what that has to do with theism/atheism. The U.S. made great strides in space exploration, in spite of its high rate of religiosity.
Your retort in #3 is, frankly, bullshit. Soldiers take oaths and follow orders. Their religious convictions are not the only -- or even necessarily most important -- factor in whether they fight. To say that soldiers are the reason for war is nonsense. The orders come from above, in most nations from civilian authorities. And as regards their not fighting just because they shed religious belief, haven't you heard of the Red Army? Stalingrad? Please. . .
