Quote:
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Originally Posted by Michael Shermer
"In any case, why does 'belief' matter? Shouldn't it matter more how you comport yourself in life, and how you treat other people?"
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Slightly off-topic, but still within the realm of the discussion about religion, I wonder if an answer to Shermer's insightful question is that 'belief' matters because it is the simplest way through which to control the actions and behaviours of others. Religion is propagated upon "faith" and "belief" systems that depend greatly upon the absence of empirically derived conclusions. It seems most plausible to me that this is so as a means of control: to manipulate an actual desired response from a single person or a large group of people is best achieved through first, emphasizing the importance of "belief", and second, ensuring that that belief results in the desired action apart from any empirical investigation.