From: Rob Harris (rob@hbinternet.co.uk)
Date: Tue Oct 26 1999 - 08:02:17 MDT
>However, there are people who see reality very clearly, and can
>still choose to be religious because of the reasons I've been discussing
>in the astrophysics thread with Amara -- the Universe seems too "rigged".
The universe may well seem "rigged"....I wholeheartedly agree. But what this
DOES NOT mean is that there's a big human sat on some cloud issuing
arbitrary "judgments" to that which he himself created to do what it does.
Etc. etc.....(I see it as likely that the universe has been subject to
evolution...but that's another issue..)
I agree - I think that most people religious can in fact, see reality all
too clearly, or should I say the uncertainty of reality. This they don't
like for obvious reasons. So, why not just invent some reality in which to
"believe", and while you're at it, write in aspects that cure all the other
major existential worries such as death (don't worry, you'll live forever in
heaven, yahoo!), injustice (fear not, the wrath of god to the evil, cool!),
inequality (never mind, the meek shall inherit the earth, yippee!) etc...
etc....
The function of religion is as transparent as glass that isn't there.
However, I'm not saying I hold any negative feelings for those that choose
delusion. They can live their lives how the hell they want - I'm not some
crazy self-righteous megalomanic! But as I said before, my tolerance runs
out the instant religion starts being used as an excuse for dishing out
suffering, which it all too often is. I know that most of them know exactly
what they're doing deep down, people just aren't THAT stupid.
>If people want to have "faith" that something caused the big bang
>or that multiverses exist and they choose to express or practice
>that faith in a particular religious form, then I don't think you
>can say that they are "universally weak minded".
That's just my perception of the situation - i.e. those that can't handle
the universe the way it is are weak. Of course this isn't absolute. As I
say, I don't make the rules, I hate rules, people can do what the hell they
want until someone gets hurt, in my opinion.
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