Is religion a farce?

Chuck Stone

HUNK wrote: »

Again. Atheism is simply a lack of belief in a deity or deities. Thats it. Its not a dirty word ffs

I'm getting increasingly uncomfortable with the atheist label myself because it allows people to pigeon hole me which I dislike. I just see myself as a natural skeptic.

philologos wrote: »

It also makes the gaping assumption that all forms of religion are the same, or even similar.

This is true as some religions seem to have a greater capacity to impose themselves upon people than others.

This is also true of people who think that the labell 'atheist/ism' allows them to build a narrow profile of all people who reject deities and religious politicisation of religious ideas.

As above, I see myself as a natural skeptic and my skepticism isn't just reserved for religion. I can be just as skeptical with science*, the state and democracy.

*the motivations rather than than the findings it has to be said

Calibos

dvpower wrote: »

No. How?

I think you are missing the point...

Lady von Purple

I'm sure this has all already been said, but fecked if I'm reading 15 pages of one of these threads. No, I don't think religion is a farce. I think a lot of the backlash against christianity is being misdirected- some people assume christian means catholic. For a start, I do think religion has a lot to do with a person's moral centre. No, we're not all sociopaths who couldn't tell right from wrong without a vague contradictory 2000year old book, but I reckon religion has a lot to do with society as a whole's morals. Rather than the individual, religion *has in the past* set out guidelines for society by which people now operate instinctually. You don't have to be christian to think stealing is wrong, it's obvious, but mayhaps religion had a part in the establishment of that social instinct. Maybe that's irrelevant now, but I don't think religion can be a farce if it previously set out guidelines which people learned moral behaviour from. Another poster mentioned religion gives people hope, only to be told 'false hope.' Isn't it up to people to decide what they hope for, where they get their strength? If my mother says that she's gotten strength from religion in tough times, which she does say, then I'm not going to try and tell her that that's not real. It's real for her. Who am I to tell her I know better? Oh, and feck it, wars are fought over a LOT of things. If it wasn't religion, it'd be money/power/ territory/my tanks are bigger than yours. I also don't think religion should be so dogmatic. People should have the freedom to choose their own belief system- whatever they want to think- and NOBODY should feel obliged/justified to belittle that and mock said beliefs. Militant atheists bother me as much as fundamentalist christians. /End rant. (Here, sorry for the wall of text format- mobile device, can't help it.)

Chuck Stone

Lady von Purple wrote: »

Militant atheists bother me as much as fundamentalist christians.

Militant atheists?

I ain't never not heard of atheists clearing churches with guns because of they don't believe in deities and religious political influence.

It may have happened but I never heard of it myself.

Derek!

I'm an Atheist, that tells you what I think of religion

dvpower

Calibos wrote: »

I think you are missing the point...

Temptamperu

Anyone who needs to believe in this codology called religion needs they're head examined but its not up to me to tell them that.
We have a beautiful uni/multiverse that is so much bigger and far more awe inspiring than a man who can do or be anything yet still needs a couple of bucks at the weekend.

Ghost Buster

Derek! wrote: »

I'm an Atheist, that tells you what I think of religion

Not really?

Balloon Of a fish in C.

I like to think that we all believe in something good is out there ,religion is merely a word that discribes it.

B_Fanatic

Balloon Of a fish in C. wrote: »

I like to think that we all believe in something good is out there ,religion is merely a word that discribes it.

Lol. "Something good" is a bit vague.

Derek!

Ghost Buster wrote: »

Not really?

It means I dont believe there's any god, it's all very far fetched for me.
People can obviously make up their own minds though.

Balloon Of a fish in C.

B_Fanatic wrote: »

Lol. "Something good" is a bit vague.

If I construct a table and feed strangers from it ,I'd consider that to be a definition of good.
I wouldn't care if it was a group of catholics ,asians ,muslims or athiests.

Liam Byrne

PseudoFamous wrote: »

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

The only thing I'd disagree with there is the morality bit, It's very possible to have morals without being religious.

While its possible, there's nothing to promote morality under atheism, no carrot on a string for being well behaved.

Some of us don't need a carrot

namloc1980

PseudoFamous wrote: »

While its possible, there's nothing to promote morality under atheism, no carrot on a string for being well behaved.

So to be well behaved you have to believe in a big bloke with a beard who lives in the sky who will let you into his magic fairyland if you're a good boy/girl? Your understanding of morality is very shallow indeed.

starlit

It always has been!

Derek!

doovdela wrote: »

It always has been!

+1
Your obviously very smart

starlit

Derek! wrote: »

+1
Your obviously very smart

Thanks, have known since I was as young as aged seven, never went to mass before that age except when brought as a young toddler but since my communion year I have had been made go to mass ever since and try to get out it but at the same time I do not believe in all the catholic teachings. I still believe in God but whether he exists I don't know. I doubt the catholic religion its just all stories nothing true other than moral of the stories. It teaches forgiveness and being loving and caring and kindness but that's it you can pray in your own time I rather be more spiritual even though religion is just a cult pure junk information not worth listening too anymore just bores me and is pointless. don't even go to confession anymore as its pointless does nothing for me. Mass teachings just goes over my head. I have no time for it. If I want to talk to God I do so in my own time, Church is not much of a hang out for me I feel like an outsider that shouldn't be there. I have to go under obligation to my mother and some of families strong faith otherwise I might be disowned. But I do try to get out of going to Mass when I don't live at home!

