Reply #97: Many of the rules of behavior for many religions...

[Silent3]

like, oh, don't kill, don't steal, etc., aren't particular details of particular religions, they're fairly universal among human beings, regardless of religion or lack thereof.

To me, religions and non-religious ethical creeds are about the self, the self's relation and duties toward other persons, and about the self's relationship to the external world.

What you say here makes particular religions seem rather beside the point, which is my point.

Perhaps you feel that each person needs their own personalized mythology or magic formula to be a better self, to have moral and ethical relationship with the rest of the world, and since that's an important end result, you don't want to quibble with the means each person gets there. If so, however, that attitude (which I'm not necessarily saying is your own attitude, just an attitude that what you're saying brings to mind) reduces religion to a personalized mental game, and again puts the particular details of various religions into question, which is again my point.

I have neither time nor the energy to worry... But I cannot in any way see why that is an issue for those of other beliefs... running around worrying about all the beliefs...

Ah, the "why do you care?/why worry?/why bother?" gambit. This is worthy of a whole new thread. In short, I'll just ask these questions: Exactly how much "worry" and bother does it take to hear a claim and think it preposterous? How many non-religious subjects are there where people differ in opinion that, in the end, probably have no great importance to your life, but you happily discuss these things and voice your own opinions anyway?