Does this make me as bad as the Christians who can't imagine the idea of life without their god? I grew up in a relaxed catholic family and through middle school and high school the whole idea of god just seemed to get more and more ridiculous to me. Now I think religion is bad and hinders free thinking.. Just curious what other people think.
Posted Feb 27, 2011, 9:01 PM UTC
In this day and age people still believe a myriad stupid things.
There's an entry for karma...reddit begs to differ
Everyone look at this!
That's awesome! It's like a periodic table of bullshit.
The Christianity one hits the nail right on the head - fantastic. Laughed for minutes straight
This list is flawed because it does not mention feminism.
YES! I don't understand it either... seemingly intelligent people I know who seem bright and clever too... I don't understand it either.
I thought it was a Santa Claus type story when I was about 10. I was stunned when I found that when I went to college some of my peers hadn't figured that out.
So, yep, it makes no sense to me.
I'm often told that I'm an elitist for practicing critical thinking. A great number of people don't recognize the difference between opinion and fact. They think facts are subjective.
Gods are pretty ridiculous, but I can see why they're so difficult to get rid of; one can always add bullshit to one's metaphysics with little to no expected consequence in the real world. What I find hard to even fathom is that people believe in astrology, young earth creationism, homeopathy, etc... That stuff is just patently absurd and irreconcilably discordant with observable evidence.
I can understand people believing in homeopathy if they don't actually know anything about it. Some alternative and herbal medicines do work and it's not necessarily easy to tell the good ones from the bollocks ones.
Of course, you're foolish if you don't question these things, but that is how society raises us with regards to drugs.
Point taken. I'd have to draw a distinction between people believing in homeopathy and people buying homeopathic products. The buying of them makes sense if they're there on the shelves next to other things and people assume similar effectiveness from their equal treatment on display. I would limit my incredulity to those people who believe in homeopathy, i.e., those people who understand that there is no active ingredient and that the effectiveness of the treatment relies on the ability of water to "remember" what was once in solution. It's just hard for me to fathom that someone could hear this and not immediately respond "wait, what?"
Yeah, the mind boggles. However, New Age spiritual stuff manages to tick me off more though.
so true. Religion is like the ominous background music of society that u suddenly become aware of. Then you suddenly realize how unfathomably large the amount of stupid people populating our planet are.
I agree with you, but I also have tolerance of it. I have an aunt that's 67 years old. She's religious to the extreme (Southern Baptist) and we've agreed that no discussion of beliefs occurs when we're around one another. She uses it as a crutch. She's, admittedly, had a rather unfortunate life with several severe tragedies having occurred to her and her immediate family. I honestly think that she's of the opinion that if she can get through this life, she'll be rewarded in heaven. I'm not saying that I agree with her reasoning at all, nor do I give any credence to her religious beliefs, but I'm not going to even think about trying to take away that crutch. If she needs her "God" to keep her from jumping off a cliff, then I'm going to bite my tongue and say nothing. I may not believe as she does, but I still respect my elders, and I'm not going to do something I know will cause her pain.
Just my two cents (that can't buy you anything these days anyway).
You are a good person.
My stepmother has stage 4 cancer, it is going to destroy my dad when she passes. I'll leave them their fairy tales.
Those who go to church say the same thing about atheists
Well, I don't really wonder about why people still believe in the supernatural. I mean, there are so many things that are unexplained in the universe still like how the tides work and why we have a moon and Mars doesn't. I don't hold it against people who want to fill in the unknown.
I have no problem understanding why people in this day and age believe in gods, and I even think I understand why people who were somehow shielded from all religious influence might seek to believe in a god or gods.
It's a seductive idea, really. You have a big friend in the sky who always, always loves you - even when you screw up. Oh, and he's all powerful, and all-knowing, and the embodiment of good, and will never betray you. Oh, and everything that happens is part of his plan, and anything bad that happens is because he is trying to teach you something you need to learn. AND AND AND, he, like, lets you live forever with him in a wonderful place when you die, so you don't have to worry about death so much. Childish fantasies about virgin babies, parting seas, special stars, you name it.
The universe is a cold, dark place, and I'm not surprised that people invent such powerful imaginary friends to help them cope with the perfectly natural fear of the dark - which in essence is a fear of the unknown.
If the idea of a god or gods allows you to approach the unknown with less fear, in order to make the unknown known, then it or they are a coping tool that might just work for you. But in the end, they are merely that - a crutch to support you against your fear.
If you attribute to the actions of a god EVERYTHING that is unknown, in order that you do not have to even look at the unknown any longer, then you have allowed your crutch to take root and become a cage.
So, what it takes to be an atheist is the courage to ask the questions that turn the unknown into the known.
I just can't believe that the vast majority of people believe it.
Worse, you can't feasibly get elected into office in America unless you publicly profess a belief in one.
