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In reply to the discussion: Kick if you agree with this assessment about the influence of religion on people. [View all]Nuclear Unicorn
(19,497 posts)146. The belief that all things can be explained by "science" is itself an act of faith
and is based on no observation but a subjective belief of the person holding it. It presumes to know the end of all things absent direct experience.
Faith is by definition irrational.
I am faithful to my husband, even though I have no idea how he will treat me in the future. Perhaps that is what is meant by faith.
We're under no obligation to tolerate the bigotry, ignorance, and irrational thought of religious groups. We can't tolerate intolerance.
That sounds very tribal. Our intolerance is better than their intolerance. So you don't approve of people who don't approve of us. Okay, BFD. As long as everyone keeps their damned hands to themselves I don't care. I am not prepared to run around telling people they believe the wrong things and as such they are lesser citizens. We live in an open and free democracy. That means we anticipate people will disagree and those disagreements will have to be settled politically rather than force of arms. Replacing the one evil with the exact same evil so long as the right colored flag is flying is not the way to progress to a better world.
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Kick if you agree with this assessment about the influence of religion on people. [View all]
Nanjing to Seoul
Jan 2014
OP
In other words a person can have some pretty twisted beliefs about imaginary friends
BlueStreak
Jan 2014
#134
If that's his point (notice he didnt stick around to discuss) then there are a lot better
rhett o rick
Jan 2014
#258
Your argument is a strawman argument. The OP does not "basically" call anyone a "brainwashed idiot"
rhett o rick
Jan 2014
#262
Weird how you are so sure you understand another's motivations without asking.
Unca Jim
Jan 2014
#290
Yeah, exactly, often the point of some (many?) of the religious is to make other
RKP5637
Jan 2014
#86
More than divisive, they program the unsullied human mind to accept the notion of completely
Egalitarian Thug
Jan 2014
#106
It seems IMO to be a hard wired brain function, hence leading IMO to more substantive proof of the
RKP5637
Jan 2014
#228
" ... what about those of us for whom it never made any sense, even as little kids, when we were
RKP5637
Jan 2014
#297
I'll add my unrec to yours. I can not believe over 160 duers rec'd such a stereotyping post
uppityperson
Jan 2014
#269
Seriously. I have not attended organized religion since I was young, but this goes beyond
uppityperson
Jan 2014
#272
Dawkins is an ideologue on this topic, and I see no evidence he's ever given any intelligent thought
struggle4progress
Jan 2014
#6
As I said, there's no evidence he's ever given any serious thought to the matter
struggle4progress
Jan 2014
#53
I'm sorry if I somehow gave you the impression I think he's an a-hole
struggle4progress
Jan 2014
#64
Might could be. Then, again, unlike Dawkins, I don't cultivate the self-indulgent habit
struggle4progress
Jan 2014
#92
No, he doesn't have enough of a sense of humor to invent stuff like Pastafarianism
struggle4progress
Jan 2014
#70
You know zilch about my views of biology, and you read carelessly without comprehension
struggle4progress
Jan 2014
#99
Dawkins is quite sure that any scientist who "compromises" with religious people
struggle4progress
Jan 2014
#277
"...ultimately determine every aspect of how an organism looks..." not completely true. nt
yawnmaster
Jan 2014
#206
I agree that evolution is the key to understanding biology in the context of the other sciences
struggle4progress
Jan 2014
#96
I keep seeing people complain about the bigotry and tribalism of religion
Nuclear Unicorn
Jan 2014
#112
Ironic that you do not stand and oppose those clerics who call gay people by demonic
Bluenorthwest
Jan 2014
#120
And plenty of those scientists don't apply the critical thinking of their disciplines to their faith
NuclearDem
Jan 2014
#137
The belief that all things can be explained by "science" is itself an act of faith
Nuclear Unicorn
Jan 2014
#146
No, belief in the scientific method and methodological naturalism is not based on faith.
NuclearDem
Jan 2014
#159
Um, the belief that I can remove the seat on my motorcycle with a 10mm wrench isn't 'faith'.
AtheistCrusader
Jan 2014
#166
"if such things exist, and cannot be observed, described, or understood, what do we do"
Nuclear Unicorn
Jan 2014
#197
I would point out to that atheist that they are invested in the eugenics misconceptions of the 1920'
AtheistCrusader
Jan 2014
#214
That assumes resistance is always possible. Assuming resistance had been exhausted
Nuclear Unicorn
Jan 2014
#235
Resistance can't BE exhausted, when that very question/option you offer is up for consideration.
AtheistCrusader
Jan 2014
#237
That's a whole other can of worms--whether religion provides the only basis for morality.
NuclearDem
Jan 2014
#240
Religious faiths have spawned and continue to spawn many scientists and people of knowledge.
Nuclear Unicorn
Jan 2014
#256
So if a thing is negative religion is to blame, if it's a virtue religion is just a coincidence.
Nuclear Unicorn
Jan 2014
#264
If you think acceptance of evolution follows an easy religious/nonreligious divide, you're mistaken.
Nine
Jan 2014
#136
What worries me about Dawkins is that he teaches people to be satisfied with quoting Dawkins.
rug
Jan 2014
#7
Religion posts tend to get heated and should remain in the forums designated for them.
hrmjustin
Jan 2014
#25
The pope is responsible for the recent laxity on religion in gd. Take it up with Francis :-)
Warren Stupidity
Jan 2014
#28
Actually the fact that a thread has lots of views replies and recs has been
Warren Stupidity
Jan 2014
#35
I'm curious what great harm you think will ensue if we continue this discussion.
