Saw this question on r/atheism today.

[88keys]

Ah, I see you're simply ignorant. Your belief that there is correlation must make it

I don't believe the correlation = causation, but what we're talking about is the question posed at the start of this thread, and not something stated as fact.
so.

Please enlighten us what information "disproves" religion and how large portions of the world have missed it. By your definition, most of the world's people are irrational. Be afraid! We're coming for you.

The earth is not 6,000 years old, evolution, general scientific dsicovries...
Well I would agree that most people are irrational and have been throughout history. And I would suppose that would answer your question as to how most people have "missed it".

It may be a good question from some points of view, but from a scientific point of view it maybe isn't. How would you propose to test it, take twins that are divided at birth and stuff religion down one's throat and rationality down the other's, or maybe do studies of twins with infinite variables involved.

I see that folk raised by Christians tend to be Christians, and the same with a million other religions which tells me that either they are all nuts or no matter where folk go they invent new religions. So either there is some God that people instinctively invent out of some intuition, or God may be a genetic requirement for the human race, or these may be the same thing and atheists are simply genetically defective. We know too from savants that the mind can do things beyond comprehension, that a god may live in out heads and occasionally leak out into the awareness of a few is some limited way.

Maybe God created the universe so that brains would evolve capable of tuning to deeper and deeper octaves of awareness so He would have somebody to talk to. Maybe that's why whales sing.

Here's how I see it.
Considering all of the hatred and bigotry in the world and how often religious beliefs are used as an excuse for this. The best, most current example of religion and hate would be Islam. They commit endless atrocities in the name of their god. Christianity don't exactly have a clean slate either historically speaking.
The questions I arrive at are; in a world without religion, would all of these people still find a reason to beat, burn and kill other people?
Are people just simply irrational and violent by their nature and would be so with or without religion?
Does this make them more likely to be religious, or interpret their religion in such a way to make it violent?

For the most part, I tend to lean more towards the latter part of the question

Then you remember reading only 1 BS "study" that gave credit for giving to a church as "charity". Remove the church giving and religious gave the same or less than non-religious.

 

[klinc]

If Atheism is a religion then not collecting stamps is a hobby

 

[88keys]

or a blank hard drive is a type of operating system.

 

[nehalem256]

If Atheism is a religion then not collecting stamps is a hobby

Calling Atheism a religion is basically due to the imprecision of the English language.

What we really need is a word that encompasses both religion and Atheism. As no such word exists intelligent people are able to get the point across by considering Atheism to be a religion instead of arguing semantics.

Also your analogy falls apart because there are no "People who don't collect stamps" groups.

 

[Whiskey16]

Was President Clinton rational, or Bush, or Obama?

Practically all our leaders claim to be religious.

Success in politics necessitates sufficient appeal to the electorate.

 

[klinc]

Whatever floats your boat. You can smoke crack all year long it still will not make it a religion. You believe in nothing, live and abide to no rules, have no churches nor religious leaders. One can go to church and most have a common believe. Throw couple of atheist in a room and you will end up with a bunch of disagreeing hippies.

 

[IronWing]

Also your analogy falls apart because there are no "People who don't collect stamps" groups.

I beg you pardon?

 

[Charles Kozierok]

What's "r/atheism"?

Looks like it's time yet again to point out that not all forms of atheism are the same.

There are those who say categorically, as a positive statement, that there are no gods. Some even go so far as to say there cannot be gods. This is commonly called "strong atheism", and while not a religion, is by definition a belief system, since it is impossible to prove whether or not gods exist.

Then there are those who simply state they do not believe in gods because there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate their existence. Just as they don't believe in unicorns or pixies or a thousand other myths. This is called "weak atheism", even though it is, in many ways, a more logically consistent position than "strong atheism".

Weak atheism is in no way, shape or form a religion.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

If Atheism is a religion then not collecting stamps is a hobby

I have this in my signature on a forum I run: "Atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sex position." -- Bill Maher

 

[klinc]

I have this in my signature on a forum I run: "Atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sex position." -- Bill Maher

Haha that is a good one

 

[DominionSeraph]

Perhaps and perhaps not.

