Atheists & Agnostics

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)

9. I do not think that any religion is inherently bad.

Sun Aug 11, 2013, 03:00 PM

Aug 2013

It may be a fantasy, people who believe it may be deluding themselves, and there are many who use it to justify bad acts. But it is not inherently bad, just like I don't believe that Santa Claus is inherently bad.

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I’m wrestling with the term ‘bigot’ in relation to Richard Dawkins’ now infamous remark about Islam [View all] MrModerate Aug 2013 OP

Hasn't he been trashing Christianity for years and getting a pass... TreasonousBastard Aug 2013 #1

Your four examples are not objectively true. rrneck Aug 2013 #2

Well, that's not what I said . . . MrModerate Aug 2013 #4

Religion is not inherently bad. rrneck Aug 2013 #6

Hmm. There we disagree. MrModerate Aug 2013 #20

Trapped some may be, rrneck Aug 2013 #21

It's hard for me to look at a belief system . . . MrModerate Aug 2013 #25

I call it fiction. rrneck Aug 2013 #33

Certainly our knowledge of the universe around us . . . MrModerate Aug 2013 #37

I wouldn't call our knowledge of the universe fiction either. rrneck Aug 2013 #38

It seemed to me that 'live according to one fantasy or another . . . MrModerate Aug 2013 #39

I was talking about religion. rrneck Aug 2013 #40

You're moving the goalposts, which makes me wonder skepticscott Aug 2013 #12

Well, I wasn't trying to make a direct comparison to Dawkins' remark . . . MrModerate Aug 2013 #22

I think that frogmarch Aug 2013 #3

That's an excellent parsing of the dilemma . . . MrModerate Aug 2013 #5

Just to be clear skepticscott Aug 2013 #7

I believe this is what the quote is: Curmudgeoness Aug 2013 #8

It needs to be taken in context - See his piece here: mr blur Aug 2013 #10

Yes, exactly skepticscott Aug 2013 #11

Yes, that's the one. n/t MrModerate Aug 2013 #16

So can you specify skepticscott Aug 2013 #18

I've just read Dawkins' response to the controversy . . . MrModerate Aug 2013 #23

You stated that the definition of "bigotry" skepticscott Aug 2013 #28

In particular, the "contempt" part . . . MrModerate Aug 2013 #29

And why would a reasonable person skepticscott Aug 2013 #30

A reasonable person would see the tone of the remark, as well as the content. MrModerate Aug 2013 #31

You can not convey tone of voice through text. LostOne4Ever Aug 2013 #32

Oh, *really*? MrModerate Aug 2013 #36

And the tone of the remark skepticscott Aug 2013 #34

He didn't. Keep in mind it is a lament. Not an accusation. AtheistCrusader Aug 2013 #41

Excellent link, with great rebuffs. Curmudgeoness Aug 2013 #14

I do not think that any religion is inherently bad. Curmudgeoness Aug 2013 #9

Some of them have some pretty grim facets, such as Thuggee. When the Brits took over dimbear Aug 2013 #13

The people who are sheperding the sheep Curmudgeoness Aug 2013 #15

I'm still trying to figure out how this was a "racist" statement as I saw reported. ScottLand Aug 2013 #17

Why 'wrestle' with it? AtheistCrusader Aug 2013 #19

While your confidence is clear, many others think otherwise . . . MrModerate Aug 2013 #24

So show them his full essay. AtheistCrusader Aug 2013 #26

I've actually got better advice for Dr. Dawkins . . . MrModerate Aug 2013 #27

It's not an argument skepticscott Aug 2013 #35