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You thread does not tee off atheists at least. But I don't think religion is just a 'social construct' Though I do agree it serves that purpose too, mainly to provide social cohesion and to underpin respect for authority.
But it also provides magical products - a way of getting control over your life. A way of understanding all those understandable mysteries and, biggest and best, a way of avoiding the great horror of life - death. Or so the religious advertising says.
Atheists say that we are born atheist. The religious say we are born with a god -belief. We are both right - and wrong. It is more true to say that we are born with two instincts - a trust in master -figures, such as parents, teachers and rulers. The other is a survival -instinct which becomes focussed into knowing that we don't want to die.
We are not born having religious belief - not in the sense of man -made religion. So it is actually more true to say we are born without a religion until we are taught one. The religions do their best to make sure that we are. 'Born Atheist' is however true insofar as the particular personal gods of religions are not known to us. I know that some have said that they 'knew Jesus' from an early age even before they knew 'about' Jesus. Assuming these stories are true, this is because the need for something in your life (and I've been aware of this all my life, too) is instinctive, and inexplicable, and then along comes Jesus, or Allah, or Krishna or Buddha and fits perfectly into the god -shaped bottle, as C. S Lewis calls it.
It is true that, while it is easy to show that man -made religions are false - to anyone willing to listen - it isn't so easy to get over this god -instinct. Logical argument can show that it isn't logically a sound belief, but you can't eradicate the belief -instinct so easily.
But that's not a problem for atheism. Belief in some sorta -god is not what atheists are battling against. It is man made religions and their many -headed gods, and the influence such social constructs have of the societies they exploit for their advantage.
yeah, it isn't easy to get over 'we are part of a larger more complex system" because that's exactly what we are in. But you guys think that denying everything is best for public consumption. hey, just like fudy theists know whats best ... to save us.
You overreact to the word "god". In a real way, you are bound to a god. like theist, your denomination has to describe the universe to match your denomination of atheists beliefs. The universe has to match your statement of belief about god.
Fine, I will do my gender identity and religion compassion more explainable
Painting your nails as a guy doesn't change the fact that you still have a dick
As a believer of whatever faith/religion, you are not really forced to follow so many demands so as long as you still believe in what you can. You don't really have to wear a burka
Or go to church or whatever to be really what you want identify as, so as long as you don't live in a highly religious atmosphere.
I can understand a bit of the religious Instinct point, I kind of had it too.
Fine, I will do my gender identity and religion compassion more explainable
Painting your nails as a guy doesn't change the fact that you still have a dick
As a believer of whatever faith/religion, you are not really forced to follow so many demands so as long as you still believe in what you can. You don't really have to wear a burka
Or go to church or whatever to be really what you want identify as, so as long as you don't live in a highly religious atmosphere.
I can understand a bit of the religious Instinct point, I kind of had it too.
like religion, gender identity is fubar by the literalist, they fubar many notions. Like letting a "girl in a boys body" compete against girls is flat stupid. that in no way says the girl in there doesn't exists. I, myself, am a lesbian trapped in a man's body.
The same goes for religion. the literalist fubar the idea's within many religions. for example, if a religious person can't say the reason for a particular belief in a law, or idea, without saying "god said so", they have to rethink just why they hold onto that notion.
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