I'm not sure if you're trying to prove me wrong or back me up here. You're saying a bunch of people acting as a single group of dumb terminals of a single ideology is a bad thing? I agree. And I agree that there are other forms of religion and that when a bunch of people react irrationally it is usually in a mob setting. Not sure how this is in support of religion, so I appreciate the sentiment!
I am not trying to prove you wrong or back you up, just merely adding depth to the conversation, dogma and human nature seem to be deeply intertwined and religion is but one manifestation of it. I do believe that it is only a manifestation though and the real issue is complex human nature. I think that if all religion where gone tomorrow, that the world would not be a better place. It may not be a worse place but it would not be better. You see religion is just a mirror of humanity it has produced great beauty and it has created horrendous atrocities, but that has little to do with the content of religion and everything to do with the fact that humans are involved.
> I think that if all religion where gone tomorrow, that the world would not be a better place.
Seriously? You think religions that tell people to behead unbelievers, circumcise (read: mutilation) without permission, kill animals in horrific, ritualist ways helps our world be a better place?
> but that has little to do with the content of religion and everything to do with the fact that humans are involved.
"The boss says if we don't do 1000 units by the end of the day, you're all fired"
or
"God says if you don't kill 1000 unbelievers this solstice there will be no food for 10,000 years!"
I don't know about you, but I am going to say people blindly following orders is probably a bad thing. Especially if your job is on the line. :P
I think you miss my overarching point, as someone who has read all of the books, I can assure you there is very little in them that states go kill in my name, the old testament being the exception but for the major two religions they where superseded by new covenants via either the Koran or the gospel. Christ talked about universal forgiveness and pacifism and Mohammad had very specific rules of engagement for self defense. If we bring in Buddhism to round it out then we find more pacifism.
I cover that background to reach the following point and that is it's not what is in the book, as many of the leaders pervert what the book says and many followers never read it for themselves, the pages could be blank and it would be the same result. it is the people involved that is the problem and given those peoples desire if they could not control others via religion then they would do it via politics or race or another means of dividing people and that is the core issue getting rid of religion will not have a net impact because the system and volume of those being controlled will just shift to other mechanisms. Dealing with the root cause is what we need to focus on and not the symptoms, religion is but a symptom as such fixing it will provide no cure.
> If we bring in Buddhism to round it out then we find more pacifism.
Buddhism still teaches bullshit, in the form of reincarnation. I know because I was a Buddhist for 3 years. It was the last string before I threw in the towel on religion altogether. Nevertheless, it is the absolute last religion that I could possibly take issue with. The problem is, once you say one school of thought on groupthink is okay you open the door to garbage debate like this where we float around conveniently, downplaying the end results for many. Like these and countless other people: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv7VdQNC8Yc
By supporting groupthink, you support the end result. Yes. Exactly that. If you support religion and groupthink for the purpose of good, you must concede your alignment for the negative as well. Conveniently cherry picking what you support isn't proving anything other than you're completely ignorant to the writing on the wall.
