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Why I Despise Religion

Rational Agnostic

Well-Known Member
The sole reason that I despise religion is that it creates the greatest and most destructive delusion known to humankind, namely, the delusion that we will be around forever. Hence, most people never get a chance to live as if they will actually cease to exist one day; instead; religion has turned people into cowards, afraid to take chances; procrastinating on living the lives that they actually want to live. "I'll do that when I get to heaven" is a phrase commonly uttered by religious folk who have deluded themselves into believing that they will somehow be alive after they are dead. Interestingly, nearly everyone believes that when animals die; they die, and do not possess magical souls. Why, then, do these same individuals believe that human animals will somehow persist after death? *staff edit*
 
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Rival

Si m'ait Dieus
Staff member
Premium Member
The sole reason that I despise religion is that it creates the greatest and most destructive delusion known to humankind, namely, the delusion that we will be around forever.
Not all of them.

I am so sick of this argument. Most people don't have faith because of fear of Death. That is a ridiculous reason to believe in G-d. I couldn't care less if I cease to exist after Death.

If most atheists think that this is why believers believe, then no wonder they hate religion. They have no clue what it's really all about.
 
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9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Not all of them.

I am so sick of this argument. Most people don't have faith because of fear of death. That is a ridiculous reason to believe in G-d. I couldn't care less if I cease to exist after Death.
IMO, it's more of a reason to stay in a religion than to adopt one in the first place.

If most atheists think that this is why believers believe, then no wonder they hate religion. They have no clue what it's really all about.
Maybe you're unique. Your religious views don't strike me as mainstream; maybe they're as irrelevant to the overall inpact of religion as my buddy's vegetable oil-powered car is relevant to the impact of the automobile.

I attended a Christian funeral last week. All of the minister's remarks could be summed up as "take heart in the fact she's not really dead." This kind of attitude seems to be pretty prevalent in the mainstream religions I see around me.
 

Rival

Si m'ait Dieus
Staff member
Premium Member
Maybe you're unique. Your religious views don't strike me as mainstream; maybe they're as irrelevant to the overall inpact of religion as my buddy's vegetable oil-powered car is relevant to the impact of the automobile.

I attended a Christian funeral last week. All of the minister's remarks could be summed up as "take heart in the fact she's not really dead." This kind of attitude seems to be pretty prevalent in the mainstream religions I see around me.
Well, to be honest, comparing Jewish/Noahide views with Christian views (of any denomination) is apples and oranges really. The Jewish view is that most people will enter heaven, no matter the faith, so having belief in G-d to enter heaven is like...well, kinda pointless.
 
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LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
If most atheists think that this is why believers believe, then no wonder they hate religion.

I attended a Christian funeral last week. All of the minister's remarks could be summed up as "take heart in the fact she's not really dead." This kind of attitude seems to be pretty prevalent in the mainstream religions I see around me.

You know what? I agree with you both. It is weird to see superficially religious claims for belief in an afterlife happen so often and be treated as a good and significant thing.
 
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George-ananda

Advaita Vedanta, Theosophy, Spiritualism
Premium Member
The sole reason that I despise religion is that it creates the greatest and most destructive delusion known to humankind, namely, the delusion that we will be around forever.
I believe in an afterlife based on the cumulative evidence from many so-called paranormal subfields not because traditional religion says so. Proper modern religious thought wants us to be happy both here and in the afterlife. I am not sure how you think one would be better off without religion, but mongering for pleasures of the physical world doesn't work either in the long run.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
I believe in an afterlife based on the cumulative evidence from many so-called paranormal subfields not because traditional religion says so.
Sure you do.

Proper modern religious thought wants us to be happy both here and in the afterlife. I am not sure how you think one would be better off without religion, but mongering for pleasures of the physical world doesn't work either in the long run.
It isn't so much "mongering for pleasures of the physical world" as it is "fighting for justice here and now because you don't expect the oppressed to be compensated after they're dead."

Edit: ... which points to one way that religion often makes us worse off: it can encourage people to tolerate injustice.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
If someone believes in this and they find comfort in it, who are you to try to take that away from them? For what purpose?
Which religion actually provides people with comfort? Please be specific.

Generally, the religions that hold out the carrot of something like Heaven also hold out the stick of something like Hell and create a fair bit of anxiety because of it.
 

Rational Agnostic

Well-Known Member
If someone believes in this and they find comfort in it, who are you to try to take that away from them? For what purpose?

To motivate them to see the world as it actually is, rather than how they wish it to be, and to wake them up so that they can begin to live their lives free from the shackles of religious delusion.
 

Quetzal

A little to the left and slightly out of focus.
Premium Member
To motivate them to see the world as it actually is, rather than how they wish it to be, and to wake them up so that they can begin to live their lives free from the shackles of religious delusion.
Many would argue their faith allows them freedom in life. Their perspective is different than yours. So long as they are not harming others, why should it matter to you?
 

Rational Agnostic

Well-Known Member
I believe in an afterlife based on the cumulative evidence from many so-called paranormal subfields not because traditional religion says so. Proper modern religious thought wants us to be happy both here and in the afterlife. I am not sure how you think one would be better off without religion, but mongering for pleasures of the physical world doesn't work either in the long run.

At what point in the evolutionary process do you believe souls came into existence? If humans live forever, do apes? How about dogs? Rabbits? Mice? Grasshoppers? Ants? Mosquitoes? Also, do their magical souls go to the same dimension as other animals, or does each species have its own designate dimension?
 

Quetzal

A little to the left and slightly out of focus.
Premium Member
Which religion actually provides people with comfort? Please be specific.

Generally, the religions that hold out the carrot of something like Heaven also hold out the stick of something like Hell and create a fair bit of anxiety because of it.
They find comfort in the idea of life beyond this one. A theological argument within the context of Christianity can be made.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
If someone believes in this and they find comfort in it, who are you to try to take that away from them? For what purpose?
One possible and IMO quite sufficient purpose would be to avoid the damage that people cause while they pursue and attempt to sustain such a belief.

In my personal experience, that is a major, very real concern.
 

Rational Agnostic

Well-Known Member
Many would argue their faith allows them freedom in life. Their perspective is different than yours. So long as they are not harming others, why should it matter to you?

It is their choice. However, most people who practice a religion are often concerned with the "eternal significance" of their actions.
 

Kilgore Trout

Misanthropic Humanist
Fear of not existing is clearly a major component of humans' general drive for religious and god belief. However, I don't expect most people would somehow live vastly more full or realized lives without it. Humans, in general, are largely instinctual, and their awareness and needs don't extend much beyond being fed and comfortable. And, although most people have a strong desire not to die, they also don't have a strong desire to do much beyond exist.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
They find comfort in the idea of life beyond this one. A theological argument within the context of Christianity can be made.
So the same context that had my ex-wife sobbing on a regular basis at the thought that I was going to end up in Hell? That context?

If you think that the net effect of Christianity tips more to the "comfort" side than it does to "discomfort", I'd be interested to hear you make your case. It doesn't align with my experience.
 

Quetzal

A little to the left and slightly out of focus.
Premium Member
It is their choice. However, most people who practice a religion are often concerned with the "eternal significance" of their actions.
Why is that a problem to you? You still haven't answered this question. While religion can be a dangerous scape goat to immoral actions, so can many other things. This is not limited to religion and the delusion of moral superiority isn't either.
 
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