How many of you would punish religious people for being religious?

[Belacqua]

It's important to teach children the things they need to know, but it is just as importent to teach them to question the things they are taught

Abaris is right, though, that education happens all the time, often in unintentional ways. Kids soak up a lot. 

If a kid asks you what kind of flower this is, you just say what it is. You don't say "It's a tulip but you should keep in mind that I may be wrong." You just say what you think is true.

They learn pretty quickly that people can be wrong. I knew a little girl who asked her mom "where did I come from?" and her mom said "from inside my tummy" and the little girl said, "Yeah, I don't think so." 

If people sincerely believe that their religion is true, then they just tell their kids what they think is true. If the kids later on hear good reasons to doubt, then they'll doubt.

[abaris]

If people sincerely believe that their religion is true, then they just tell their kids what they think is true. If the kids later on hear good reasons to doubt, then they'll doubt.

Exactly. I had the good fortune of being brought up by a family who's second name could have been tolerance. They were mildly religious, but it was a mixed family anyway. Secular jews and secular christians marrying each other. Both of my grandpas were jews. Both of my grandmas were christian. They talked to me about religion, but never forced it on me. If I didn't want to go to church, it was perfectly OK.

Also, mostly my dad, taught me from a young age, to question almost anything. He always used, him being half jewish in the Nazi sense, examples from his childhood and youth. Such as Hitler arriving in Vienna and him being excited over the nice motorcade. He always pointed out that one should never go by appearance and never ever judge people on the group they belong to, but only on their personal character.

I know, many children aren't that lucky and are taught the exact opposite.

[Mermaid]

What would make an atheist arrogant to you?

If he/she thought science was provably superior to religion, and if he/she thought he/she was smarter than religious people.

Hm. As a career scientist, I find that science explains a lot about the physical world, and religion is just not plausible at all to me. That makes me arrogant? Ok. 


Go ahead and punish me.

---

1) The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.

-Bertrand Russell

2) I find it interesting that a theist would ask this sort of question. It belies the religious mindset: Believe what I believe or suffer/be punished.

That's just not how it works.

[Ahriman]

Well I'm pretty wise, and I don't doubt myself at all, because......why would I?

[Angrboda]

Well I'm pretty wise, and I don't doubt myself at all, because......why would I?

Maybe because you have observed others who have unmerited confidence in themselves and would like to know that you're not like them?

[Ahriman]

Well I'm pretty wise, and I don't doubt myself at all, because......why would I?

Maybe because you have observed others who have unmerited confidence in themselves and would like to know that you're not like them?

Perhaps?

[polymath257]

People have a right to be stupid. Religion is just one type of stupidity.

The problems come in when they try to harm others because of their stupidity. That needs to be prevented.

---

Good that only took us 6 posts to get too

I have not denied that some acts done in the name of religion can be child abuse. Everybody knows that's true. 

Do you think that such abusive practices are essential, or representative, of religion? If parents raise a child in a religion without those practices, is it child abuse?

Is any child raised within a religion abused? If so, should the parents of that child be punished? 

If you point to the worst examples from a worldwide, wildly varied phenomenon, and declare that they are the very definition of that phenomenon, it may not be a balanced interpretation.

Some religions are more abusive than others.

Those that deny science tend to also be more authoritarian and to encourage abusive behaviors (like 'spare the rod, spoil the child'). They also tend to be more misogynistic. Those that spend a lot of time trying to ingrain a 'fear of hell' in even young children are emotionally abusive. If *anyone* did the same things for reasons *other* than religion, they would be considered to be abusive and worthy of investigation, at least.

So, which are 'essential' to the religion depends on the particular sect. For some, more extreme, sects, there are 'essential' aspects that are inherently abusive.

Most mainstream churches have mollified their beliefs to me more compatible with modern values and sensibilities, though. Most of them can avoid the abusive aspects of their religion.

[Jehanne]

Maybe because you have observed others who have unmerited confidence in themselves and would like to know that you're not like them?

Perhaps?

Perhaps not??

[Mermaid]

Well I'm pretty wise, and I don't doubt myself at all, because......why would I?

Well, there you have it.

[Secular Elf]

Would you punish/torment religious people, if you could? How far does your disdain for religion go?

I would punish people for treason when their religious views lead them to attempts at overthrowing democracies. Namely, Dominionists and almost everyone Republican, Trumpists, and White Nationalists. Those groups usually intersect and are almost always one and the same. The penalty I would demand is life imprisonment and/or death. You don't coddle or tolerate that kind of human evil.