OuchThatHurts
Moderator / Psy, Ret.
Staff member
Moderator
Kilo Klub Member
Registered
Verified Customer
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2005
- Messages
- 10,520
I know this is off-topic from the thread so apologies.I will pose an alternative perspective. I think it is important that unreason and lack of logic is counter balanced WITH reason and logical thinking in public settings. Atheism is the lack of faith, not a different form of faith. Science is evidence based, it and by extension atheism, therefore require no faith.
Here is a quick example why someone may be Atheist, and it’s not that they may have a damaged brain. There are 100 billion planets in the Milky Way galaxy, one of many galaxies. Of those 100 Billion planets, it is estimated 300 million may be able to support life. So let’s suppose there is a god or creator. Why would this entity, with millions of planets like earth, conceivably, even if a fraction support intelligent with life, care or even have the capability to notice what happened here On Earth?
Scientists pinpoint how many planets in the Milky Way could host life
Based on data from the Kepler and Gaia missions, a new study estimated that there are 300 million potentially habitable planets in the Milky Way.www.inverse.com
Religion is the construct of a primitive and closed mind that makes its own existence special, a mind that needs the reassurance that an all powerful being exists and more importantly loves and protects them. It is a form of control used to govern society by those in power, who above all wish to remain in power.
I am not going to go back and forth with you. I enjoy that this board does not encourage the discussion of religion or Politics. I think it can dominate the content and reduce the value for all members. I wanted to provide a different perspective for consideration. Seems everyone is drinking the Kool-Aid (it’s a valid reference, look it up).
However, I want to add one last thought. There are many examples of religion being the greatest evil, from wars, acts of terror, to the oppression of women, and free thought. The inquisition, crusades, burning of witches, rape of children, genital mutilation, and colonization of indigenous populations are all products of, or encouraged by religion. All of that sounds like damaged brains, not Atheism, at least to me.
You make some good points. My point is that there are agnostics and believers. You are either not sure or you have faith. Faith in it's strictest definition is required for daily living. You can't just turn it off. You exhibit faith every time you get behind the wheel of a car, or board a plane, or hike through the woods. Spiritual faith is no different. We use the faith mechanism to "fill in the blanks" for things we can't see, understand, and cannot measure (or predict).
It's important that we separate religion from the innate curiosity and belief (faith) that there is something more. You are correct that historically, religion has been a disaster. On the other hand, the belief that there may be more to all this and the resulting curiosity has resulted in some of our greatest achievements— telescopes in space, rovers on Mars, bathyscaphes 36,000 feet deep. And we're now looking for exoplanets and possibly intelligent life. They wouldn't be spending billions if they didn't have faith that there is life or something more out there.
Science changes by the hour. Just a few hundred years ago we'd have believed the Earth was flat and the stars were on a firmament in the sky.
As I said earlier, I believe science and the ancient theories will merge.
Einstein—"Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security."