Various thoughts on atheism, theism, relgiion, and general thought..

[Monagi]

Just gonna ramble for a bit.

Why do we feel the need to debate whether or not there is a god? What does it accomplish? Nothing. Sure it can be fun to take a philosophical stance on it and talk about it, but people take it too fucking seriously. These things should just be entertaining talk, not I'll fucking kill you if you think differently.

I am a teapot agnostic you may say, but I don't really care for the label, because it really just doesn't matter. Sure there probably isn't a god, but who cares? I recently found out about Daniel Dennett, and I share close beliefs with him.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/94

People need to begin to realize that religions are a bunch of BS. Nobody can prove anything, and people who follow them need to learn this. If people didn't let fear control them into religion, it would not be near as big as it is. People are afraid that they will go to hell if they think outside of the box. Idiots.. as Thomas Jefferson said..

"...Question with boldness even the existence of a God, because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blind faith."

But hey, the vast majority of people in the world are stupid. The Brights out there, however, should realize these things. I wish a threshhold effect would come about for this way of thinking, as it just seems to be logical.

"when a critical mass has been attained, there is an abrupt acceleration in recruitment."

Edit to add...I agree with Daniel Dennett on the point that we should TEACH our children about religions. Their history, etc. because they have had a major impact on the human race. However, there is a HUGE different between TEACHING and PREACHING.

Also, I find it to be a form of child abuse if you force a religion on a child who is not yet old enough to comprehend it. I hate seeing parents do this to children...because when they grow up with this thinking, they are often unable to free themselves from it and think differently. How horrible it would be not to be able to control that.. They end up turning into those people that live by it, and just cover their ears when anyone tries to talk about anything considered open minded...

Yeah.

[---Beany---]

Personally I'm sick of head on disagreements in this place. It's a shame we can't talk about concepts that religeons, spirituality, psychology etc address. Things such as wisdom, attachment, love, fear, consciousness, nightmares, dreams, etc and how these effect our experience of life and understandings of what is so.

Originally Posted by Monagi

People need to begin to realize that religions are a bunch of BS.

While the stories and justifications many religions present are a bunch of BS, some of the things they teach aren't.

[Monagi]

^ True. The core message in most religions promote peace, equality, etc. However, there is too much bullshit layered on top of that core.

"While the stories and justifications many religions present are a bunch of BS, some of the things they teach aren't."

Yeah, the good stuff like "Don't fucking kill people" isn't unique to religion, in fact it's common sense. Religion is not required for people to have a moral compass.

You know how people laugh at those Star Trek nerds that debate wether or not Captain Kirk is 34 or 35 at the time of <insert episode here>? Religious people arguing for their rediculous beliefs are exactly the same; except the Trek nerds at the end of the day are fully capable of admitting that Star Trek is fiction.

Except for the fact that religion affects the lives of millions of people while star trek means shit