[Merged]All religions are idiocy

thaiboxerken said:
I'd consider these people mentally disabled or damaged.
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Sure, and that's why this type of thread is not very useful in trying to figure out why people believe what they believe (calling them idiots). It would be just as easy for a believer to call me mentally disabled or damaged simply because I do not have a "god module" in my brain.

For me, I would rather find out what they believe and why, rather than simply dismissing them altogether, because I do find that certain types of religious thinking is very dangerous to society as a whole (see any of DOC's threads for a classic example). If the root causes can be determined, there may be a way of working with the religious community rather than against it.

But hey, that's just my unsupported opinion. Anyone with a better argument could change my mind.
 
Egg said:
If I made a claim that they did not/were not, then I don't think it would be unreasonable to expect me to back it up.
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As you would be a mental case, everything you said would be treated as very reasonable and sane. At least as long as the guys in white were inching closer to you.
 
Hokulele said:
Sure, and that's why this type of thread is not very useful in trying to figure out why people believe what they believe (calling them idiots). It would be just as easy for a believer to call me mentally disabled or damaged simply because I do not have a "god module" in my brain.
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Get real. If I started a thread saying all skeptics were idiots, no skeptic would refrain from joining in to tell me why I was wrong. Are you saying the believers, aside from idiocy, also have no balls?
For me, I would rather find out what they believe and why, rather than simply dismissing them altogether, because I do find that certain types of religious thinking is very dangerous to society as a whole (see any of DOC's threads for a classic example). If the root causes can be determined, there may be a way of working with the religious community rather than against it.
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Yes, it would be interesting to get the background info. But that won't happen here.
But hey, that's just my unsupported opinion. Anyone with a better argument could change my mind.
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See Science for further clarification.
 
Hokulele said:
Sure, and that's why this type of thread is not very useful in trying to figure out why people believe what they believe (calling them idiots). It would be just as easy for a believer to call me mentally disabled or damaged simply because I do not have a "god module" in my brain.
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They would be wrong, though. Having a brain that is missing a delusion module seems to produce more scientific/ reasoned thinking. I really can't see how a brain with a defect in it that causes delusion could not be seen as mentally disabled or damaged.

For me, I would rather find out what they believe and why, rather than simply dismissing them altogether, because I do find that certain types of religious thinking is very dangerous to society as a whole (see any of DOC's threads for a classic example). If the root causes can be determined, there may be a way of working with the religious community rather than against it.
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How about curing these people of the ailment? Wouldn't that be a better answer?
 
Article implies that brain damage can cause religious belief, but is very PC about it, even saying that it might have evolutionary value (which is BS.)
 
thaiboxerken said:
They would be wrong, though. Having a brain that is missing a delusion module seems to produce more scientific/ reasoned thinking. I really can't see how a brain with a defect in it that causes delusion could not be seen as mentally disabled or damaged.
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I agree with you, however I can see how the counter-argument could be made.

How about curing these people of the ailment? Wouldn't that be a better answer?
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Short of some drastic brain surgery, I don't see how this could be accomplished. Performing drastic brain surgery without their consent would be dropping down to a level I am not comfortable with.
 
DanishDynamite said:
Get real. If I started a thread saying all skeptics were idiots, no skeptic would refrain from joining in to tell me why I was wrong.
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Would they? I guess you'd have to start one to find out. Personally, I'd probably reply with something like...
Egg said:
I don't understand why you are asking others to defend themselves here.

You've started a thread with a bold (and fairly offensive) claim and the ball is firmly in your court to provide the evidence and reasoning to support it.
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DanishDynamite said:
I know you mean well, UW, but I've taken all the long walks possible and somehow their efficacy has plummeted.

I'm sure you and I both could be doing "better" things. But hey, I enjoy debating.

As to whether this is my finest moment, I started a similar thread back when I joined this place. It was oddly a big hit back then.
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I nearly choked on a mouthful of food when I read this. If you think "debating" is calling people and their beliefs idiotic and ignorant, you are sadly mistaken. Debating calls for civility as a first principle.
 
DanishDynamite said:
Get real. If I started a thread saying all skeptics were idiots, no skeptic would refrain from joining in to tell me why I was wrong. Are you saying the believers, aside from idiocy, also have no balls?
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Hmmm, you started a thread saying that all religions are idiocy in a skeptics forum. It seems to me that if you wanted a response from believers telling you why you are wrong, you would have started it in a religious forum.

