10-11-2022, 10:17 AM
“One must state it plainly. Religion comes from the period of human prehistory where nobody-not even the mighty Democritus who concluded that all matter was made from atoms-had the smallest idea what was going on. It comes from the bawling and fearful infancy of our species, and is a babyish attempt to meet our inescapable demand for knowledge (as well as for comfort, reassurance and other infantile needs). Today the least educated of my children knows much more about the natural order than any of the founders of religion, and one would like to think-though the connection is not a fully demonstrable one-that this is why they seem so uninterested in sending fellow humans to hell.”
Christopher Hitchens
"Human beings are perhaps never more frightening
than when they are convinced beyond doubt
that they are right"
Laurens van der Post
'The problem with secularism is not intolerance, as Tory peer Baroness Warsi claims; it’s snobbery.
Intellectual snobbery, actually. Secularists see religious people as none too bright. Sorry.
Honestly, no offence intended, but to a non-believer, the leap of logic required to faithfully invest in the concept of a supernatural being — one that is turned to in times of minor personal crisis but takes a laissez-faire approach to war and genocide — is so great as to appear little short of ridiculous.
So a person with faith appears ridiculous, too.
I know this is wrong. I know this is judgmental. I admire a lot of the principles of religious faith.
I am certainly not intolerant of those who wish to behave charitably towards their fellow man.
But the logic. I cannot get beyond the logic.
‘How can you believe that?’ I wonder. ‘You seemed so sensible.’
HINDU: This is the sum of duty; do naught unto others which if done to
thee would cause thee pain.
ZOROASTRIAN: That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto
another whatsoever is not good for itself.
TAOIST: Regard your neighbour's gain as your own gain, and your
neighbour's loss as your own loss.
BUDDHIST: Hurt not others in ways that you would find hurtful.
CONFUCIAN: Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto
you
JAIN: In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard
all creatures as we regard our own self
JEWISH: Whatever thou hatest thyself, that do not to another.
CHRISTIAN: All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,
do ye even so to them.
ISLAMIC: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother
that which he desires for himself
SIKH: As thou deemest thyself, so deem others.
Christopher Hitchens
"Human beings are perhaps never more frightening
than when they are convinced beyond doubt
that they are right"
Laurens van der Post
'The problem with secularism is not intolerance, as Tory peer Baroness Warsi claims; it’s snobbery.
Intellectual snobbery, actually. Secularists see religious people as none too bright. Sorry.
Honestly, no offence intended, but to a non-believer, the leap of logic required to faithfully invest in the concept of a supernatural being — one that is turned to in times of minor personal crisis but takes a laissez-faire approach to war and genocide — is so great as to appear little short of ridiculous.
So a person with faith appears ridiculous, too.
I know this is wrong. I know this is judgmental. I admire a lot of the principles of religious faith.
I am certainly not intolerant of those who wish to behave charitably towards their fellow man.
But the logic. I cannot get beyond the logic.
‘How can you believe that?’ I wonder. ‘You seemed so sensible.’
HINDU: This is the sum of duty; do naught unto others which if done to
thee would cause thee pain.
ZOROASTRIAN: That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto
another whatsoever is not good for itself.
TAOIST: Regard your neighbour's gain as your own gain, and your
neighbour's loss as your own loss.
BUDDHIST: Hurt not others in ways that you would find hurtful.
CONFUCIAN: Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto
you
JAIN: In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard
all creatures as we regard our own self
JEWISH: Whatever thou hatest thyself, that do not to another.
CHRISTIAN: All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,
do ye even so to them.
ISLAMIC: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother
that which he desires for himself
SIKH: As thou deemest thyself, so deem others.
in order to be old & wise, you must first be young & stupid. (I'm still working on that.)