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to_hobbes · 01-04-2008, 04:14 PM

I'll need more time to read through this thread. It started as a statement about whether or not religion is important which posited for the affirmative, then blew up into a debate on the nature of morality, which I think would be best set in a different thread, but whatever, I'll just throw my opinion in.

I think religion is evil, but it is a part of our nature. It has been said before, but religion is necessary only for people who lack the mental capacity for a rigorous study of ethics. Plenty of common criminals who are basically socially retarded have been saved and become good people and functioning members of society. This is the good side of religion. However, religion gives birth to many criminals as well, greedy televangelists, child-molesting priests, and terrorists like Osama Bin-Laden or Timothy McVeigh.

Ultimately, religion is a lower level of thinking. People who can understand the various shades of gray and complexities in our society tend to pursue faith with less zeal and I think really they indulge themselves only in the not-so-evil side of religion. The not-so-evil side being for example community, friendship, and culture. I think of AB517 when I say this.

However, people who are religious but also intelligent have to be intelligent to begin with as a result of their upbringing. Religion tends to discourage intellect and critical thinking. It prevents people from learning and thus prevents people from achieving a higher level or intellect, which is how the religious entity perpetuates itself.

So while religion has several positive traits, it is ultimately something exists only to perpetuate itself, while at the same time stifling thought and innovation. This wasn't always true. Gauss and Euler were very religious some of the most intelligent mathematicians of all time. But 300 some years later in modern society, I think it is clear that Science and not religion is the way of the future. Until then, religion will continue to provide a place in peoples lives where they can pursue their selfish, arrogant, tendencies and they can be told that their selfish arrogance is a good thing, which is exactly what they want to hear.

This is not always the case of course, I want to stress that many people including AB517, and my various Christian friends and family are not like this at all.

01-04-2008, 04:14 PM	#65 (permalink)
to_hobbes Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 184	I'll need more time to read through this thread. It started as a statement about whether or not religion is important which posited for the affirmative, then blew up into a debate on the nature of morality, which I think would be best set in a different thread, but whatever, I'll just throw my opinion in. I think religion is evil, but it is a part of our nature. It has been said before, but religion is necessary only for people who lack the mental capacity for a rigorous study of ethics. Plenty of common criminals who are basically socially retarded have been saved and become good people and functioning members of society. This is the good side of religion. However, religion gives birth to many criminals as well, greedy televangelists, child-molesting priests, and terrorists like Osama Bin-Laden or Timothy McVeigh. Ultimately, religion is a lower level of thinking. People who can understand the various shades of gray and complexities in our society tend to pursue faith with less zeal and I think really they indulge themselves only in the not-so-evil side of religion. The not-so-evil side being for example community, friendship, and culture. I think of AB517 when I say this. However, people who are religious but also intelligent have to be intelligent to begin with as a result of their upbringing. Religion tends to discourage intellect and critical thinking. It prevents people from learning and thus prevents people from achieving a higher level or intellect, which is how the religious entity perpetuates itself. So while religion has several positive traits, it is ultimately something exists only to perpetuate itself, while at the same time stifling thought and innovation. This wasn't always true. Gauss and Euler were very religious some of the most intelligent mathematicians of all time. But 300 some years later in modern society, I think it is clear that Science and not religion is the way of the future. Until then, religion will continue to provide a place in peoples lives where they can pursue their selfish, arrogant, tendencies and they can be told that their selfish arrogance is a good thing, which is exactly what they want to hear. This is not always the case of course, I want to stress that many people including AB517, and my various Christian friends and family are not like this at all.