How religious are you?

[Eran of Arcadia]

Well, intelligence, mental health, and the ability to think rationally and logically are 3 different things that don't always strictly correlate.

 

[Winner]

Your arrogance astounds me.

A few of the most intelligent people I know are religious (one of whom I allow to operate on me). Surely they should be sent to an asylum.

If they openly said that they believed in an invisible pink unicorn which guards them and protects them wherever they go, there is a decent chance they'd really be sent to an asylum

Religion is a delusion, it deserves no respect. If what you just said tells me something, it's that even delusional people can be very productive - which of course doesn't make their delusion any better or deserving.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

If they openly said that they believed in an invisible pink unicorn which guards them and protects them wherever they go, there is a decent chance they'd really be sent to an asylum

I am not sure you understand how the mental health profession works. Maybe it's like that in the Czech Republic.

Religion is a delusion, it deserves no respect. If what you just said tells me something, it's that even delusional people can be very productive - which of course doesn't make their delusion any better.

Religion is a lot of things actually.

 

[Moss]

Well, intelligence, mental health, and the ability to think rationally and logically are 3 different things that don't always strictly correlate.

Yes, if you are very nit-picky about the definitions.

 

[Danielos]

Nitpickers!!

Would you have prefered 20 different poll options for every possible belief system? I think this generalised, but flawed poll should be enough...

 

[Moss]

Religion is a delusion, it deserves no respect. If what you just said tells me something, it's that even delusional people can be very productive - which of course doesn't make their delusion any better or deserving.

How is religion a delusion?

 

[Fr8monkey]

If they openly said that they believed in an invisible pink unicorn which guards them and protects them wherever they go, there is a decent chance they'd really be sent to an asylum

Don't forget the Flying Spaghetti Monster!

 

[Naphthous]

Yes, but Winner seems to believe that it is not logical to believe in a God therefore dealing with intelligence and logical reasoning.

Oh come on. It is not, not, NOT logical to believe in a god. Give me a break. Even most religious people I know will admit that it requires "faith."

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

How is religion a delusion?

I think he means that religious beliefs are delusional, and no doubt some are. But I wouldn't classify all incorrect beliefs as delusional.

 

[Moss]

Oh come on. It is not, not, NOT logical to believe in a god. Give me a break. Even most religious people I know will admit that it requires "faith."

You show your ignorance then.

Roman catholic doctrine is based on the fact (as Plotinus has said many times) that belief in a God is rational. Saint Thomas Aquinas also held that belief.

And even if you are right that "most" Christians don't see their belief as logical, that doesn't preclude that a belief in God cannot be logical.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Remember that logical doesn't always mean correct.

 

[LucyDuke]

Nitpickers!!

Would you have prefered 20 different poll options for every possible belief system? I think this generalised, but flawed poll should be enough...

It's not generalized though. It's got mismatched specifics.

Remember that logical doesn't always mean correct.

Illogical usually means incorrect.

 

[Winner]

I am not sure you understand how the mental health profession works. Maybe it's like that in the Czech Republic.

People who have convinced themselves that they're seeing things which are not real are considered crazy. Whether they get locked up or not depends on how dangerous their delusions are.

For some reason, the most commonly held delusions are not seen as a sign of mental... imbalance at all. I am merely questioning that - those who believe in supernatural beings and similar nonsense are simply mentally ill. If they think that their illness makes them better, special or predestined to something is inconsequential.

 

[Nylan]

People who convince themselves that they're seeing things which are not real are considered crazy. Whether they get locked up or not depends on how dangerous their delusions are.

For some reason, the most commonly held delusions are not seen as a sign of mental... imbalance at all. I am merely questioning that - those who believe in supernatural beings and similar nonsense are simply mentally ill. If they think that their illness makes them better, special or predestined to something is inconsequential.

You don't know why that is?

 

[Winner]

How is religion a delusion?

"How is the invisible pink unicorn that's guarding me from evil a delusion? I believe in it and you have no right to mock my faith!"

That religion is a delusion is obvious - it is based on a faith in things that don't exist, and this faith is supported by lots of hearsay, superstition, fearmongering but no evidence. Just like the faith in the unicorn could be.

Now tell me, where's the difference?

 

[Formaldehyde]

Myself
- Agnostic = don't know if God exist, with a tendency to say no.
- Anyway if God exists and create the univers, which is HUGE and COMPLEX his power are far beyond human understanding
- Therefore, believing that a Bible or some prophet can come close to understanding God is pointless and extremly arrogant
- Therefore, religious organization/establishment is a vast fraud.

Conclusion: Try to live the best I think I should without worrying about God, and worrying even less about Religion. I'll see when I'll be there.

That fairly well summarizes my own views with this added caveat: It is their right to believe whatever fraud they choose just as long as it doesn't impact my own rights, or anybody else's.

I'm sorry, your poll is horrible. Agnostic is not some middle ground between Jesus freak and Dawkins drone. Religiosity is not the same as belief. Materialism is not some kind of polar opposite of spiritualism. This poll has ambiguities and contradictions and most people aren't going to go clearly for one option.

Amen sister. There is a world of difference between someone who views the religious issue as being largely irrelevant, and that supposed group of wishy washy people who can't decide which polarized group of fanatics to join. I've yet to actually meet one of them.

BTW don't expect to see my vote. I rarely vote in these polls. I'd rather express my own opinion.

 

[Moss]

"How is the invisible pink unicorn that's guarding me from evil a delusion? I believe in it and you have no right to mock my faith!"

That religion is a delusion is obvious - it is based on a faith in things that don't exist, and this faith is supported by lots of hearsay, superstition, fearmongering but no evidence. Just like the faith in the unicorn could be.

Now tell me, where's the difference?

Well, to state the obvious, Christ existed and there is no evidence that unicorns ever did. Sure, you can argue whether or not Christ was divine, but there are at least arguments for a God (and a Christ) and for the other religions as well, where there isn't an argument for believing in an invisible pink unicorn.

 

[Danielos]

It's not generalized though. It's got mismatched specifics.
.

Well, I guess we have to live with it now, if you don´t feel like making a new survey yourself!

 

[Winner]

Well, to state the obvious, Christ existed and there is no evidence that unicorns ever did.

Christ - the man of that name - did exist. So what?

Sure, you can argue whether or not Christ was divine, but there are at least arguments for a God (and a Christ) and for the other religions as well, where there isn't an argument for believing in an invisible pink unicorn.

No rational argument, just a pile of made up nonsense.

---

Let's make an experiment:

If I told you now, with all honesty, that I really do believe in my invisible pink unicorn guardian which protects me from evil, would you take me seriously? Would you respect my faith? Would you admit there might really be such unicorn?

Or would you say: "Hey, you just made it up!"

If it's the latter, then you know what I think of religion: "hey, you made that up 2000 years ago - show me some evidence!"

Hint: the fact that some stupid superstition is old doesn't mean it's true. The fact that there are many books discussing the superstition doesn't mean it's true.

 

[Nylan]

I've never seen the situation in reverse - atheists might get frustrated by the stubborness and irrationality displayed by believers, but most just shrug and leave them in their delusions.

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