Which part of the God Delusion did you find most offensive? (beliefs, experience)

[mball1297]

Originally Posted by Apex

Looks like I just discovered a way to never be responsible for my own actions ever again.

I didn't say you're not responsible. The question was about what is and what's not a religious act. Even if you commit a religious act, unless you're mentalle challenged, you're still at least partly responsible.

[Willamena]

Originally Posted by Apex

Looks like I just discovered a way to never be responsible for my own actions ever again.

Woohoo!

[Willamena]

Originally Posted by fantôme profane

Good question. But if you are an employee of an corporation acting for that corporation in the name of that corporation, then that corporation will be held accountable for your actions.

I could be wrong, but I don't believe there is any contractual arrangement in being part of a religion.

[mball1297]

Originally Posted by Willamena

I could be wrong, but I don't believe there is any contractual arrangement in being part of a religion.

Is that relevant?

[BalanceFx]

Originally Posted by Willamena

I could be wrong, but I don't believe there is any contractual arrangement in being part of a religion.

You know what you are discussing is mentioned in "The God Delusion". Psychology is fun to explore but I find neuroscience more accurate in terms of explaining the brain.

Now not to harp on 9/11 but it does have a point of what religious fantacism can do. Their decision to fly those planes into our buildings was their action and they should be held accountable. Their motivation was due to their fantactical belief in an after life inspired by religion, the promise of 40 virgins taught by religion and being always remembered with their religion as a hero.

Clearly religion had a responsibility in their actions. Religion plays a MAJOR role in peoples actions and beliefs. For most its a core philosphy and off limits from being questioned or debated. Here though, as far as 9/11 is concerned, we have a clear representation of a religious belief gone wrong. A memetic virus. A tool that can be used to minupulate people into doing such horrible things.

Back to america: When they tortured the witches do you think religion played no role? When they hung people and imprisioned citizens of this country for Blasphemy is religion also not responsible?

You seem to want to take the stance that just because someone was of such and such a religion the fact that they commited this act in the name of religion then it is unrelated to their religious beleifs. Which can be true... But is usually not.

If you truly beleive in an afterlife and that this life is borderline meaningless then one only needs to figure out your beleifs in the afterlife to minupulate you in this world like a puppet.

[Rolling_Stone]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

What you are overlooking is why religion is used as an "excuse" by politicians. It is used as an "excuse" or motivator by politicians precisely because it indeed works as one. That is, significant numbers of people will do good or bad things if they are told their religion demands those things of them. If that were not so, politicians would not -- they could not -- use religion as an "excuse" or motivator for people to do things.

Is that why communism is a religion even though it's officially atheistic?

[kai]

Originally Posted by Rolling_Stone

Is that why communism is a religion even though it's officially atheistic?

you cant really attack one belief system with another, stalinism,or the regime in N korea for example have beleif systems that use personality cults, you can call it atheist if you like but if your leader is held as devine as in Nkorea then its hardly atheist. kim ill Sung is in fact the eternal president even though he is dead.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by Rolling_Stone

Is that why communism is a religion even though it's officially atheistic?

Is that a relevant question?

[Sunstone]

How did this thread get off the topic of the God Delusion?