Growth of non-affiliated in America Slows

[Churchill]

Woke up and detected high levels of mazmaz.

[Churchill]

Telling people to believe in God if it makes you feel better is pretty laughable.

[Draginhikari]

I don't usually jump into these but just a thought...

I understand the modern disdain for religion and the role it plays in society but really, a subject as complicated as religion really isn't that cut and dry. Religion in general is a part of human nature and the impact both positive and negative play an important role in many ways of making civilization what it is now. I hardly see that discussion taking place though in regards to history or impact, generally it just seems like people who are religious give the same talking points over and over. Same thing goes for people who don't like religion giving the same negative talking points over and over.

[hey]

a subject as complicated as religion really isn't that cut and dry.

It's really not that complicated.

[Dotsudoku]

I'm not even talking about religion as a tool for controlling the masses, I'm talking about religion as a source of wonder, curiosity and inquiry that has fueled many of the most influential philosophers, scientists, social critics, anthropologists and sociologists in recorded history. Many of these same individuals had religious obligations and beliefs that would be called superstitious nonsense but that doesn't change the fact that in many of the cases it was religion that influenced them towards their contributions to humanity.

Aborted the next Einstein, etc. Every grand discovery would have happened just as readily in religion's absence.

[Dotsudoku]

That's an easy one: There is none.

Cosigned.

The problem isn't finding a purpose, the problem is feeling as if you need one.

[Churchill]

I don't usually jump into these but just a thought...

I understand the modern disdain for religion and the role it plays in society but really, a subject as complicated as religion really isn't that cut and dry. Religion in general is a part of human nature and the impact both positive and negative play an important role in many ways of making civilization what it is now. I hardly see that discussion taking place though in regards to history or impact, generally it just seems like people who are religious give the same talking points over and over. Same thing goes for people who don't like religion giving the same negative talking points over and over.

Explain.

If it is a part of human nature, why did I find it and its practitioners stupid at a young age.

What were the positive and negative impacts.

What discussion should take place. What are the proper talking points.

[Dotsudoku]

Regardless, having something be a part of human nature does not make it desirable. Having a single nostril was at one point part of human nature.

If ever there was a benefit to our malfunctioning pattern seeking(which I'm not claiming is true of false- I'm not qualified), it's no longer relevant to the survival and progression of our species. Worse, even: it's now detrimental.

[MrDodo]

Never understood the argument religion keeps the masses in check. Africa and the Middle are pretty devout yet are violent, ruthless societies. Hell, even here in the states prisons are packed to the brim with the religious.

At its worse it gives people a greenlight to oppress or blow themselves up.

[Blubbartron]

Never understood the argument religion keeps the masses in check. Africa and the Middle are pretty devout yet are violent, ruthless societies. Hell, even here in the states prisons are packed to the brim with the religious.

At its worse it gives people a greenlight to oppress or blow themselves up.

In the beginning (fuck I love that phrase), people burned with a fire that destroy everything around them, including themselves (rape, murder, etc). They couldn't find a way to extinguish this fire, but they did conceive of a way to channel that fire to burn outside areas first, instead of burning their own shit. That's religion. It's a moot point for those of us that are no longer flaming.

[Salodin]

Telling people to believe in God if it makes you feel better is pretty laughable.

If it "answers" his question, it isn't. He's looking for an answer to his question of "What came first"; science can't answer that yet. If he really can't live with out an answer, then go to religion. They've had an answer for quite some time. Doesn't mean it's the right answer, but that isn't what he's looking for apparently.

[Helm]

My "What?" was not said out of a misunderstanding of what was said but finding his general approach to the topic asinine.

[Churchill]

If it "answers" his question, it isn't. He's looking for an answer to his question of "What came first"; science can't answer that yet. If he really can't live with out an answer, then go to religion. They've had an answer for quite some time. Doesn't mean it's the right answer, but that isn't what he's looking for apparently.

Mayonnaise answers my questions, I can't wait to join it again in trans fat heaven.

[BaneTheBrawler]

This gif is always appropriate and always hilarious.

[The Blackrose]

hey man, some things you just gotta take on faith

[quannum]

In the beginning (fuck I love that phrase), people burned with a fire that destroy everything around them, including themselves (rape, murder, etc). They couldn't find a way to extinguish this fire, but they did conceive of a way to channel that fire to burn outside areas first, instead of burning their own shit. That's religion. It's a moot point for those of us that are no longer flaming.

source for this bs? is this evolutionary psychology?

[Tajin]

Franz Ferdinand

[Draginhikari]

Explain.

If it is a part of human nature, why did I find it and its practitioners stupid at a young age.

What were the positive and negative impacts.

What discussion should take place. What are the proper talking points.

I'm not arguing the disdain people have for it now that's an entirely valid topic in regards to dwelling on the old ways too much. The void that religion once filled in society has changed hends why I can understand your perspective on religion as it is now and seeing how I'm more or less agnostic I won't argue that point. In regards to being fair the main issue I do have an issue with is the viewpoint that everything tied to it is evil and things would have happened without it existing because historically I don't really seem to see that as the case.

What I'm just saying in general is that history is complicated and the reasons we come to conclusions in the past had less to do with reason and more about any given set of circumstances.

The first question I generally look at is: What is religion and what purpose in history and in human nature. Initially most religion was a result of people trying to understand how the world worked. It was basically fulfilling our human nature of wanting to know and understand in a time when the ability to know and understand was simply not possible. Other factors that could be viewed in regards to how religion did play a role in the development of civilization, how changes in religion resulted in different understanding by challenging those accepted norms, or even how religion impacts culture even as it becomes less relevant in the modern world.

I guess my point is just feel it's important to recognize influences outside of the negative abuses that surround a given topic and understanding the why people still latch to it or why people don't rather than simply shifting to insults or demonizing. I'd give more clear examples but I'm already running out of time so I'll leave it at that.

[Plow]

Telling people to believe in God if it makes you feel better is pretty laughable.

Have you ever heard of a placebo?

I mean, it's great that even though you have so little understanding of human psychology that you don't even realize what he's saying, or the implications of what you're saying, you still just want to ramble on, but you might want to at least, like... try.

[Churchill]

I'm aware of what a placebo is. I'm also aware, for example, that when used as a medical treatment people are not magically cured because you told them the medication would cure them.

It seems infinitely more useful to actually cure them than to simply tell them that they are. It also seems infinitely more useful to not allow people to subject their lives to an existence based on a lie.

If you'd like, just create a will that says "Instead of curing me of cancer, give me a magic pill that you say will cure me but is really just sugar".