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As most adults know or eventually learn, there are a lot of scary elements in life and to paraphrase Russell, some of which are sure to happen to you. There's not just the ultimate surety of death, but illness, pain, depression, and a host of other psychological terrors. Conflict, fear.
To be clear, I'm not supporting any kind of notion that religion is acceptable because it offers a panacea for all the negatives in life. What I'm asking is, how do you counter this argument?
Personally, my strongest argument against this perspective is that truth has a value all its own, and living in fantasy land, based on fear, is not intellectually respectable.
the same way I counter the argument that social change to stop religion is reason enough deny how the universe works to the best of our ability.
the universe works the way it works, not how we want it to work.
deal with it.
Yeah, I like that. A little caustic but absolutely viable.
Of course, women my age (70 in July) don't normally fashion those kinds of replies, but it's sort of charming (to use an outdated expression) to hear younger people do it.
Religion can be a scape-goat. When great things happen, then god is good, thank you Jesus! When bad things happen, you are being punished by god. You must have done something to be punished for. In any event, it's all god's doing, you have no responsibility, except for somehow being evil.
Religion can be a scape-goat. When great things happen, then god is good, thank you Jesus! When bad things happen, you are being punished by god. You must have done something to be punished for. In any event, it's all god's doing, you have no responsibility, except for somehow being evil.
That's also obviously true but does it address the inquiry I posted?
Let me rephrase it in clearer terms:
(a) Life is scary
(b) Religion is comforting
(c) Why is (b) not sufficient to support (a)
As most adults know or eventually learn, there are a lot of scary elements in life and to paraphrase Russell, some of which are sure to happen to you. There's not just the ultimate surety of death, but illness, pain, depression, and a host of other psychological terrors. Conflict, fear.
To be clear, I'm not supporting any kind of notion that religion is acceptable because it offers a panacea for all the negatives in life. What I'm asking is, how do you counter this argument?
Personally, my strongest argument against this perspective is that truth has a value all its own, and living in fantasy land, based on fear, is not intellectually respectable.
What other reasons can you list?
Because beliefs inform and define action. And irrational beliefs that do not comport with reality lead to irrational actions. Irrational actions are likely to have destructive and self-destructive consequences.
So we should strive to believe as many true things as possible, and avoid as many false beliefs as possible. It leads to the best outcomes, the most honest outcomes, and the most respectable outcomes.
That's also obviously true but does it address the inquiry I posted?
Let me rephrase it in clearer terms:
(a) Life is scary
(b) Religion is comforting
(c) Why is (b) not sufficient to support (a)
I wouldn't try to counter such an argument because it isn't actually an argument at all. It is an admission of personal pathology if it is being presented that way.
Is it...I believe because life is terrifying and I figured out that I need the comfort of religion? That makes it sound like they don't really believe, but have found a device that works, so they will be pretending that they believe.
or is it...
Life is terrifying, but fortunately I have the comfort of my religious beliefs?
Neither is really an argument on behalf of the existence of a god, so I do not know what sort of counter argument would be required...or even if any counter argument is required.
As most adults know or eventually learn, there are a lot of scary elements in life and to paraphrase Russell, some of which are sure to happen to you. There's not just the ultimate surety of death, but illness, pain, depression, and a host of other psychological terrors. Conflict, fear.
To be clear, I'm not supporting any kind of notion that religion is acceptable because it offers a panacea for all the negatives in life. What I'm asking is, how do you counter this argument?
Personally, my strongest argument against this perspective is that truth has a value all its own, and living in fantasy land, based on fear, is not intellectually respectable.
What other reasons can you list?
There is no reason for religion, organized religion, to exist other than for the reason of a social club, with its rules of behavior and penalty for breaking them, club fees, a building to congregate in, and to foster the feeling of belonging, which is a good enough reason to exist. But life IS sorrow, as both Hinduism and Buddhism state categorically. The medicine for it is not religion, although it can be. It can also be spirituality which fosters a sense of unity with the universe, an attitude towards living that is not focused on materialism, and the belief that there is more to to the material world than what it seems, and there are ways to experience that Truth.
Because beliefs inform and define action. And irrational beliefs that do not comport with reality lead to irrational actions. Irrational actions are likely to have destructive and self-destructive consequences.
So we should strive to believe as many true things as possible, and avoid as many false beliefs as possible. It leads to the best outcomes, the most honest outcomes, and the most respectable outcomes.
Good answer.
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