Une Saison En Enfer

A collection of organic molecules: Why do people have to hate on religion so much nowadays?

You are exactly the type of person that I am talking about!  You can’t even stand to see someone even speak about religion (even when they agree with you) without becoming emotionally involved in an argument that really has no concrete solution!  It is all up for interpretation and personal preference!  You honestly think that your arguing with me, of all people, about religion is going to make any type of a difference at all in the world that is populated with billions of people?  It’s just wasted time, energy, and emotion.  Here is a couple of your statements that I find an issue with:

“It’s an extremely weak crutch. It causes people to be ashamed about their humanity. I fail to see how encouraging people to find strength within themselves is a bad thing.”

Who are you to say what makes a person weak and what doesn’t?  It makes me sick that you can just decide for other people what thought process makes them more or less inferior.  <—- That is you placing yourself above any religious person, saying that you are more qualified to make decisions on what someone should think than they should themselves.  Also, what religious person is ashamed of their humanity?  If anything, religious people are more appreciative and more understanding of their humanity than any other people.  Examples are that muslim’s value their women above all other things, and therefore go to great ends to cover them and protect them from betraying their sexuality. Catholics value human life so much that they go to the greatest lengths to protect even the embryo of a human being.  The entire Buddhist religion is surrounded by mindful meditation; strengthening the understanding of the place of human being in the world and of life itself.  There are many other examples as well!  And you’re right, encouraging people to find strength within themselves isn’t a bad thing, but since when is religion not finding strength within yourself?  If you and me both believe the same thing, that god does not exist, than where is their strength coming from?  Clearly from within themselves.

“Do you not realize how much more condescending this is than the usual atheist stuff? It’s like you’ve given up on all their intellectual capabilities and are just chuckling along while the children play with their imaginary friends.”

And I’m the condescending one?  ”while the children play with their imaginary friends.”  How can you seriously say this about another human person?  Sure, a lot of them have a lot of irrational beliefs, and a lot are not the most intelligent bunch of people, but you realize that you are grouping together every single religious person in the world right?  That is a very large percentage of people that you are calling “children playing with imaginary friends”.  But you are qualified to make judgement, correct?

I don’t give a flying fuck about a few people’s happiness if their delusion makes society - and me - miserable. People’s happiness does not rely on religion. They only think it does. Thousands of people who have deconverted from religion can attest to this.

There are so many things wrong with this statement that I don’t even know where to begin.  First, how can a person’s belief system make you miserable?  Are you seriously so conceited that when someone tells you what they believe (and doesn’t agree with you) it makes you depressed?  Second, you say, “I don’t give a flying fuck about people’s happiness.”  Well that in general is just ignorant hate, and nothing is ok about it.  Third, you say”People’s happiness does not rely on religion. They only think it does. Thousands of people who have deconverted from religion can attest to this.”  Are you the surgeon general on happiness?  Do you know 100% what makes another human being happy?  This is just another example of where you put yourself above billions of other people who are religious, saying that “you know best”.  So what is the word of thousands against the word of billions of people that say that religion has changed their lives in a positive way.

“Religion is obsolete. It makes society MISERABLE. It inhibits progress and innovation. It cherishes blind obedience and narrow-mindedness.  Also, I’d like you to talk to the countless number of people who have had their happiness ripped away because of religious bigotry. I’m sure there are plenty of gay or trans* people who could give you some examples.”

Religion is not what makes society miserable.  Religion is just one of the many personal choices that humans can make to suit their lives.  Stupid people are what makes society miserable.  There are countless numbers of un-educated “religious” people that have a negative influence on society, you’re right.  But they do not fully represent (their) religion.   The people that always make the news are the ones that act out on a misrepresented teaching, or on a misunderstanding of religious tradition.  One thing that you do not seem to understand is that religion is necessary.  Ever since the dawn of time did people worship god(s) to justify the unknown.  Never in the earth’s history was there ever human species that was not accompanied by some form of religion.  And you think that we should just completely scrap religion?  It is probably one of the most ludicrous things to even imagine.  Religion will always be around because people will always be afraid of the unknown.  That doesn’t make them ignorant.  As far as the religious bigotry towards transgender and homosexual people, I admit that there is a lot going on from a lot of different christian denominations.  But “christians” have no religious tradition, and have only been around for the past 500 years, and therefore are irrelevant when it comes to religious truth.  Catholics (the true form of christianity) have been around for 2012 years exactly, and teach that transgender and homosexual people are to be loved and respected.  If you would like to learn more about what Catholics believe on the subject, here is a post that a colleague of mine wrote that is extremely informative:  http://insomniactrumpet.tumblr.com/post/22815902900/a-long-post-on-homosexuality

Your position is incredibly weak. It is almost hopeless. If I ever lose this much hope in humanity that I have to actually apologize for its delusions and just accept it rather than try to change it, then I might as well just kill myself. I am a part of society and I have my responsibilities to it. You seem to have forgotten yours.

Never once did I say that I apologized for anyone in my argument.  Neither did I say that I accept religious delusions.  My argument was founded on equality and respect.  I respect other peoples beliefs, and I don’t go out of my way to harass them about what they believe.  And I have all but forgotten my responsibility to society!  As a human being, my responsibility is not only to society, but to humanity; to accept anyone, regardless of beliefs, and to treat others as I would like myself treated.  I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound hopeless at all, does it?