Can we be sure?

[Phaedrus]

Except that many are in a better place without religion.
The religiously minded erroneously think others would be in a better place if they would just believe.

 

[BilliardsBall]

Maybe the way many people (including me) often tend to say to others, Your belief is wrong (spiritually/ Religious) But how can we be sure we are the ones who believe correct?

May it be that we are all correct in different ways?
May it be that we, ourself does not grasp the full truth of the religion or spiritual teaching we follow?
Or for those who do not believe there is any God/s or other spiritual beings, Can you be sure that it is no sentient beings? But of some reason, you can not grasp it since you can not see them or feel them?
Or maybe we are all wrong and when we die as a human being it becomes nothing left?

Maybe, but thankfully, the Bible is my guide.

 

[Nimos]

Reverse this and we can all see the joy and value of the human imagination...to take of our apparent reality and weave fascinating and creative fantasy that in some unprovable way could be reality.

Through this intentional self-deception we can open ourselves up to new possibilities in reality for how we understand the universe, each other and ourselves. Some of these fantasies may be of particular interest and value to a certain people at a certain time. And if religion was thought of more like the art that it is than the literal science it has too often tried to become, I think we would all be "in a better place".

I think you are right, at least a lot fewer people would care about it, if it were just seen as "art" or just something people chose to believe in and kept it at that. Same reason most people are not to concern about those that believe the Earth is flat, because its doesn't really influence other people lives directly at least. But when religions need to have special treatment and it starts to affect societies and the way people live, then that is not ok I think. So as you say religion have a lot of value to a lot of people, which is really good, but there is no reason trying to force these values on others, unless one can provide proof.

 

[sealchan]

I think you are right, at least a lot fewer people would care about it, if it were just seen as "art" or just something people chose to believe in and kept it at that. Same reason most people are not to concern about those that believe the Earth is flat, because its doesn't really influence other people lives directly at least. But when religions need to have special treatment and it starts to affect societies and the way people live, then that is not ok I think. So as you say religion have a lot of value to a lot of people, which is really good, but there is no reason trying to force these values on others, unless one can provide proof.

Thanks for this.

I find myself also needing to argue, against many atheists, that religious stories are not only bad lies but useful truths. It is just that so much that is bad has been done by those espousing these fantasies and far too little in the way of apology and acceptance of responsibility for that evil has been addressed. That makes it hard to accept the deep value of such intentional fantasies.

I think that in such modern, even science-y epic TV series such as Star Wars and especially Star Trek, we have a modern myth with wide appeal to many atheists who would balk at the idea of their interest in Star Trek as anything more than "entertainment". If we take away the unfortunate but understandable notion that myth has to be taken literally to be of use or value, then, perhaps, I can make the case that such moments of entertainment go a long way toward our need to understand our reality and ourselves in a fantasy context in order to find our meaningful place in life.