Understanding Religion's Relationship To Human Social Systems

 I recall an old friend; Todd (who turned out to be an enemy). He once said "True Christians never doubt that Christianity is true." ⁠ He was, of course, wrong about that. ⁠ Worse yet, without realizing it (and without giving a damn), he threw countless Christians (even his own friends) under the bus, by saying that. ⁠ And yet, what he was really telling me is:  His brain's Operating System didn't include the Doubts Upgrade; - the upgrade that makes true rational scrutiny possible. ⁠ He was simply assuming that he shared that in common with all other "True Christians". So any facts or logic his brain might ever encounter that presents objectively sound reason to re-evaluate some (any) facet of his worldview, ... will be summarily dismissed, without evaluation; every time.  ⁠ It's a fire wall. - A way to make sure that nothing gets through. ⁠ He depends on what he has. He doesn't want to risk losing it. ⁠ That's how he felt about each of his (few...

A desperate Theist presented this garble of bullshit, in a random debate group.  " Premise 1: materialism = spacetime and matter are all that exist Premise 2: premise 1 is a truth claim that exists Premise 3: truth is not made of/with spacetime or matter *edit at recommendation* Since materialism makes a truth claim while excluding the existence of truth, materialism is false If/then statement: If materialism is false, then more than materials exist in reality (don’t conflate material reality and reality)" -------- My reply:   I would define "matter" as: energy in obital patterns. Those patters determine the properties of the matter. Energy exists. Matter exists. I extend the meaning of "material" to include all energy; since energy is a physical phenomenon; it's an expression of physics in action. --- Literal objects literally exist; as material objects. Abstracts always represent living and non-living objects, the activities of objects, the sta...

   Someone said: "I agree with it (your criticisms about Christianity). (However) Now imagine if the same was inside a mosque. This shit storm that would ensue of people being beheaded and things burning. Who do you think is more of an evil."   My reply: I see your point. And I see the merit of it. With that in mind, I invite you to consider: The mechanism that gradually tamed fundamentalist Judaism, and then gradually tamed fundamentalist Christianity, and which will eventually tame fundamentalist Islam, ... includes open criticism, as a necessary part of the process. --- Safe spaces lower resilience. That ever-diminishing resilience (if we foster that, by enabling it) takes cultures and individuals further away from: the internal peace and inward accountability of stoicism, and thus: further away from mutual civility and social harmony.  --- Among the primary reasons things have gotten so bad in Muslim controlled counties: The especially religious managed to ...