If you look at the condition of most of the world, then it is easily fathomable. The average human has no real understanding of any of the universe's governing principles. Most people know absolutely nothing about science.
I am not religious, but I am not an atheist either. The word "science" is thrown around by the atheist community as if science disproves the existence of a higher power. It doesn't. Mankind's knowledge is in its infancy, seriously. We don't know how life began (anyone who says different is lying), we don't really about the origin of the universe ("big bang" right? that answers nothing). Hell, we don't even know what causes autism. We don't know what gravity is. This list is endless of stuff we don't know. Sure we are improving, but we are not intelligent yet. We are a bunch of morons. Don't be so sure that there is no higher power.
Even though science is still in it's infancy, as a coherent explanation of the universe it is far beyond that of established religions.
I find it astonishing that you can think being able to talk about events 14 billion or so years ago proves nothing. People are looking back at the first few milliseconds after universal expansion occurred, yet you say we have answered nothing?
The religious texts I have read are sometimes inaccurate about events a mere few hundred years before they were written, or are just plain fabrications. If we are a bunch of morons, then the gods are a bunch of imbeciles.
Forget about "established religions," are you open to the idea that a higher power or God might exist? If your answer is no, are you arguing from a scientific standpoint? What scientific experiments or studies are used to support your claim. I am not ready to ditch the possibility of something greater than ourselves. I know that mankind didn't design this universe, and I am not so convinced that it's all one huge accident either. But by all means if you have scientific proof I would like to hear it.
I am open to the idea that intelligences exist that I am not aware of. I don't think they must necessarily be 'higher,greater' intelligences, or have supernatural powers. They may be more stupid, or incapable of reasoning in a way we would understand at all. I think to claim that no other intelligent life apart from humans is impossible is silly, as there could be all kinds of other beings in the universe.
My big problem with the idea of a higher power is that once people start to describe it, it always seems to be composed of bits of religions, films and books they have read. There is the assumption of intelligence, the assumption that it is even aware that life exists in the universe, the assumption that there is one rather than billions of them.
We don't really have any reason to think any of these things are true, and yet people assign these properties to whatever they think created the universe.
So, if I think scientifically, I don't even have a premise to argue about. There is zero evidence on both sides. The only thing we have is the idea that the universe was created, rather than an accident. Everything added to that idea has so far been pure speculation.
I do find the theory of universal expansion makes sense, as there is just too much observational data that doesn't seem to work any other way. So at least I am confident up to a few seconds after the big bang. What started the process however is still anyone's guess.
Religion should be treated the same way as alcohol, other drugs, porn and voting: Not before you're 18!
problem for the RELIGIOUS is they dont want to accept that when you die.. thats it... because then there are so many more feelings of being alone since parents died and relatives died and friends died... so the old generations hang on to their loved ones and memories through religion.. its a drug that doesnt let you see the truth. But what right does one human have to tell another that they cannot live their life the way they want? that is the big issue... but both sides are happy with pushing the other.. and capitalism is founded on profit.. and to profit you need buyers.. and a smart buyer doesnt buy the things that are the cheapest because a smart buyer knows what their buying.. so for america smart buyers are the enemy of economic growth.. and that is why we now have wars and the such... americans arent smart enough to understand their taken for a ride.. even if the ride is to an amusement park or the ice cream shop... they are lied to because in the end the majority of americans (poor/middle class) are convinced to a certain point what will happen.. and they bite on it... there are no laws about Promises... its all in the law books... the CIA runs its business by the laws of the US government.. which are written by the politicians.. not just the president.. but americans dont care about the whole process.. only to villify and move on to the next conquest. When you have might.. you feel you have the right.. and you go with it.
Look how american presidents and spokespeople talk about uprisings and problems in the world... "our job is to keep americans safe" thats it... fuck the rest of the human race.. their just here to satisfy what we need them for. Just like slavery was fine up till late 1900's, the majority of americans were on board for torture of non-american citizens because they were "slaves" and people think people change? they cant when their foundation is already in havoc... but they dont see it that way.. they see a past that is dirty but still to be proud of... but the whole truth is not even what conspiracy theories suggest... its pure manipulation of the human race, for the betterment of americans. But thats how the world has always been run.... though with todays technology the evolution of the world is seeing uprisings .. its corruption.. not dictatorship that is the problem.. but USA pushes that its spreading democracy. So what did it spread before with libya? Capitalism? With the Nuclear bomb shelters built and upkept by US contractors. Its like panama all over the world.. and americans dont care because were on the our side each time and only know what we want to.
Sounds alot like why the religious believe in religion when science and fact shows the bible is as outdated as the earth was considered FLAT...
but that is where muslims have an advantage... their religion has more obedience.. and its part of the control over people... if there was no struggle between quran beaters and bible beaters then how do you impose Clerics and Ministers to have control over the people of the area? There is no law there .. there is just religious law... and in america it is religion that keeps people from caring what happens while they think they stand for the constitution of the united states each waking breath they take.