Derek!

doovdela wrote: »

Thanks, have known since I was as young as aged seven, never went to mass before that age except when brought as a young toddler but since my communion year I have had been made go to mass ever since and try to get out it but at the same time I do not believe in all the catholic teachings. I still believe in God but whether he exists I don't know. I doubt the catholic religion its just all stories nothing true other than moral of the stories. It teaches forgiveness and being loving and caring and kindness but that's it you can pray in your own time I rather be more spiritual even though religion is just a cult pure junk information not worth listening too anymore just bores me and is pointless. don't even go to confession anymore as its pointless does nothing for me. Mass teachings just goes over my head. I have no time for it. If I want to talk to God I do so in my own time, Church is not much of a hang out for me I feel like an outsider that shouldn't be there. I have to go under obligation to my mother and some of families strong faith otherwise I might be disowned. But I do try to get out of going to Mass when I don't live at home!

I couldn't agree with you more about everythin you just said. I remember been made go so many times when I was a kid It's all a load of BS if you ask me. The only time I would go to church now is out of respect for other people like at a funeral and all that. I'm surprised that someone on AH of all places thinks the same way about it as much as I do though :cool:

aidan24326

Balloon Of a fish in C. wrote: »

I like to think that we all believe in something good is out there ,religion is merely a word that discribes it.

But why should there be anything 'good' out there? Out where? Good for who or for what?

The idea of something being good is a psychological construct that fits with our sense of morality and what's right and wrong and mostly guides us in what we should seek in life in order to be succesful at being alive (which at its base level is merely surviving and reproducing). So we evolved to realise that eating good, starving bad, sex good, getting killed bad etc etc

But without a mind (or whatever is analogous in non-human animals) to frame such disparities, the concept of good and bad becomes irrelevant. So projecting those concepts onto an uncaring universe or onto something 'mystical' like a god is pointless, and the religious depiction of a god creator as sharing so many of our values, morals, failings and conceits is a very naieve one**

**and if you think naieve is harsh, just consider how vastly different and how vastly more advanced an omnipotent creator of the universe would have to be. If we go in the opposite direction we may as well be comparing ourselves with a bacterium.

Balloon Of a fish in C.

aidan24326 wrote: »

But why should there be anything 'good' out there? Out where? Good for who or for what?

The idea of something being good is a psychological construct that fits with our sense of morality and what's right and wrong and mostly guides us in what we should seek in life in order to be succesful at being alive (which at its base level is merely surviving and reproducing). So we evolved to realise that eating good, starving bad, sex good, getting killed bad etc etc

But without a mind (or whatever is analogous in non-human animals) to frame such disparities, the concept of good and bad becomes irrelevant. So projecting those concepts onto an uncaring universe or onto something 'mystical' like a god is pointless.

I just cannot think that we are so special that we just happen to exist ,when we live in a universe that is beyond what we know as infinite.
Science is brilliant and I'm greatful for it.

starlit

Derek! wrote: »

I couldn't agree with you more about everythin you just said. I remember been made go so many times when I was a kid It's all a load of BS if you ask me. The only time I would go to church now is out of respect for other people like at a funeral and all that. I'm surprised that someone on AH of all places thinks the same way about it as much as I do though :cool:

Ya. I find I believe in scientific facts more so than religion itself. Science is more real! See it to believe it is my motto in this case!

Derek!

doovdela wrote: »

Ya. I find I believe in scientific facts more so than religion itself. Science is more real! See it to believe it is my motto in this case!

That's exactly the way I see it too. I know everyone can believe in what they want but I dont get why they would believe in this. Anyway how are you tonight?

Zebra3

ddef wrote: »

christianity has been going for over 2000 years, and more for much longer.

Not true. Jaysis only got into having a cult when he was about 30 which was around 24 CE.*


*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Era

CorkMan

Can atheists please respect Christians beliefs? Don't refer to God as "the sky wizard" and Jesus Christ as "Jaysis" or any other deprecatory names.

Tehachapi

CorkMan wrote: »

Can atheists please respect Christians beliefs? Don't refer to God as "the sky wizard" and Jesus Christ as "Jaysis" or any other deprecatory names.

Why should religion get special restrictions and be ring-fenced from satire?

Why is it acceptable to insult your political party and criticize their economic/health/educational policies, your favourite football team, musicians/celebrities you like, etc, but not your religion? Because you said so?

Rubbish. I will refer to something I find utterly ridiculous such as believing anyone defied the laws of physics and walked on water, and other such nonsense - for what it is - nonsense. Just because you don't believe it's nonsense, doesn't mean you can silence others from pointing that out and expressing their opinion.

I actually think "sky wizard" is an accurate and humorous description of the ridiculous concept that an invisible man living in the sky is watching over us and evaluating every action we make in life.

KeithAFC

CorkMan wrote: »

Can atheists please respect Christians beliefs? Don't refer to God as "the sky wizard" and Jesus Christ as "Jaysis" or any other deprecatory names.

I think people should be allowed to express themselves. If Atheists don't like Jesus, so be it.

KeithAFC

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Militant atheists?

I ain't never not heard of atheists clearing churches with guns because of they don't believe in deities and religious political influence.

It may have happened but I never heard of it myself.

Soviet Union? Burnt churches to the ground and stopped religious freedom. Atheists can be bad too.

stoneill

Is religion a farce?

Why yes, yes it is.

CorkMan

It's up to God if atheists go to hell or not, so I won't try to sway his judgement.

Balloon Of a fish in C.

Some people are just mean and dont have a capacity to consider other peoples beliefs.
Some people call themselves athiests ,I suppose.