You aren't even capable of wondering what I think. No "what" of yours would coincide with the complexity of my thoughts. The best you could do is wonder what would be your interpretation of my translation of my thoughts.
That this "think," is in context of Hayabusa's concept of what "thinking" is and so would have to fit within the conceptual boundaries of your little mind does not align well with the idea that this mind exists outside of your own.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I have this in my signature on a forum I run: "Atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sex position." -- Bill Maher

Technically true but for some it's blasphemy to think differently.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

You aren't even capable of wondering what I think. No "what" of yours would coincide with the complexity of my thoughts. The best you could do is wonder what would be your interpretation of my translation of my thoughts.
That this "think," is in context of Hayabusa's concept of what "thinking" is and so would have to fit within the conceptual boundaries of your little mind does not align well with the idea that this mind exists outside of your own.

Damn, you are a gag poster.

That's pretty funny

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I don't believe the correlation = causation, but what we're talking about is the question posed at the start of this thread, and not something stated as fact.
No where did I imply you believed correlation = causation. I asked you to demonstrate that there WAS a correlation.
so.
The earth is not 6,000 years old, evolution, general scientific dsicovries...
Well I would agree that most people are irrational and have been throughout history. And I would suppose that would answer your question as to how most people have "missed it".

No where in the Bible does it quote God, Jesus or, the Holy Spirit stating the Earth is 6,000 years old. Evolution does not disprove religion, scientific discoveries do not disprove religion. The fact that you believe most people throughout history have been/are irrational tends to belie your claims.
Here's how I see it.
Considering all of the hatred and bigotry in the world and how often religious beliefs are used as an excuse for this. The best, most current example of religion and hate would be Islam. They commit endless atrocities in the name of their god. Christianity don't exactly have a clean slate either historically speaking.
The fact that some people of all religions can and do commit atrocities in the name of their religion does not negate, invalidate nor, disprove their religion.

The questions I arrive at are; in a world without religion, would all of these people still find a reason to beat, burn and kill other people?
Yes, they would.
Are people just simply irrational and violent by their nature and would be so with or without religion?
Some people are. You have failed to show that most are or, that most of those who do are religious.
Does this make them more likely to be religious, or interpret their religion in such a way to make it violent?

For the most part, I tend to lean more towards the latter part of the question

Please use a modicum of logic in your arguments if you wish to be taken seriously. OTOH, wtf is this topic doing in P & N?

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Atheists only believe in one god less than Christians do.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Please use a modicum of logic in your arguments if you wish to be taken seriously. OTOH, wtf is this topic doing in P & N?

It's a pretty good begging the question thread. People need little reason to kill. Religion, nationalism politics, even militant atheistic attitudes. Look at Stalin and Mao, even China today. It isn't "isms", as much as those who use a religion or ideology as an excuse.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Please use a modicum of logic in your arguments if you wish to be taken seriously. OTOH, wtf is this topic doing in P & N?

Atheists only believe in one god less than Christians do.

Sometimes that's the only difference

 

[ShawnD1]

If Atheism is a religion then not collecting stamps is a hobby

Some atheists are religious shitbags, and they are just as fanatical as Christian or Muslim shitbags.

Anyway, religion doesn't cause schizophrenia, but people with schizophrenia tend to be religious. If you talk to medical professionals about how you're hearing voices and seeing hallucinations, they will recognize it as schizophrenia and treat it appropriately. If you tell your story to religious people, they'll welcome you with open arms and claim you are a holy man.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Sometimes that's the only difference

Rarely.

 

[MtnMan]

Religion is totally irrational!

Really, gods, angels, devils, spooks, heaven, hell, and fairy tale fantasies. I know many have been brainwashed with this bull shit since birth, but to remain a slave to the ignorance is totally irrational.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Religion is totally irrational!

Really, gods, angels, devils, spooks, heaven, hell, and fairy tale fantasies. I know many have been brainwashed with this bull shit since birth, but to remain a slave to the ignorance is totally irrational.

My, my, you certainly are angry about something you don't believe in.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Rarely.

Well theres always irrational people like Dawkins. I wouldn't hold up ones badge of atheism as automatic superiority.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

My, my, you certainly are angry about something you don't believe in.

Shh... He thinks he knows. Notice how irrational some get about some things? Never did understand the need for dominance displays.

 

[sandorski]

One doesn't have to be Irrational to be religious, just as long as one doesn't apply Rational thought to their Religion.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

I wouldn't hold up ones badge of atheism as automatic superiority.

Nothing's guaranteed. It's just a matter of probabilities.

Give me person A, who's a weak atheist, and person B, who's a "born again" Christian, and force me to bet on which of them is the more rational, and I'll take A every time. I won't always be right, but I usually will.