From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Thu Jul 12 2001 - 14:08:56 MDT
Lee Corbin wrote,
> "Team players" also can fall into this category. Rush
> Limbaugh fits into this category, as is easily seen by
> his constant allusions to football and so on. Such
> people sometimes don't have truth as their number one
> priority, and simply have to give mutual support to
> their allies.
Lush Bimbeau (AKA Rush Limbaugh) _does_ claim to have truth as his number one
priority. However, the level of truth that he broadcasts is appropriate for
eighth grade school children, and for no one more sophisticated. The truth of,
for example Lao Tzu, is beyond him and his audience. But that's OK, because
even eighth graders can understand that socialism is flawed, and that's one of
his favorite themes. (It gets slightly complicated when one appears to side
with religionists in pointing out the fallacies of socialism.)
> > If religiosity provides the cognitive crutch that some people need in
order to
> > do their best, then that's fine. Debunking religiosity doesn't require us
to
> > demean those who need and use religion in private.
>
> Why not? Yes, if people are going to entertain false beliefs,
> I'd of course prefer that they do it in solitude. But it still
> has to be stated that not only is what they believe false, but
> that there is something very wrong with how they think.
Sure, but there's something wrong with how near-sighted people see, and that
doesn't require us to demean them (or deprive them of their eyeglasses).
Likewise, religiosity is a crutch for "weak-minded" people, which means people
who can't understand (or who undervalue) the scientific method. So, we can
agree that there's something very wrong with how they think, but we'll never
convince _them_ of it (as a few extropians have already mentioned).
I think this thread (and the "Debunk All Religiosity Equitably" thread) has
identified some useful URL links and pointed out some excellent books which do
in fact debunk religiosity -- at least to the satisfaction of anyone who has
what it takes to appreciate debunking when they see it.
Stay hungry,
--J. R.
Useless hypotheses, etc.:
consciousness, phlogiston, philosophy, vitalism, mind, free will, qualia,
analog computing, cultural relativism, GAC, CYC, and ELIZA
We won't move into a better future until we debunk religiosity, the most
regressive force now operating in society.
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