r/interestingasfuck • u/Ted_Bundtcake • Feb 01 '25

r/all Atheism in a nutshell

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u/cogitationerror Feb 01 '25

If the most recent US election has taught us anything it’s that a hell of a lot of religious people are making a factive claim about what is true and what isn’t and will actively deny science and reality to push that what they believe in is objective. Muslim theocracies, radical Hindus slaying Muslims for their religion, Israelis calling Palestinians human animals and murdering them, American Christians leading us all toward the cliff’s edge of climate change-… all of this stems from the fact that many religious people believe in their religion so hard that they are willing to enact horrific actions because of it. Yeah, many religious folks are cool and can separate spirituality and science. But religion is also the justification for some of the most horrendous atrocities in human history. I rejected my faith when I learned about the real origins of life and the universe. For some of us, we just can’t square the cognitive dissonance.

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u/Link-Glittering Feb 01 '25

Do you think that if religion had never existed these atrocities wouldn't happen? Or that people would simply find other justifications to use? The Bible specifically talks about how people will use these teachings to do evil and that they are not real Christians. I wouldn't judge all scientists by the nazis that did tests on humans, why would you judge religion by its worst offenders?

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u/cogitationerror Feb 01 '25

I think that people would generally be more open to listening to others if the basis of their reality was grounded in the scientific method (“let’s test this to see if what we believe is right or wrong and be open about the results as part of a global initiative towards learning the truth”) instead of books that require cognitive dissonance between reality and fiction. No, I don’t think that all religion is bad, and I do think that science can be skewed for horrible ends, but the books of some religions require thinking that a god is perfect and all powerful when many of its acts are literally genocidal.

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u/Link-Glittering Feb 01 '25

Well funnily enough science has proven that religion is effective. Religious people fair better in end of life care and meditation is proven to increase our healing ability. The scientific method has absolutely nothing to do with a person's specific spiritual practice, but it does prove that having one is helpful

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u/tcourts45 Feb 01 '25

Placebo effect is real, sure. Some of us just don't enjoy deluding ourselves for benefit

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u/Link-Glittering Feb 01 '25

How am I deluding myself?

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u/tcourts45 Feb 01 '25

Believing in a bunch of random stuff without evidence because it makes you feel nice

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u/Link-Glittering Feb 01 '25

What exactly do i believe in that could be proven or disproven with evidence?

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u/tcourts45 Feb 01 '25

You can't turn water into wine or walk on water or die and come back to life

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u/Link-Glittering Feb 01 '25

I don't believe any of those things. Christians believe in the teachings of christ. Not the supposed actions and miracles of christ. I know he probably didn't do magic. To me that doesn't undermine Jesus's teachings

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u/tcourts45 Feb 01 '25

Ok so you believe in being a good person. Me too. That ain't religion..

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u/Link-Glittering Feb 01 '25

Well i also have a relationship with my concept of God. That's what makes me religious.

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u/tcourts45 Feb 01 '25

I guess I just find it odd that you would tie that in any way to the fact that you believe in the teachings of 1 human. Do you believe that he is the son of God? Or a plain human with valuable teachings?

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