If a thread in a religious forum was titled "Why skepticism is idiocy" and didn't get much defense from skeptics, would that be an indication that skeptics have no balls?

What comes across to me is that you are not actually interested in what religious believers might have to say in their own defense. If you were, you would have posted in a more appropriate forum with a less confrontational title.
 
DanishDynamite said:
So you realize it's bunk?
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The term I once learned is "pulling your leg." Given your OP, I figured I'd reply in kind. I don't do Bingo on Wednesday nights. I don't expect I ever will. And as for chicks digging it, well, that's a story for another time, if you and I ever share that beer in person. :)

DR
 
DanishDynamite said:
All religions are idiotic as they all assume belief in something supernatural.
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So they are all equally idiotic based on their belief in the "supernatural"?

"Supernatural" is just a point of view. To believe in the "supernatural" is to believe in the reality of things beyond one's conception of what constitutes "natural" law. If isolated hunter-gatherers are exposed for the first time to cutting-edge modern technology they would consider such artifacts supernatural by their understanding of the world. If we were exposed to phenomenon or technology based on principles unknown to us we to could consider them supernatural as well. But ofcourse such things would be natural in the sense that they have basic underlying rules that govern them and can -- in principle -- be understood. To claim that a group of people are "idiots" because of their belief in the "supernatural" is extremely presumptuous.

Beth said:
Hmmm, you started a thread saying that all religions are idiocy in a skeptics forum. It seems to me that if you wanted a response from believers telling you why you are wrong, you would have started it in a religious forum.

If a thread in a religious forum was titled "Why skepticism is idiocy" and didn't get much defense from skeptics, would that be an indication that skeptics have no balls?

What comes across to me is that you are not actually interested in what religious believers might have to say in their own defense. If you were, you would have posted in a more appropriate forum with a less confrontational title.
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If Danish wants some contrary views I think there are more than enough people on these forums who are willing to provide them.
 
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I think there has been too much focus on the definition of "religion" and not enough on the definition of "idiot". A lot of people have said that holding idiotic beliefs does not mean one is an idiot. I disagee. The problem is, there are lots of different criteria for intelligence, and being good in some does not mean you are good in all. It is entirely possible for someone to be an absolute genius in some areas are still be a complete idiot in others. Someone can be illiterate and yet able to do complex maths in their head. Someone can be a brilliant politician and yet have trouble adding 1 and 1. Is it fair to call such a person an idiot in general? No. Is it fair to call them an idiot in a specific case? Certainly. The same is true for beliefs. Someone can be as intelligent, rational and generally great in some areas and still be an idiot in others.
 
Cuddles said:
I think there has been too much focus on the definition of "religion" and not enough on the definition of "idiot". A lot of people have said that holding idiotic beliefs does not mean one is an idiot. I disagee. The problem is, there are lots of different criteria for intelligence, and being good in some does not mean you are good in all. It is entirely possible for someone to be an absolute genius in some areas are still be a complete idiot in others. Someone can be illiterate and yet able to do complex maths in their head. Someone can be a brilliant politician and yet have trouble adding 1 and 1. Is it fair to call such a person an idiot in general? No. Is it fair to call them an idiot in a specific case? Certainly. The same is true for beliefs. Someone can be as intelligent, rational and generally great in some areas and still be an idiot in others.
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Hmm...

I suppose with that definition in mind would it be fair to say that the OP was philosophically "idiotic"?
 
DanishDynamite said:
Get real. If I started a thread saying all skeptics were idiots, no skeptic would refrain from joining in to tell me why I was wrong. Are you saying the believers, aside from idiocy, also have no balls?
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Why take a clear and unambiguous statement and try to make it unclear and ambiguous? She said what she was trying to say:

Hokulele said:
this type of thread is not very useful in trying to figure out why people believe what they believe
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There is no reason to ask "are you saying?" She said what she was saying.

This type of thread is not very useful in trying to figure out why people believe what they believe.
 
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DARK LORD XENU said:
I must ask what's so idiotic about believing in a higher power?
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No, no, it's idiocy to believe in a "higher power" that's impotent.
And aren't they all?

To me it is far more idiotic to go about putting others down for there beliefs!
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Why? Do all beliefs deserve equal recognition, respect, and adherence from everyone?

Do you feel there are any idiotic beliefs? If so, which ones? If those, how do you feel about those who hold them?
 
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