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and how that concept has resulted in many people treating others poorly.
And why the focus on religion? Where is their (alleged) “rationality” when it comes to other social constructs? The loudest atheists I know off also happen to be white supremacists, and I don’t hear atheists talking much about the legitimacy of national entities and their oh-so precious borders - all of which are based on magical thinking equal or worse than anything you find in religious scripture.
That tells me a lot about the (supposed) “rationality” of liberal atheism - it seems they are more interested in the irrelevant fetishizing of an entity’s absence rather than the actual way in which religiosity has been used and abused by powerful elites both past and present.
The loudest atheists I know off also happen to be white supremacists
That tells me a lot about the (supposed) “rationality” of liberal atheism
I’m really inclined to believe that you’re a troll… Liberal atheists that are white supremacists? I’ve never met anyone that fits that description. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt a little longer…
If you want a great example of how religion has been quite negative, see the crusades, salem witch trials, the Spanish inquisition, ISIS, 9-11.
None of these events have relationships to the teachings of say, Jesus. However, they are atrocities (in cases like the crusades some of the bloodiest conflicts in history) where someone’s belief in god is ultimately what led to the conflict. In many cases the atrocities of a nation state and the religious motivation are hand in hand; the founding fathers specifically tried to separate religion from government because of this problematic history.
In the modern US religion is often used to dismiss scientific findings. Folks will say “oh it doesn’t matter if climate change is real, God will find a way for us all to continue living.” … or … “it doesn’t matter if COVID is real, God will find a way to heal me” … or … “my kid has cancer but they don’t need doctors they need prayers for God to heal them miraculously.” Religion was even used by some to justify racism based slavery in the US.
Religion has a long history of being used to incite violence or to dismiss concerns about problems where … whether God exists or not … there are concrete actions that people on Earth can take right this instant that we know will help.
I’m not going to say “we’d be better off with nobody believing in anything!” but we certainly would be better off if more people/societies didn’t listen to fanatics that have their own agenda that’s truly devoid of rational thought and the high morals most scripture seeks to teach.
I guess you’ve never heard of Bill Maher? Lucky you.
see the crusades, salem witch trials, the Spanish inquisition
You’re going to blame religion for feudalist politics? How convenient… and completely ahistorical.
9-11
Right… let’s blame the consequences of US neocolonialism on religion as well. After all… US bombs are “secular” and “democratic” bombs, aren’t they, liberal?
In many cases the atrocities of a nation state
So why do all these “rational” atheists not apply their “rationality” to the nation state, but only to religion?
In the modern US religion is often used to dismiss scientific findings.
And throughout history, religious institutions preserved them - see Irish clergy and Islamic scholars preserving the writings of ancient Greece, for example.
there are concrete actions that people on Earth can take right this instant that we know will help.
You mean… like applying your “rationality” to the problem of the nation state, perhaps?
And why the focus on religion? Where is their (alleged) “rationality” when it comes to other social constructs? The loudest atheists I know off also happen to be white supremacists, and I don’t hear atheists talking much about the legitimacy of national entities and their oh-so precious borders - all of which are based on magical thinking equal or worse than anything you find in religious scripture.
That tells me a lot about the (supposed) “rationality” of liberal atheism - it seems they are more interested in the irrelevant fetishizing of an entity’s absence rather than the actual way in which religiosity has been used and abused by powerful elites both past and present.
I’m really inclined to believe that you’re a troll… Liberal atheists that are white supremacists? I’ve never met anyone that fits that description. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt a little longer…
If you want a great example of how religion has been quite negative, see the crusades, salem witch trials, the Spanish inquisition, ISIS, 9-11.
None of these events have relationships to the teachings of say, Jesus. However, they are atrocities (in cases like the crusades some of the bloodiest conflicts in history) where someone’s belief in god is ultimately what led to the conflict. In many cases the atrocities of a nation state and the religious motivation are hand in hand; the founding fathers specifically tried to separate religion from government because of this problematic history.
In the modern US religion is often used to dismiss scientific findings. Folks will say “oh it doesn’t matter if climate change is real, God will find a way for us all to continue living.” … or … “it doesn’t matter if COVID is real, God will find a way to heal me” … or … “my kid has cancer but they don’t need doctors they need prayers for God to heal them miraculously.” Religion was even used by some to justify racism based slavery in the US.
Religion has a long history of being used to incite violence or to dismiss concerns about problems where … whether God exists or not … there are concrete actions that people on Earth can take right this instant that we know will help.
I’m not going to say “we’d be better off with nobody believing in anything!” but we certainly would be better off if more people/societies didn’t listen to fanatics that have their own agenda that’s truly devoid of rational thought and the high morals most scripture seeks to teach.
I guess you’ve never heard of Bill Maher? Lucky you.
You’re going to blame religion for feudalist politics? How convenient… and completely ahistorical.
Right… let’s blame the consequences of US neocolonialism on religion as well. After all… US bombs are “secular” and “democratic” bombs, aren’t they, liberal?
So why do all these “rational” atheists not apply their “rationality” to the nation state, but only to religion?
And throughout history, religious institutions preserved them - see Irish clergy and Islamic scholars preserving the writings of ancient Greece, for example.
You mean… like applying your “rationality” to the problem of the nation state, perhaps?