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Does it bother you that people believe in God or other deities?

Evangelicalhumanist

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
Amanaki said:
In a few discussion it look like some people are really bothered that other people do believe in a God or deities.

Does it really bother you that much that people believe in a God?
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No, it doesn't bother me. Rather, it mystifies me. There's a book by Michael Shermer from around 1997 called "Why People Believe Weird Things," which talks about ... exactly what it says. You might enjoy watching Shermer on Ted Talks. It's quite wonderful if you get to minute 10 (because it demonstrates beautifully how easily you can have your own brain programmed). Why people believe weird things
 
Spirit of Light

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
Evangelicalhumanist said:
No, it doesn't bother me. Rather, it mystifies me. There's a book by Michael Shermer from around 1997 called "Why People Believe Weird Things," which talks about ... exactly what it says. You might enjoy watching Shermer on Ted Talks. It's quite wonderful if you get to minute 10 (because it demonstrates beautifully how easily you can have your own brain programmed). Why people believe weird things
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Thank you @Evangelicalhumanist i will have a look at it
 
A Vestigial Mote

A Vestigial Mote

Well-Known Member
People who share such beliefs with me usually genuinely EXPECT me to believe right along with them, and they become disappointed, incensed or sometimes even downright angry when I relay to them that I am not going to believe as they do any time soon. There's the real problem. Not with believing, but with expecting others to believe when the evidence you have to offer is paltry and inadequate.
 
SigurdReginson

SigurdReginson

Grēne Mann
Premium Member
I view our walks as our own. We all face life in a way that makes the most sense to us. Whether our views are objectively true or not isn't as important as our views being subjectively useful, imo.

No one is dumb or bad for simply believing in gods or spirits or things that I don't believe in; I can't jump into someone's skin and experience the things they have in life to make me know why they have the views they do. To pretend that I know more than someone else on what's best for their own life is absurd.

What I hope for from people is consideration, respect, and it's a bonus if they want to be open minded and have an honest conversation, too. What bothers me is when they don't give me these things, not their beliefs.

I think different perspectives, even ones we don't like or agree with, are valuable resources to utilize.
 
TagliatelliMonster

TagliatelliMonster

Veteran Member
Amanaki said:
In a few discussion it look like some people are really bothered that other people do believe in a God or deities.
Does it really bother you that much that people believe in a God?
Click to expand...

No.

Since I have a feeling this question is indirectly directed at me, allow me to rephrase the question to the point where I would answer it with "yes, it bothers me":


Does it really bother you that much that people base their decisions, judgements, behavior on faith based, or otherwise irrational, assertions / assumptions?


Yes, it does bother me. It bothers me because it causes incredible harm, it slows progress, it inflicts unnecessary suffering, it leads to irrational decision making and actions. The world would be much better of if people learned the value of science, evidence, reason and rational discourse instead.




Note that I speak of anything faith based. That off course includes religion. It also includes homeopathy, astrology, voodoo, crystal healing, etc etc etc etc.
 
Spirit of Light

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
TagliatelliMonster said:
No.

Since I have a feeling this question is indirectly directed at me, allow me to rephrase the question to the point where I would answer it with "yes, it bothers me":


Does it really bother you that much that people base their decisions, judgements, behavior on faith based, or otherwise irrational, assertions / assumptions?


Yes, it does bother me. It bothers me because it causes incredible harm, it slows progress, it inflicts unnecessary suffering, it leads to irrational decision making and actions. The world would be much better of if people learned the value of science, evidence, reason and rational discourse instead.




Note that I speak of anything faith based. That off course includes religion. It also includes homeopathy, astrology, voodoo, crystal healing, etc etc etc etc.
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Not directed at you :) we may disagree a lot, but you do listen to what people say.
 
mikkel_the_dane

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
icehorse said:
Okay, now I'm confused. Can you clarify? thx
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Yikes is a feeling and those are relative. You just confirmed relativism as limited cognitive, moral, cultural and subjective relativism by using a relative "judgment", i.e. yikes. That is funny to me so :D. Another case of relativism. Yikes, right?!! ;)
 
icehorse

icehorse

......unaffiliated...... anti-dogmatist
Premium Member
mikkel_the_dane said:
Yikes is a feeling and those are relative. You just confirmed relativism as limited cognitive, moral, cultural and subjective relativism by using a relative "judgment", i.e. yikes. That is funny to me so :D. Another case of relativism. Yikes, right?!! ;)
Click to expand...

sigh..
 
Twilight Hue

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Amanaki said:
In a few discussion it look like some people are really bothered that other people do believe in a God or deities.

Does it really bother you that much that people believe in a God?
Click to expand...
Not me in the least but I'd be lying if I didn't see it as a stellar opportunity for debating such beliefs.
 
icehorse

icehorse

......unaffiliated...... anti-dogmatist
Premium Member
mikkel_the_dane said:
Yeah, those pesky feelings. They do tend to get in the way of rationality.
Click to expand...

It's not about that. It's that it's not black and white. We all have biases and feelings. But in our more reflective moments we can ask if we want to take on moral relativism (MR), as a philosophy. From that perspective MR is usually seen as pretty black and white.
 
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