over thousands of years are deluding themselves? So the Atheist view is that humanity (except for the enlightened few) has a great capacity for self-delusion?
2007-09-04 13:14:12 · 15 answers · asked by keri gee 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
"Love your neighbor"
"Love your enemies"
"Do good to them that hate you"
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
All of these teachings which would lead to ultimate world peace are viewed as pure delusion. So then, is peace also delusional? And love and hope are just chemical reactions in the brain.
If there was no God, all these ideas would be a total waste of time as the powerful and greedy elements of humanity drain our planet dry....to whom Love is pure delusion.
2007-09-05 05:04:36 · answer #1 · answered by TheNewCreationist 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
"So the Atheist view is that humanity (except for the enlightened few) has a great capacity for self-delusion?"
Absolutely correct.
The mindless masses are the ones who are sucked into religion at the bottom end of the spectrum.
Seneca is getting a bit of a work out today.
Seneca: Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.
I'm not part of the common clique nor am I a ruler but I am wise and smart enough to see that people who push, sell or use religion do so for their own reasons.
Those who Push it do so because they want others to think as they do so they won't think they're weird bowing before imaginary sky monsters just in case they're destined for hell if they don't.
Those who Sell it do so for imagined Brownie Points they’ll get in heaven.
Those who Use it are the only honest ones in the game; they do so for the Power and Money.
And just because millions of people over thousands of years believed in invisible sky thingies does not make it correct.
I'm sure millions at one time believed that thunder was caused by the gods fighting amongst one another.
You may smirk at their stupidity but now you realise why we make fun of True Believersâ¢.
2007-09-04 21:13:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely. It is a dim view of dim people. Spend a bit more time here you will see for yourself.
People believe in demons, speaking in tongues, angels, It gets more ridiculous every day. The plain and simple ignorance that one religion has about another is truly frightening.
2007-09-04 21:06:44 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The entire human population has a capcity for self-delusion. People like to hear what they want to hear. Have you ever played telephone, that game where somebody would whisper something in somebody's ear, and by the time it got to the last person, the first person's saying was completely jumbled? That's because people only hear what they want to hear. So, in essence, we can all delude ourselves. The "enlightened" ones you talk about, have realized that that's what religion does.
2007-09-04 20:20:11 · answer #4 · answered by Becca 6 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Exactly.
Most of the atheists I have met in person will say that they know it is impossible to prove there is no God, but, they do not believe God exists and would not waste the time discussing it.
From reading answers and questions on YA! R&S a person might get the idea that atheists are a bunch of arrogant bone heads that wouldn't know science from a kindergarten song.
The impression you are getting from many of the arrogant, ignorant, "atheists" on YA! R&S is exactly correct, but, generalizing that impression to include all atheists is creating an incorrect stereotype.
2007-09-04 20:22:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Yes, I believe humans are very prone to self-delusion and it's not simply limited to religion.
2007-09-04 20:18:37 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The delusion serves a dual purpose. As well as preventing them from seeing reality as it truly is, it protects them in a "cloak of denial", and allows them to get on with their happy little lives, even though they know death (the ultimate terror), awaits every one of them.
See, that's really the main purpose of religion. It's a defense mechanism against the fear of death. It's the ultimate parent. It says, "No matter what happens, no matter what you do, everything will be all right, even after you're dead." You have NOTHING TO FEAR. And THAT is the power of religion.
Atheists just don't fear death like this.
2007-09-04 20:17:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 4⤋
Obviously it does. Even Religious people believe all other religious groups other than theirs is deluded.
Besides given humanities long history of repeated wars and violence how can one's view of humanity be anything other than dim.
2007-09-04 20:19:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 3⤋
Well Christians still think that about 2/3 of the world. So it really ain't all that different.
2007-09-04 20:18:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 3⤋
Depressing but true. And I'm sure you mean billions.
2007-09-04 20:21:10 · answer #10 · answered by eri 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