Athiests, do you consider dumping on the hopes of others to be ethical?

Question

I call it selfish.

Answer 1

It depends on if they are false hopes, and it depends on if clinging to the false hopes really harms the person more than letting go.

For example, if you have a con man, that con man can give someone false hopes. The con man will generally use emotional manipulation and false promises to get the person to hope for a grand reward sometime in a vague future date. To "dump" on that someone's false hope might cause that person to have bad feelings for a little while, but, ultimately, it will prevent even worse outcomes later. At the very least, it will take control away from the con man who might have lots of people under his thumb.

In this case, I think the only ethical response would be to remove that person's false hopes, and bring that person back to some reality. Reality is generally more deeply satisfying than false fantasies anyway.

Answer 2

And is 'selfish' so damn evil?

SURVIVAL is the highest law. Even the most basic lifeforms follow this rule. It is coded into our DNA. What is or is not ethical is an other question. Just he fact that you believe in god does not make you ethical. On the contrary. The best proof is, that you call us atheists and think that all atheists are dumping on the hopes of others. This generalization is one of the greatest mistakes the Church has ever made.

In fact, most atheists like me believe, that there is more than one path towards enlightenment. According to our beliefs, it is up to the individual to choose his or her own path. We believe in free will and free choice and that an educated choice is always better than blind obedience to any religion or dogma. We do not try to manipulate others into your way of thinking. We are not "against" other religions. We feel that all paths are equally valid as long as they do not infringe upon the basic civil rights or free will of another. We believe that each and every human being is completely responsible for his or her own actions. We have our own ethical standards. To us, evil is a choice, albeit a bad one, that a human might make, not an embodied entity to blame our actions upon. However, we consider evil in some cases as a necessary act in order to survive. We do not encourage anyone to break the laws of society or the tenets of their religion. It is up to the individual to decide whether he crosses the imaginary line or not. If he does so, even if he acted in order to ensure or help his ascension, he must face the consequences of his actions.

Answer 3

This is a public access Internet forum. Everybody has a right to express their views here. What you call "dumping on the hopes of others" I call education. Those who wish to remain willfully ignorant should avoid places where free speech is openly practiced. Churches have long limited their membership to those who accept their particular eccleastical doctrine and this is precisely why church members are inherently narrow-minded -- all members believe essentially the same thing.

Answers R&S forum is NOT such a place. Here, every person is entitled to their own opinion. Those who believe that religious faith is synonymous with ignorant superstition have a perfect right to express that view -- just as, those who believe that Jesus is the Way also have a right to express their opinion. Wherever freedom of speech is actually practiced, everyone has the right to say what they think and each of us must choose whom to believe.

Answer 4

Not at all selfish...

If I was on a sinking ship and some moron was praying whilst we were getting into the lifeboat which is real Id just wack him out and get him on the boat.


By saying its selfish it shows you have blinkers on and dont see all the hurt and harm your relgious does to say.


Girls expelled, denied future careers etc simply as posed nude for a magazine like playboy which hurt nobody therefore is not immoral.

What about the selfishness of christians not wanting gays to be married,

Or keeping prostitution illegal thus encouraging the criminal element to control ti like human trafficing slavoury and drug dealers and pimps instead of helahty nice relgulated clean brothels.


How about it being your fault all the pregnant teens due to faith getting in the way of common sense knowing teenagers will always be highly sexaul due to hormones yet allowing looney tune ideas like innocence and ignorance and ideas like sex is dirty and immoral to get in the way of proper sex ed and contraception AND abortion provision.


What about the selfishness of wanting females to be nothing more then walking baby production units to be controlled iin marrages making babies with rules against birth control and abortion


how about the notion that these relgions push people to have more babies the the planet can cope with...


the likes of relgions wars, terrorisim, repression, inquisions, stonings, forced arranged marriages etc etc

Answer 5

Don't talk rubbish.

If someone was trying to sell you a lucky charm that they are telling you would guarantee eternal life and make you wealthy in this world, would you want me or your friends or some authority to tell you that it was rubbish, or let you buy it?

Do you agree with Pangel's question that the truth is the Golden Rule and that you should do unto others, etc?

You might disagree with how I say things, but surely you would respect my freedom of speech?

Answer 6

I would call it equally as ethical as telling someone they will burn for eternity because they don't believe exactly like you do.

So how about you religious people stop telling everyone else they are going to hell and will suffer endless torment...and maybe then the atheists will stop poking holes in your security blanket.

FYI i think it depends on the situation...I would tell a suicide bomber he is getting no reward and in fact would be punished for all eternity if he sets off the explosive....so I am dumping on his hopes....I would consider myself ethical in this situation..I know this is extreme example but just pointing out that sometime hope does need to be dumped on and ripped away from someone for their own good and the good of others


batgirl2good> very good and agreed but you should also pay attention some time to what a lot of religious say to atheists on here. Makes the rude answers here look all nice and fluffy.

Answer 7

Only for as long as christians and other religious groups consider it ethical to try to brainwash others into believing in a non-existent god

Answer 8

From my standpoint I am arguing for a truth which runs counter to the beliefs of those who have a religious faith. I am happy to listen to and debate the whole question sensibly and without 'dumping on' as you so eloquently put it. No-one has to accept my argument and those of strong faith seldom do. What is wrong with seeking the truth?

Answer 9

When the hopes of others don't infringe on the lives of those who live in reality, I say let them be. The problem is, allowing illogical irrationality to go unchecked gives permission for a philosophical free zone where some decide that strapping a bomb to themselves is something their invisible man in the sky wants them to do. Just because a belief is comfortable and warm and fuzzy doesn't make it OK.

Further, these people also want to make their illogical pile of crap part of the science curriculum, thus corrupting the very meaning of science. If you want to make your kid stupid and incapable of applying rational thought, do it on your own time.

Finally, these people also feel a need to legislate what consenting adults can do in their bedroom based on their own sexual hang ups. Get the hell out of my bedroom. Don't impose your arcane view of the world on those who live in reality.

Answer 10

I think giving people the facts as opposed to pretty lies is preferable. They can choose for themselves what they want. I think the truth is important, I would hate to live a life of delusion myself. I don't think brainwashing people and brow beating them into conformity is very nice but some theists do it. I don't think condemning people who don't believe in your God or the way you believe and worship is ethical but theistists believe they are right to do it although they have absolutely no proof. I call this unethical as well.