I would argue that there is no definition of God that is credible, helpful or necessary for human well-being and progress.Originally Posted by World's End Stella
I would argue that there is no definition of God that is credible, helpful or necessary for human well-being and progress.
How about contentment and peace of mind? Imagine that everyone on this lovely planet of ours experienced both of these on a daily basis precisely because of their belief in God. Then add all that peace and contentment for every human being that has ever lived and you'll come up with something far more valuable than anything delivered by man in the name of progress.
But this is based on the assumption that the comfort and solitude gained from a belief in God cannot be replicated - improved, even - by anything else. I dispute this.
The overwhelming majority of this peace and contentment comes from their belief that at the moment of death you will not cease to exist for all eternity.
You'll struggle to come up with an alternative, Monty. Unless you're referring to crack?
But you can't measure the extent to which this ignorance reduces the quality of their life as they live it. So, if you accept there is nothing after death, you may well (and should be encouraged to) see more value in what you have here and now, since it is all you have and will ever have. What better motive to pursue your interests, dreams, and to expand your mind? And yes, taking crack could certainly be part of that - though I would personally suggest psychadelics.The overwhelming majority of this peace and contentment comes from their belief that at the moment of death you will not cease to exist for all eternity.
You'll struggle to come up with an alternative, Monty. Unless you're referring to crack?
In short, religiosity erodes the incentive to maximise your potential. Or to be more specific, it erodes the potential that can blossom from a lifetime of persuing truth.
They aren't mutually exclusive, Monty. Many people do both.
I know that. But it is religiosity that provides a ready-made excuse not to. Indeed, arguably its central message is to resist many of the paths that can lead to the kind of fulfillment and human progress that I refer to. Non-religiosity can also have its downsides - a sense of nihilism, lack of meaning and purpose, etc - but as a concept it is value free. You can take what you want from it, without any of the bad ideas or outright lies that religion imposes on you.They aren't mutually exclusive, Monty. Many people do both.
Surely this depends on the verdict going your way, for those who believe in an upstairs-downstairs afterlife.
As one that doesn't, the prospect of ceasing to exist doesn't bother me at all personally, as long as pain isn't involved in the process. I'm far more concerned about the distress, inconvenience and possible mess left behind for others at such a cessation.
I think some people would prefer an eternity of existence in hell to simply ceasing to exist.
Ash, I think you'd like this podcast with Brendan O'Neill in which he discusses his enduring fondness for Marxism and how his original ideas have been heavily distorted and stigmatised. Worth an hour of your time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak51zb4G_Kk
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