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Christianity and the Democratic Party.
When did any religion deserve respect?
Sure, respect the person (to a point), but not the belief in fairytales
Same goes for any superstitious woo
Things are different when you're raised in it.
Indoctrination is fucked
If people waited until kids were actually capable of reasoned thought before bringing up the idea of religion, it'd die out within a generation
Yup.
That's a funny way of saying indoctrinated.
Whether you agree with religion or not, religious groups do a lot of good in the world on a daily basis.
The Sikh do yes, I don't trust the rest of the religious "good works" one bit. i read your argument here now and then but I don't believe it.
They do good despite their superstition, not because of it
They'd be just as capable of doing good things without their invisible sky-daddy
Religious groups also do horrific things every day.
Religion is used to justify the worst things
People will always find a way to excuse their shitty behaviour, but religion gets something of a free pass because too many people want their cosmic insurance policy, so they forgive the evils of religion
How do you know any of them would do any of the good things they do without religion guiding them?
Non religious groups do horrific things every day.
Numerous things are used to justify atrocities including our global economic structures, education systems, etc.
No matter what people will do horrendous things and justify them however they see fit. Religious people do good and evil because of their faith and they are no different than anyone else doing those things for their own reasons.
They are absolutely different, because in some major religions, devotion is rewarded or promised heavily in the afterlife, which creates a great incentive. These people are more likely to become radicalized or extremists, often going out of their way to impose their worldview on others through harassment, aggression, or influence. I'll point to Mother Theresa, who inflicted so much pain on others when she thought she was doing good, often withholding pain medicine and other treatments. She said suffering is what God intended, and so she did... unto others.
They're dumber, because they believe in the patently absurd
That's the difference
You refuse to see the similarities and that is your problem. Stay bigoted friend.
Bigotry is hating someone for an aspect of themselves that they can't change, like their sexuality, their skin colour, where they were born etc.
Religion is a choice
I don't hate religious people
But I refuse to respect their beliefs any more than I do a flat-earther, or anti-vaxxer
Bigot, noun: a person who is intolerant or hateful toward people whose race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc., is different from the person's own.
I don't hate the religious
I just don't respect their beliefs
You have a great day
Whatever helps you sleep at night. You do you.
And religious groups and individuals also do a whole lot of destructive, demented and fucked up acts of evil.
So do non religious people. Pretty easy to see the common denominator wouldn't you say?
My point was not to say that non religious people are all saints, but to balance out your previous point where you praised religion without nuance.
Of course the common denominator is people. And it’s pretty easy to see how religion is a powerful tool for these people to do evil, wouldn’t you say?
I think you're not taking into account its hierarchical nature founded on unquestioning obedience, and the unearned & inherent facade of trust it has for some people. These tools aren't available for the non-religious which is very enabling if your goal is to exploit. And exploit they have.
I think your not taking into account the hundreds of religions there are in the world, and making blanket statements about "all religious people" is at best ignorant.
I want to specify that I'm taking about all the dominant religions in the West with known charities like the Salvation Army. I don't particularly know or care about the Hare Krishna who gather downtown once a year offering free food with an ulterior motive and practically no noticeable social impact for anyone other than themselves, for example.
I don't think I could talk about all religions in the world, but I can safely talk about major trends and commonalities. That does not make me ignorant.
I know you were only talking about the "safe" religions to criticize. That was my point.
What, is that supposed to be a zinger? I'd criticize any religion, but the only religions immediately around me with any noticeable impact are Catholics and La Luz del Mundo. I don't care to talk about hypotheticals or extreme cases because those are unproductive. Or tell, why are you keen on talking about the exceptions to the rule?
Sure, but religion arguably does just as bad if not worse in all kinds of areas.
It touches on everything from the warped understanding of the world, to superficial gestures of kindness for loyalty in return, to substituting health care with dangerous consequences, to giving criminals a clear conscience, it promotes hateful group thinking, subjects their followers to paths of radicalization or extremism, it both promotes & is used as a tool for suppression and subjugation of others, etc, etc. Yes, religion can do good, but the underbelly is hideous.
The underbelly of human institutions are generally hideous. This does not change the fact that religious groups do good in the world daily, and that work wouldn't be done otherwise if we simply removed religion all together.
Well, how about we flip it: why are secular organizations not recognized for the work they do? I mean, why are religious institutions getting all the credit as if they were inherently more virtuous?
The only advantage religion has is its active community that propels initiatives as part of a grand ideal. I don't think the actual work would go undone if the project had already been established from the overwhelming support of an existing secular community. Helping others is, after all, human nature.
Numerous secular organizations get credit for the work they do. Religious isn't more virtuous.
Go cry about your feelings elsewhere
Yeah, after they established a reputation and many years of hard work. Religious orgs don't need to do all that. They show a spiritual symbol and everybody assumes they're doing the Lord's work.
I think you got emotional and started projecting. But don't get confused now and start breaking rule 1.