All men are created equal.. that goes for the ones our laws dont protect outside our borders.. but that is an oxymoron. Callateral Damage in panama would not have been stood for in the usa to get drug dealers or whatever problem fixed.. but outside americas borders it is ok because human life is not that of an american. That is what needs to change more than anything else... to stop the bloodshed around the world; all sides profit through war. That needs to stop.
Rage. It's stupid.
Completely agree!
Given how gullible and trusting children are, and given that parents will abuse this condition to indoctrinate them in their faith, and given that, after some years of participating in it, people will build up a wall of disbelief against any opposing information (cognitive dissonance)... I can easily see how it happens.
And if those kids have children before they lose their faith, the vicious cycle continues. We've got to break it!!
There should be an age of religious consent. Say, 18. No religion before the age of 18.
Does it never occur to them that they just happen to devoutly believe in the exact same god that their parents do? After examining the hundreds of gods known to man you chose the same one your parents did? Amazing coincidence.
I never much liked the Christian god. Sits around for a while. Gets bored. Creates the earth. Creates all life. Then, because he's a raging narcissist, he creates humanity in his own image. He plonks them down in a garden (with vegetarian lions because it's hilarious to watch a lion eat broccoli) in a freaking desert (why not New Zealand? Wasn't it nice enough there?) riiiiight next to the sneaky bugger he knows can't be trusted. Oh, btw, don't eat that fruit. It's teh bad. But yeah. Whatever. They had no idea what "bad" meant so he may as well have said "purple monkey dishwasher" before he pissed off. And there the sneaky bugger was, being sneaky.
And what's so bad about what the snake does? "Hey, snack on that. It's full of tasty knowledge. Mmm. Knowledge. Free thinking. You don't want to be a pet your whole life, do you? You think he's a dick to you? Whoo boy. Lemme tell you stories."
So basically the Christian god kicks humanity out of paradise after throwing a huge hissy fit because humanity decided it wanted some tasty knowledge; it's kind of annoying when your pets start thinking for themselves.
But was he done? Noooope. Micromanagement time. Humanity thought they were done with god when they skipped free but nope. Like a damned helicopter parent god hovered around telling them and their descendants what to do. Don't eat that. Don't grow that. Don't wear wear that. Hey, rape is a great way to get that hottie to marry you, just make sure you don't do it in a city and someone didn't already slap dibs on her. Oh hey I want you to kill your son like a sacrificial offering. HAH! Kidding! You thought I was for real huh? Heh.
Then he knocks up a virgin because he just can't stop fucking with humanity, then sacrifices himself to himself, and then uses it as an excuse to get humanity to feel really guilty. (And you thought Jewish mothers were bad.)
And still god isn't finished fucking with people. Now you've not only got to be grateful to it for letting you exist, you've got to be really really lucky. You only get to go to heaven if you picked the right way to worship god properly. Live your life in prayer and sacrifice but whoooops, forgot to buy the whole Jesus thing? Sorry.
And your reward? Your great and eternal reward? Yep. You get to sit around telling god how awesome it is. For all eternity. Oh, and god sits on a throne of gold or somesuch precious crap with angels all around it going "You are the champion my loooord," and whatnot. Because, you know, it's not like god has an inferiority complex or anything.
I bet the Christian god got bullied a lot when he was younger by all the cooler, more butch, gods. I bet Zeus gave him wedgies.
As far as they're concerned, the amazing coincidence is that he's the RIGHT god...
"Occur", that's the key word. If you're brought up in an environment that doesn't question such things, then you won't reach the conclusion you talked about, it's just a perpetual cycle that feeds itself.
I wouldn't assume most religious people have seriously thought about other religions. Part of most religious ideology seems to be about indoctrinating people to reject other religions without question or thought.
I'd love that!!
Yeah. That's exactly the problem.
Cognitive Dissonance, very well put. Especially in this day and age where spacecraft have went beyond the furthest boundary of the known solar system and have sent pictures of planet Earth all alone in a black void, it does seem ludacris for a belief in a god.
I see what you did there Luda. Record sales slumping?
ludicrous!
</spell_nazi>
Upvoted for luda.
Well said!
That's why I completely approve of the sterilization of religious people everywhere.
ahem
One of these days I need to play Mass Effect...
Yea, get on that. It's like someone decided to make Star Wars and mix it with Call of Duty, and the story is just decent enough to make you care about some of the characters.
I was raised Catholic as were my two siblings, they both still go to church and had their kids baptised. I was religious till my 20's, but my Children have only heard God or Jesus as a curse word "God damn it", "Jesus Fing Christ", so I doubt they will be religious. But it will dwindle, it is a slow process.