A reason why most religious theological teachings are sociologically dangerous and damaging (page 6)

cofty

Philosophy was used to explain the universe for thousands of years. Science is the new kid on the block. - Sab

And for the first time in human history we have a method to explore truth that actually works.

I think all of this debate about is religion good/bad/neutral is missing the mark for me slightly. As an atheist, I have come to embrace reason and evidence. It does not matter if someone is a little delusional, or misled, or a lot. It is all a problem. The goal should be to encourage critical thinking. Even a little bit of unfounded belief is too much.

I used to work as a nurses assistant. I dealt with people suffering from dementia. They would confuse the day (sometimes by years) or the place, or whatever. We were trained to not let that stand, but to explain to them exactly where they were and when. They didn't have to worry about the baby anymore, because she grew up and had children of her own. She didn't have to find her husband, because sadly, he died 15 years ago, and you already grieved for him very much, and while you still miss him, you have also healed a great deal. That kind of thing. It was accepted that gently reminding them of reality was healthier and better for them than the delusion. Because what link do they still have with us if it is not in current reality?

Just a little bit of dementia is a problem. Just a little bit of misinformation is a problem. The tiniest bit robs a person of some measure of critical thinking, and therefore, robs all of us of some great thinking.

I am tired of being chastised for not separating extremism, fundamentalism, orthodoxy, and liberalism when I make comments on religion. Naturally if someone wishes to believe, and they leave me alone, keep their religious goals out of politics, and stay the hell out of education, then fine. However a little old lady believing that her baby is crying somewhere may not hurt me personally, but it is still the right thing to explain how successfully she already raised that baby.

Religion is not going anywhere anytime soon. But we need MORE secularism, MORE reason, MORE critical thinking, and we aren't going to do that if atheists sit all nice and quiet in a corner somewhere. We need to speak up and speak out. We need to tell those people struggling with reason and faith that we are here, and we support them, and they are not alone. We need to encourage our children to reach out in the sciences instead of dwarfing their mentality with fariytales about creation. We have already lost a lot of great minds and ideas to this nonsense---and while nonsense is a right---debunking it also is. We have a lot to lose by being silent, and a lot to gain by speaking up.

NC

cantleave

Philosophy is all about ideas. Ideas need to be explored and challenged before they can become theories. That is what science does.

xchange

And for the first time in human history we have a method to explore truth that actually works. - Cofty

And in such a short relative time look how far we've come!!!! Makes one wonder about the scientific process. It's actually INTERESTED in attainable and practical knowledge!

cofty

New Chapter is back with a vengeance!

thetrueone

We have already lost a lot of great minds and ideas to this nonsense---and while nonsense is a right---debunking it also is. We have a lot to lose by being silent, and a lot to gain by speaking up.

Well said New Chapter

Remarkable is it not when you consider what critical thinking has done for humanity over the years in comparison from non-critical thinking

of spiritual compliance.

NewChapter

LOL---Friday a friend called and needed help----stranded in St. Louis. So off we went. I saw St. Louis for the first time, and loved it. Just got back----and back with that good old vengeance. I passed the biggest cross I ever saw on the way down---I think it was in Indiana. I was wondering how many children could be fed, or how much medicine could be bought with the money it took to maintain and build that cross----So I've contemplated the waste. Waste of resources, waste of energy etc. that could be funnelled into things that would really help humankind.

NC

cofty

stranded in St. Louis

Sounds like a Broadway hit!

NewChapter

LOL Cofty, it felt like one! It was the best impromptu vacation ever---and will take me weeks to recover! LOL But i can cross a few things off the bucket list.

Along the river, there was this man standing dressed all in white. A white flowing tunic, pants, gloves, this thing on his head. He held that Christian cross thing. I thought he looked somewhat like a warrior, although maybe he was trying to get the idea of christian purity across or something. He just stood there, and when people would stop, he would talk to them moving his gloved hands about, all emphatic. It was Easter weekend, but I remember avoiding all eye contact, and doing my best to block out his spiel.

NC

sabastious

And for the first time in human history we have a method to explore truth that actually works.

If you continue to wage war on God you will suffer the fate of everyone else who has attempted it. They all died trying

As an atheist, I have come to embrace reason and evidence.

Hey NC, I'll start out by breaking your law. The above statement is Watchtowerian thinking when imposed upon another. "I have come to embrace" can precede any number of ideals included, but not limited to, atheism (logic, reason and evidence) and theism (logic, philosophy and spirituality). Therefore your statement just doesn't hold any water for me, nor any reasoning to support such an absolute ideal. I support it's right to exist, but not it's right to impose upon another.

I, as in me, know there to be a God. You know that to be the opposite of the truth. We both have ideas that do indeed exist side by side. Neither is greater than the other because both are unprovable no matter what either party states. However, the difference between reason and philosophy is that reason says it's right and philosophy says that's not quite true.

I have come to embrace the spirituality that I found that was innate within me. You have come to reject your past spirituality and have recognized it as an incorrect life view and have replaced it with solely reason and evidence. There is nothing wrong with throwing spirituality out the door of your life or limiting it's definitions within it because the broader ones don't seem to make sense.

Does the coexistence bumper sticker have a symbol for atheism?

-Sab

A reason why most religious theological teachings are sociologically dangerous and damaging

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