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Religion is more of a pathology than a culture. And
atheism isn't a culture - any more than not believing
in ghosts, or not fishing, is a culture. |
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It's fairly clear to me, there's a taxonomical
split here in the
category definitions between things that are
material things (i.e.
"proper" inventions) and "other", where things tend
to get a bit
more metaphysical. |
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There are of course exceptions, but for an idea
site that's taken
steps to promote real-life inventions, it seems
like a fair split.
Or to make analogy to classical taxonomica ,
religion and atheism
are the Halfbakery's prokaryotes, and everything
else is
eukaryotic. |
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(The existence of the "culture" category destroys
this argument
however, so please allow me to invite you to look
the other way at this point at the shiny thing * -
oooh, shiny!) |
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Maybe if it was more cultivated it would reach culture |
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Wouldn't atheism be a philosphy ? |
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I don't know. Is thinking that golf balls are round a
philosophy? |
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Sounds a dangerous cult to me. |
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//Is thinking that golf balls are round a philosophy?// No, that would be thinking "round" is the same as "spherical", an entirely different exercise. |
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I was referring to "atheism" as meaning "opposed to religion", rather than "humanist" or whatever. |
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Atheism isn't a philosophy that exists to oppose religion.
Atheism is the null case. Religious thinkers like to propose
that they are in the same weight class with the null case,
but only because it suggests that they have equal access to
the absolute. In reality religions exist in petty opposition to
each other, thriving on tribalism and human insecurities.
The humans that are atheist are also inclined to tribalism
and insecurity, but that cannot be held against the
underlying logical principal. |
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Then why do self-proclaimed atheists spend their time attacking religion, instead of promoting their own beliefs ? ie: seeming to be focused on "they're wrong", rather than "we're right". |
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Because, every day it seems, laws are being passed
to foist people's religious beliefs on us against our
will. Look at the antiabortion laws, and gay
discrimination laws being passed all over the
country. Look at the bills being pushed to require
science teachers to teach creationism. The only
way to stop the onslaught of religious oppression is
to attack it at the source, ie the religion itself.
Atheists aren't fighting for atheism, we're fighting
for secularism, which is the view that religious
considerations should be excluded from civil
affairs or public education.. |
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//why do self-proclaimed atheists spend their time
attacking religion// |
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Aside from [21Q]'s response, it is worth mentioning
that there are far more atheists out there than you
think. The vast majority of them _don't_ spend their
time attacking religion. |
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Would you be prepared to make an exception for
yoghurt? |
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//Culture should be eradicated where possible// There
some are positive cultural things I'd quite like to keep, like
books, the TCP/IP protocol, and cake - but I think it's fair to
say much of the rest is largely dross. |
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[Ian] - can you guarantee that your proposals would
put an end, once and for all, to Morris dancing? |
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////Is thinking that golf balls are round a
philosophy?// No, that would be thinking "round" is
the same as "spherical", an entirely different
exercise.// |
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Without commenting on the suggestion that
misinterpretation of geometric descriptors is
somehow a philosophy, I'll point out that "round" and
"spheroidal" are not mutually exclusive concepts, any
more than "pedantic" and "annoying". (My teasing of
the friendly, respectful variety F.T.) Both descriptions
can be accurate though referring to different aspects
of that which is being discussed. |
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Golf balls ARE round, as well as being spherical. To
ascribe roundness only to two dimensional objects
reduces to some extent the usefulness of the word. A
tire is round while being torus shaped as well. The
word "round" is useful in describing the
first layer facts of certain objects. Balls, wheels, etc.
"Is the coin round?" "Yes." Is it spheroidal?" "No." A
football is round on one axis and ovoid on another. |
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I should make this my new standard submission to any
religious, theological or ontological discussion as it's
about as useful as any. |
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I will say though that not all religions are the same.
Some offer useful ways for people to learn to get
along
with their lives and associate with others while there
are some religions that are positively toxic by any
measure. Won't get into which is who, but I think
that's pretty self evident. |
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And don't get me started about the Quakers. |
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Wait, my brother's a Quaker. He's a good guy. |
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Buddhist extremists have done some very bad things, they
certainly don't have a perfect record in east Asia. |
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Perhaps it would be prudent to do a poll here on the
HB, and find a religion that nobody is affiliated to, or
has friends or relatives affiliated to. Then we'd all be
able to take swings at it. |
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Which is why we don't, typically. |
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//A football is round on one axis and ovoid on another// I think you mean a rugby ball. |
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I probably should've seen that coming. |
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I'm an atheist, and I'm religious. And I'm a practicing Jew too.
So there you go! |
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[pocm] marked for category other::cult |
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I'm a non-practicing atheist. |
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I can identify with [pashute]'s link 4th link wholeheartedly, but from the background of an evangelical Christian history and not as a Jew. |
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To hear the Shema modified with 'humanity is one,' is rather encouraging. Hopefully the Israeli government will someday take this to heart. |
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//What we also have but shouldn’t have is
organisational culture, where we start blindly doing
things in a certain way because...// |
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First male weaverbird to second male weaverbird:
"So, Mike, tell me. Do you ever wonder _why_ we
have to fan our tails out and hop backwards while
bobbing our heads, just to get to have sex?" |
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//The vast majority of them _don't_ spend their
time attacking religion.// |
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That's because they're in hiding, scared to death of
what religious nutters will do to them if they're
discovered. Look how many atheist bloggers have
been hacked to death with cane knives and
machetes in Bangladesh just this year. |
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I know quite a few people who are blissfully unaware of the fact that they do not believe in the supernatural almost all of the time. I myself would happily avoid eye contact, mumble something non-confrontational and back slowly away if a stranger broached the topic on either side of the issue. To the extent to which I can I try to live as if the religion question was already largely resolved. |
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//Look how many atheist bloggers have been hacked
to death with cane knives and machetes in
Bangladesh just this year.// Well then, not going to
Bangladesh would seem a prudent measure. |
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That dictum has served my family well for
generations. |
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