Warren Stupidity
Jan 2014
#40
As a former gd host you know quite well that it isn't that simple at all.
Warren Stupidity
Jan 2014
#48
skinner said they can stay for now. I agree they should not be but it is his call.
hrmjustin
Jan 2014
#34
Riiiight. Quietly acquiescing to the Catholic Church has been a great strategy over the centuries.
Arugula Latte
Jan 2014
#187
Yeah, it can be a turn off. I don't think people realize how they sound to others.
freshwest
Jan 2014
#37
Personally, I don't know who Richard Dawkins is (yet). . .but I like the quote.
Nanjing to Seoul
Jan 2014
#54
That you don't get the cacophonous irony of your reply is profound in itself.
Egalitarian Thug
Jan 2014
#73
Do you believe in a magical being that knows everything that everything does at every moment?
Egalitarian Thug
Jan 2014
#87
Are you evading the questions? They were straight forward, unambiguous.
Egalitarian Thug
Jan 2014
#108
Thanks. I try to put concepts into a cultural narrative that will be more readily received.
Egalitarian Thug
Jan 2014
#109
I love that movie-- I just try to think of it as the story of Conarnold, Conan's cousin.
Marr
Jan 2014
#221
What worries me about the Bible is that it teaches people to be satisfied with quoting the Bible...n
SidDithers
Jan 2014
#156
What worries me is how many people pop off about religion without knowing what they're talking abot.
rug
Jan 2014
#190
What worries me is how many people pop off about Dawkins without knowing what they''re talking about
SidDithers
Jan 2014
#192
What worries me is how many people buy into the Pope's homophobic horseshit...
SidDithers
Jan 2014
#194
I am so far from being religious I can't even seen a church steeple, however ...
LisaLynne
Jan 2014
#16
Differnce is Santorum and Bachmann talk about their religion constantly while
Bluenorthwest
Jan 2014
#125
That description could apply to the Pope but the OP praises and promotes the Pope
Bluenorthwest
Jan 2014
#126
Plenty of religious leaders think too highly of themselves. Dawkins shares that with them.
hrmjustin
Jan 2014
#141
I see 'Science' and 'religion' as pretty similarly capable of great and harmful error
Bluenorthwest
Jan 2014
#128
Exactly. And any reason based person, having seen a community make such grave
Bluenorthwest
Jan 2014
#303
Presumably that explains to you why the Islamic world was a center of medieval learning,
struggle4progress
Jan 2014
#101
Religious thought, like every other intellectual exercise, lays traps for the lazy
Maedhros
Jan 2014
#24
I don't think that it's quite correct to state that Dawkins consciously teaches people to be
Maedhros
Jan 2014
#52
Which Dawkins was undoubtedly aware of when he said this, at Mendel's monastery
muriel_volestrangler
Jan 2014
#139
It also worries me that it influences war stronger than anything we know...
MrMickeysMom
Jan 2014
#55
I dont like the quote. While philosophers may not be satisfied with not understanding
rhett o rick
Jan 2014
#61
I agree with you comments about the ad hominem attacks. Consider the sources.
rhett o rick
Jan 2014
#74
I understand your point. It just seems to me that those comfortable with not understanding are ok
rhett o rick
Jan 2014
#274
Exactly. I miss unrec for posts like that. 163 recs for broadbrushing stereotyping caricature.
uppityperson
Jan 2014
#268
Religious people aren't satisfied with 'not understanding'. They simply understand...
Shandris
Jan 2014
#82
He is arrogant and he insulted people like me. So yes he will get words from me.
hrmjustin
Jan 2014
#140
so you would agree then that it is perfectly acceptable for anyone here
Warren Stupidity
Jan 2014
#144
my slamming him does in no way shape or form mean that critism of religion is not valid.
hrmjustin
Jan 2014
#143
what worries me about all human, religious and non religious, is their capacity to hate.
liberal_at_heart
Jan 2014
#103
Yep. Punishment for desiring knowledge is one of the first things that happens in the Bible.
Arugula Latte
Jan 2014
#167
It's worth an hour or so of your time to listen to Dr. Dawkins. Judge him for yourself,
dimbear
Jan 2014
#107
Aldrin is a living person, he is not dead. Speaking in the past tense is not appropirate.
Bluenorthwest
Jan 2014
#309
Kick if you agree with this assessment about the influence of religion on people.
The CCC
Jan 2014
#173
Well said. As an atheist who has read the Bible in English and Latin and who has taken enough
Texas Lawyer
Jan 2014
#260
I don't check my brain at the door when I go to church, nor do I feel like my religion is against
hrmjustin
Jan 2014
#204
I suppose I agree-- but more precisely, my problem is that religion teaches people that
Marr
Jan 2014
#211
Here's a list of people whose thinking was crippled by their belief in a God:
Jackpine Radical
Jan 2014
#227
100 years ago (and until recently) the soi-disant "Enlightened" championed the Muslims against
MisterP
Jan 2014
#255
As a Catholic atheist, I dont' get that quote (and I'm generally a Dawkins fan). Sure, it's true
Texas Lawyer
Jan 2014
#246
I am more a fan of Hitchens than Dawkins, but the quote is essentially correct...
Demo_Chris
Jan 2014
#265
I see the hate wars are continuing. Do people really have nothing better to do?
liberal_at_heart
Jan 2014
#279
Are you finally addressing the Dolan issue and the huge scandal it represents?
Bluenorthwest
Jan 2014
#310
Yes those pro-pope threads are kind of a "fuck you" to people who despise the pope
el_bryanto
Jan 2014
#321