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Originally Posted by Textcritic
As a religious person, I would respond to this by claiming that when religious doctrine becomes a hindrance to advancement, or when it becomes dangerous, this is not so much a problem with "religion" as it is with people who wield power in the name of that religion.
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That is true of all power, and I agree with you. But it is religion that allows people to wield it without question. The lack of critical thinking regarding faith provides them that power.
The pope is infallible. Does that make sense?
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On another note, "advancement" is not always positive. Sometimes advancement in the wrong hands, with the wrong motivation, with improper education or understanding, is exceedingly dangerous.
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Agreed. I was using the frame of reference as scientific discovery. Copernicus on trial for knowing the earth revolves around the sun. Fiddles being the devil's instrument. Stem cell research being restricted.
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Does this make science evil? Technology? Certainly not. But it is illustrative of my point that it is these sorts of excesses I believe religion is key to correcting: learning to appropriately manage our passion.
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I see religion as having had the whole of human history to play that role, and failing every step of the way thanks to it being based on fabrications. If the message was a simple "do unto others..." instead of specifics of what is right and wrong "because god says so" it might have had more success in stopping some of the world's atrocities.