Atheistic Scientists Pushing Their Religion

[JGL53]

The entire article can be read here:

Losing our religion: Your guide to a godless future in General Forum

The author of this article pretty much concludes from reading the trends that religion will become less virulent and more benign as time goes on - generally - and that will be a good thing. Really hard core fundamentalist religious people and really hard core atheists are both wrong when they predict they each will win out in the end.

Well, that's fine with me. I am not, e.g., a deist or a believer in pantheistic idealism, but it would be fine with me if everyone else on earth were. At least that might stop both the sectarian religious and the sectarian secular violence that seems to hold sway over most of the earth today.

 

[PsychoSarah]

The author of this article pretty much concludes from reading the trends that religion will become less virulent and more benign as time goes on - generally - and that will be a good thing. Really hard core fundamentalist religious people and really hard core atheists are both wrong when they predict they each will win out in the end.

Well, that's fine with me. I am not, e.g., a deist or a believer in pantheistic idealism, but it would be fine with me if everyone else on earth were. At least that might stop both the sectarian religious and the sectarian secular violence that seems to hold sway over most of the earth today.

I wouldn't count on humans becoming less violent. A loss of an excuse for violence doesn't mean people won't invent new reasons to hurt each other.

 

[JGL53]

I wouldn't count on humans becoming less violent. A loss of an excuse for violence doesn't mean people won't invent new reasons to hurt each other.

I don't count on humans being anything in particular that I would prefer.

In a hypothetical wherein all people on earth were either devout deists and/or devout pantheists I think that would mean the level of violence that we see today and in the past would be reduced significantly. Hypothetically.

And who can guarantee that such will never happen?

No one can predict the future with 100 per cent accuracy?

The article focused on a trend of religion becoming less virulent and more benign. You think they were making up the data?

No need to be cynical. Let's agree to leave the cynicism to the cynics.

 

[PsychoSarah]

I don't count on humans being anything in particular that I would prefer.

In a hypothetical wherein all people on earth were either devout deists and/or devout pantheists I think that would mean the level of violence that we see today and in the past would be reduced significantly. Hypothetically.

And who can guarantee that such will never happen?

No one can predict the future with 100 per cent accuracy?

The article focused on a trend of religion becoming less virulent and more benign. You think they were making up the data?

No need to be cynical. Let's agree to leave the cynicism to the cynics.

I am a cynic, very much so. It used to be my title by my avatar pic. Also, no connection between being religious and being less violent.

 

[JGL53]

.... Also, no connection between being religious and being less violent.

Of course. Obviously.

I wonder if a case could be made for a connection between being agnostic and being less violent? One would assume agnostics don't care enough to want to bash someone's head in for disagreeing with them. lol.

Also, for that matter, I would think the record of non-communist atheists would be fairly good on the violence issue compared to a lot of religious traditions.

 

[PsychoSarah]

Of course. Obviously.

I wonder if a case could be made for a connection between being agnostic and being less violent? One would assume agnostics don't care enough to want to bash someone's head in for disagreeing with them. lol.

Also, for that matter, I would think the record of non-communist atheists would be fairly good on the violence issue compared to a lot of religious traditions.

They are. Using data on jail populations, agnostics and atheists are in prisons far lower than the percentage of the population they take up. Although, it may just be as a result of other variables, such as the fact that many gangs and other forms of organized crime push religious views.

 

[JGL53]

They are. Using data on jail populations, agnostics and atheists are in prisons far lower than the percentage of the population they take up. Although, it may just be as a result of other variables, such as the fact that many gangs and other forms of organized crime push religious views.

But there is also the theory that there are fewer atheists/agnostics in prison by percentage of their population numbers than religious people because the former is just smarter/more intelligent than the latter - on average - and thus are not caught in criminal activity as often.

I don't think we can discount this theory. I think more study is needed.

lol.

 

[PsychoSarah]

But there is also the theory that there are fewer atheists/agnostics in prison by percentage of their population numbers than religious people because the former is just smarter/more intelligent than the latter - on average - and thus are not caught in criminal activity as often.

I don't think we can discount this theory. I think more study is needed.

lol.

I know that is an idea, but people don't take to kindly to it so I don't bring it up. No one wants to be called stupid.

 

[Davian]

What exactly did you expect? It's not like I'm going out of my way to use them, but I don't know of anyone who's not guilty of lighting a really good bonfire every now and again.

Then your intent here is to undermine your own credibility?

 

[Michael]

Then your intent here is to undermine your own credibility?

Unbelievable. You yourself just used a *strawman* argument and then you have the nerve to lecture me about undermining *my* credibility with the use of strawmen? Simply amazing.

 

[Davian]

Unbelievable. You yourself just used a *strawman* argument and then you have the nerve to lecture me about undermining *my* credibility with the use of strawmen? Simply amazing.

I only used mine to set up an opportunity for you to decry them. Opportunity missed.

 

[Michael]

I only used mine to set up an opportunity for you to decry them. Opportunity missed.

I agree with you that they are not an optimal communication tool. Then again, there's no point in me pretending to innocent or anything remotely like innocent on that particular score.

 

[Davian]

...
That's (exactly) like asking how large is the universe. He could be infinitely "tall" AFAIK.

If the universe is infinite, why is the sky dark at night?

 

[Michael]

If the universe is infinite, why is the sky dark at night?

Dust and distance. It's not actually even dark on every wavelength, or "dark" on hardly *any* wavelength for that matter. The scattering effect depends on the wavelength and the materials in the ISM and IGM.

 

[Kylie]

Successfully derailed this into another thread about your pet idea, which you can't seem to stop talking about, Michael?

 

[Michael]

Successfully derailed this into another thread about your pet idea, which you can't seem to stop talking about, Michael?

Er, since everything I see and experience in the universe is part of my "pet idea" as you call it, and includes everything from astronomy to various areas of physics and religion, how exactly would you suggest I *completely* avoid it?

Besides, Dav asked, and I simply answered. That's my story anyway, and I'm sticking to it.

 

[PsychoSarah]

Er, since everything I see and experience in the universe is part of my "pet idea" as you call it, and includes everything from astronomy to various areas of physics and religion, how exactly would you suggest I *completely* avoid it?

Besides, Dav asked, and I simply answered. That's my story anyway, and I'm sticking to it.

I would say many matters of biology and social matters can be discussed without any physics having to be mentioned.

 

[Michael]

I would say many matters of biology and social matters can be discussed without any physics having to be mentioned.

Even then I'll have to tiptoe around things like Orch-OR theory, and I've already done the whole "teach EV theory to creationists" circuit. I've done my time on that topic already.

Maybe I'll just start Bible thumping quotes from Jesus for awhile.

 

[PsychoSarah]

Even then I'll have to tiptoe around things like Orch-OR theory, and I've already done the whole "teach EV theory to creationists" circuit. I've done my time on that topic already.

Maybe I'll just start Bible thumping quotes from Jesus for awhile.

Please don't, the bible thumping niche has been filled several times over.

 

[Michael]

Please don't, the bible thumping niche has been filled several times over.

Ya, you're right about that. Hmmmm.