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RE: Famed biologist says religion ‘is dragging us down’ and must be eliminated
January 29, 2015 at 8:48 am
Quote:“So I would say that for the sake of human progress, the best thing we could possibly do would be to diminish, to the point of eliminating, religious faiths. But certainly not eliminating the natural yearnings of our species or the asking of these great questions.”
Nobody seems to think this trough. Does he really think, the result would be peace, love and happiness? The result would be the rise of other religious cults or secular ideologies.
Many of us may be content of being an island, finding their own way in life. But that's not how humanity works. There's that need to band together and to feel in some way exclusive. Abolishing religion would achieve virtually nothing unless you find a way to change human nature in the process.
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RE: Famed biologist says religion ‘is dragging us down’ and must be eliminated
January 29, 2015 at 8:48 am
Just need to get people to use their noggin more.
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RE: Famed biologist says religion ‘is dragging us down’ and must be eliminated
January 29, 2015 at 10:14 am
There are lots of things for people to band together on that can actually be proven in reality. Religion isn't one of them.
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RE: Famed biologist says religion ‘is dragging us down’ and must be eliminated
January 29, 2015 at 10:26 am
(January 29, 2015 at 10:14 am)Chad32 Wrote: There are lots of things for people to band together on that can actually be proven in reality. Religion isn't one of them.
Really? Every ideology attracts people because of the group experience. And because of the feeling of exclusiveness. Both are provided by organised religion and all the different isms.
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RE: Famed biologist says religion ‘is dragging us down’ and must be eliminated
January 29, 2015 at 10:46 am
But's gods have not been proven real. That's what I meant by my statement. Bond over sports. Bond over food. Bond over art. Bond over things that are real.
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RE: Famed biologist says religion ‘is dragging us down’ and must be eliminated
January 29, 2015 at 10:58 am
(January 29, 2015 at 10:46 am)Chad32 Wrote: But's gods have not been proven real. That's what I meant by my statement. Bond over sports. Bond over food. Bond over art. Bond over things that are real.
Even proving it to a theist that god isn't real its a bitch having to deal with someone who is programmed with stupidity (i.e. blind faith) he even said it takes faith to be a atheist and it doesn't.
Atheism is a non-prophet organization join today.
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RE: Famed biologist says religion ‘is dragging us down’ and must be eliminated
January 29, 2015 at 11:27 am
(January 29, 2015 at 10:14 am)Chad32 Wrote: There are lots of things for people to band together on that can actually be proven in reality. Religion isn't one of them.
A lot of people like dedicating themselves to a political ideology, yet not one is proven to be true - Depending on the circumstances, some ideologies worked and didn't work depending on many factors and different people have different conceptions of how Man should live politically. There is not one right political ideology. Yet people choose one; it gives them a sense a belonging and something to fight for.
--> Of course it's a little different since ideologies have an idea to be achieved that can be measured and it's not impossible to exist; but the point is that people like being part of groups that give them a sense of belonging.
I don't buy into the idea that we must erase religion at all costs, there would be benefits, but it's naive to think that all of the world's problems can be solved by eliminating religion - Even those problems caused by religion are ingrained in other social institutions and therefore erasing religion wouldn't automatically fix them.
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you
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RE: Famed biologist says religion ‘is dragging us down’ and must be eliminated
January 29, 2015 at 11:29 am
(This post was last modified: January 29, 2015 at 11:30 am by robvalue.)
I know one thing for sure. If everyone's memory was reset and all mention of Christianity and the bible were completely purged, that would be the end of it. They wouldn't even realise it had gone, and it certainly wouldn't come back. Propped up by the myth about the truth of a myth.
Something just as stupid would probably come along, but it wouldn't be xianity.
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RE: Famed biologist says religion ‘is dragging us down’ and must be eliminated
January 29, 2015 at 12:28 pm
(This post was last modified: January 29, 2015 at 12:31 pm by abaris.)
(January 29, 2015 at 10:46 am)Chad32 Wrote: But's gods have not been proven real. That's what I meant by my statement. Bond over sports. Bond over food. Bond over art. Bond over things that are real.
But that's not the reality, is it? I can talk about peaceful bonding till my jaw falls off, it doesn't make it any more real than it is today. Reality is, that the majority will bond over some flag or over some leader promising them the world. They've done it before and they will do it again at some corner of the world. Religion offers the same promises and it doesn't matter if they're not fulfilled, since the ones aligning behind it, don't expect it to be fulfilled within their lifetimes.
That abolish religion talk is nothing more than ivory tower mirror jerking, since pseudo religious ideologies would take it's place.
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RE: Famed biologist says religion ‘is dragging us down’ and must be eliminated
January 29, 2015 at 12:44 pm
(January 29, 2015 at 12:28 pm)abaris Wrote: That abolish religion talk is nothing more than ivory tower mirror jerking, since pseudo religious ideologies would take it's place.
I certainly agree. Humans look for reasons to create in- and out-groups, and beliefs are one of the major areas selected for differentiation. Look at the violent struggle between capitalism and communism, or the ethnic strife that has seen millions killed in Rwanda, the Balkans, and other places.
As a species, we're pretty good at finding reasons to hate one another, not so good at seeing the reasons why we shouldn't.
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