Quote:
Originally Posted by flamesfever
I think our world view may be slightly different. I don't see the average person in the world getting advanced education. I see mostly poor uneducated masses that need religion to make their life meaningful, and to make society a little more stable.
I feel atheists tend to justify their stand by focusing on the negatives and ignoring any good that religion has to offer.
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I think that you misunderstand the benefit of religion to the uneducated masses.
When you find an uneducated group of people, throw in theism; you'll often find zealotry and radicalism.
The find meaning in divisive belief, they find meaning in hating those not in their theistic belief.
Society is much more unstable because of the lack of quality non-theistic education in the 2nd/3rd world. Do you think Palestine would be such a source of radicals IF they had a life to look forward to full of employment, education and freedoms to live a better life?
Its true Atheists are often the party poopers of religion. But its our duty to offer that side which pulls people away from a belief system which we deem to be counter productive to humanity's progress.
Its not like I like to tell people their beliefs are harmful and that they should consider other views; but I am compelled since after decades of anti-theistic progress we have a resurgence of theistic radicalism in one of the beacon's of freedom in the USA.
If religion was without harm, I can safely say most Atheists would quietly exist in our society living side by side with theists like we've done for thousands of years. But most of us are compelled in a world of free religion and such a huge pace of learning (computer age) of the last 50 years to speak out when people start resorting to old outdated ideology and dogma when we have much better alternatives.
Religion wants to tell me what books to read, what movies I can see, what words I cannot see, what nudity/art is acceptable...
Anything that discourages free thinking scares me, and thats why I am so concerned with religion and its followers; even if most of them are good people who do not know any better
