I’m thoroughly aware of the story which is why I find your summary of it lacking.
I don’t like religion at all, but it’s entirely clear to me that people’s emotional and social needs created religion, and then our love of hierarchical structures created organized religion.
You could wipe religion off the Earth tomorrow and it’d be back by next Tuesday as long as you didn’t wipe out all the people on the planet with it.
You’re firing in a scatter shot manner at a general human sociological phenomenon and are pretty off target in this case especially, where it’s pretty obvious the person had a mental illness.
You’re right, and I don’t disagree with you at all. Yes, we’ve had an emotional need for stories – more for connection with one another than for individual understanding, which cultural stories provide.
I’m saying there’s a difference between cultural stories and organised religion. The former is benign and can translate our questions into a semblance of meaning, and the latter which becomes dictatorial dogma that amplifies the worst of us, turning our basest instincts into abhorrent action.
I don’t think we disagree that much, you and I. I used to think organised religion wasn’t something I could get behind, but I thought to each their own.
The more I learned about it and the more I saw the bad influence it did to people I loved, the more I realised it’s nothing but a terrible influence in the world, holding us back as a people, and causing needless suffering and death.
Yeah, I don’t think we’re very far apart in thought either, there’s just some specifics in this case that make organized religion especially not really the culprit in these cases and we disagree on the specifics.
I too hate religion and organized religion probably even more so, and I don’t think “to each his own” as much as I’m simply resigned to the fact that it’s a part of the human experience, and will probably be around as long as we are.
I’m thoroughly aware of the story which is why I find your summary of it lacking.
I don’t like religion at all, but it’s entirely clear to me that people’s emotional and social needs created religion, and then our love of hierarchical structures created organized religion.
You could wipe religion off the Earth tomorrow and it’d be back by next Tuesday as long as you didn’t wipe out all the people on the planet with it.
You’re firing in a scatter shot manner at a general human sociological phenomenon and are pretty off target in this case especially, where it’s pretty obvious the person had a mental illness.
You’re right, and I don’t disagree with you at all. Yes, we’ve had an emotional need for stories – more for connection with one another than for individual understanding, which cultural stories provide.
I’m saying there’s a difference between cultural stories and organised religion. The former is benign and can translate our questions into a semblance of meaning, and the latter which becomes dictatorial dogma that amplifies the worst of us, turning our basest instincts into abhorrent action.
I don’t think we disagree that much, you and I. I used to think organised religion wasn’t something I could get behind, but I thought to each their own.
The more I learned about it and the more I saw the bad influence it did to people I loved, the more I realised it’s nothing but a terrible influence in the world, holding us back as a people, and causing needless suffering and death.
Yeah, I don’t think we’re very far apart in thought either, there’s just some specifics in this case that make organized religion especially not really the culprit in these cases and we disagree on the specifics.
I too hate religion and organized religion probably even more so, and I don’t think “to each his own” as much as I’m simply resigned to the fact that it’s a part of the human experience, and will probably be around as long as we are.