Why do so many people insist on trusting opinions and superstition rather than fact and science?

Question

I'm tired of religion and personal faith being such a big deal. I wish I lived in a society where less destructive national policies and the advancment of knowledge were held in higher regard than stance on abortion and how much your faith in a divine being governs your life. I feel like my country is losing its grasp on reality and logic and there is nothing I can do to stop it.

Answer 1

We don't need religion or science to live life. All we need is to apply a little common sense, and we will get rid of all the religious diatribe that sickens people when they have to listen to it.

Answer 2

People are often uneducated, ( = ignorant), lazy, not prepared to expend the time & effort to study, read and learn. It requires just a little knowlege to follow science, nad a little more to be able to think critically about what people hear and sometimes read. Verbal opinions are easier to digest, and quicker to acquire than critical thought. So superstition wins and faith is an easy faculty to use. Also faith and superstition often promise future gifts or solve unpleasant realities & problems that may have no solution as of today's technolgy.
Relax, all through the past up until the present the majority of mankind thinks the easy way. The exceptions and oddballs move technology and life ahead. Concentrate on your projects and avoid wasting much time trying to change the majority.
Regards,
Dan.

Answer 3

There is absolutely nothing wrong with having religion or personal faith... Problems arise when they take the place of logic and science. Science and faith can and should co-exist... Both can only go so far to explain life... Life isn't black and white and we don't live in text books or laboratories.

And I don't think it's a bad thing to let your ethics affect your lifestyle or even govern your life. Just as your ethics lead you to resent destructive national policies, etc.

Answer 4

Sigh... Why is it that people continually harp on religion simply because it can't be proven conclusively? Socrates was wise enough to realize that real wisdom was knowing that you knew nothing. If people choose to answer the things that science currently cannot (unless you can CONCLUSIVELY prove to me what happens after death, where the entire universe conclusively began and what existed before that, so on), then that's their choice.

As for trusting opinions and superstition... One of the downfalls of religion does happen to be that they will cling to older ideas longer. What that is mostly involves ignorance. Whether or not that's willing ignorance is really dependent on the person. The best thing you can do is share your own opinions in a way that isn't detrimental and critical of their own beliefs. If you attack their faith, they aren't going to listen to you. It's possible to talk to someone, as long as you don't talk down to them just because you don't agree with how they choose to reconcile with the unknown.

Answer 5

so much of religion does not hold up to common sense. What a bunch of lemmings.

When you compare the advances from science such as crop irrigation and medicines along with the fact that science not only unifies people but inherently re-evaluates everything to assure accurate information is put forward... versus all of the wars, pain and suffering resulting from religion... then the true benevolent spirit of the universe becomes obvious.

Answer 6

Religion and faith never governs your decisions in life. You are always given a choice whether you will follow it or not. It just so happened that those who are running the government are also given their choices as what is good to put into law or not depending on what is dominant in their consciences. Its tough luck for you because most of the times they prefer what they think is morally and religiously right. They were elected and so the trust was placed in them. Next election, look for people whom you think will cater to your whims. If you are not yet a voter, set your ideas and opinions to those you know who will vote for your sake. In meantime, stop blaming the religion for what you cannot do, they are there for nurturing what they believe has moral values and for all you know they too care for you and you just do not see it..

Answer 7

Because religion for the last few centurys has been a placeholder for science. Now that science can prove religion wrong it is only a matter a time before organized religion is placed into the same status as Scientology.

Answer 8

so you like science huh? lets see,
science has proven that a man named Jesus lived 2000 years ago and died on a cross.
science has proven that there was a great flood in the time that noah lived, proved there was a man named noah too.
science has traced all our dna back to africa.
science thinks it is pretty sure it has found the garden of edan in africa.
so if you want to go with science, here are just a few facts they have come up with for what faith has already known.

Answer 9

They fear change. They have built up an idea of how they believe life is and will deny any evidence to the contrary, despite how overwhelming and obvious the truth may be. They are emotional cripples and their beliefs are a crutch to get them through life. It's not much different from a drug addict, who believes he 'needs' his drugs to survive. They are just as scared of going through life with the idea of there being no God as a crackhead is of not getting his next hit.

Answer 10

Bcuz science doesnt console ppl and give them hope and faith. As stupid as it may sound to religion and superstition is what gives some ppl the strength to go on in d the dark times.