Do atheists have anything to learn from religion?

[Rum]

I was thinking earlier about the very large lottery win in Italy - £119 million or something like that and I caught myself thinking that money does not necessarily buy happiness and indeed can bring comfortable misery. Its a cliché but it is true. Anyway it started a train of thought. All human success is vanity. All human ambition is too. There are values and points of view that make sense from a general humanistic perspective but are also embedder in many religions. What else, if anything do people think we can take from religion, if indeed that is where these principles come from?

[Xamonas Chegwé]

What else, if anything do people think we can take from religion, if indeed that is where these principles come from?

We can take their wealth, their buildings and the land they own and put them to better uses.

And of course the futility of human endeavour does not come from religion. Like everything else, it is used by religion. Those feelings are common to all humanity. Once someone contemplates their own death, they suffer existential doubt and everything seems useless to them. That is where religion steps in with its promises of purpose and eternal life. Eternal lies is all they really dish out though - cunts.

[Rum]

What else, if anything do people think we can take from religion, if indeed that is where these principles come from?

We can take their wealth, their buildings and the land they own and put them to better uses.

And of course the futility of human endeavour does not come from religion. Like everything else, it is used by religion. Those feelings are common to all humanity. Once someone contemplates their own death, they suffer existential doubt and everything seems useless to them. That is where religion steps in with its promises of purpose and eternal life. Eternal lies is all they really dish out though - cunts.

Well said.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

What else, if anything do people think we can take from religion, if indeed that is where these principles come from?

We can take their wealth, their buildings and the land they own and put them to better uses.

And of course the futility of human endeavour does not come from religion. Like everything else, it is used by religion. Those feelings are common to all humanity. Once someone contemplates their own death, they suffer existential doubt and everything seems useless to them. That is where religion steps in with its promises of purpose and eternal life. Eternal lies is all they really dish out though - cunts.

Well said.

Thank you - I like the 'cunts' bit myself - thought it was particularly succinct and apposite.

[Rum]

What else, if anything do people think we can take from religion, if indeed that is where these principles come from?

We can take their wealth, their buildings and the land they own and put them to better uses.

And of course the futility of human endeavour does not come from religion. Like everything else, it is used by religion. Those feelings are common to all humanity. Once someone contemplates their own death, they suffer existential doubt and everything seems useless to them. That is where religion steps in with its promises of purpose and eternal life. Eternal lies is all they really dish out though - cunts.

Well said.

Thank you - I like the 'cunts' bit myself - thought it was particularly succinct and apposite.

I like the cunts bit too..though also in a different and perhaps more literal context...

[Trolldor]

No.
There is nothing religion provides that can not already be found elsewhere.
Nothing.

[Rum]

No.
There is nothing religion provides that can not already be found elsewhere.
Nothing.

Not even doubt?

[Trolldor]

Especially not doubt.
Christ, are you even human? if you aren't familiar with doubt by now you clearly aren't doing it right.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Especially not doubt.
Christ, are you even human? if you aren't familiar with doubt by now you clearly aren't doing it right.

I doubt he is.

[Rum]

Especially not doubt.
Christ, are you even human? if you aren't familiar with doubt by now you clearly aren't doing it right.

You have lost me old chum. 'Doubt' becomes a specific spiritual (not intellectual mind you) issue in Christianity. Often explained in the context of Satanic temptation, lack of faith or similar wooo.

As a BAC (Born Again) in my late teens I have history with the 'doubt' thing.. they fuck with your head with it.

[Rum]

Especially not doubt.
Christ, are you even human? if you aren't familiar with doubt by now you clearly aren't doing it right.

I doubt he is.

Human or doing it right? Please be specific!

[klr]

No.
There is nothing religion provides that can not already be found elsewhere.
Nothing.

Correct.

Except bad things. Like how to manipulate and control people, and stop them from thinking.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Especially not doubt.
Christ, are you even human? if you aren't familiar with doubt by now you clearly aren't doing it right.

I doubt he is.

Human or doing it right? Please be specific!

Nothing really - I was just doubting...

[Xamonas Chegwé]

No.
There is nothing religion provides that can not already be found elsewhere.
Nothing.

Correct.

Except bad things. Like how to manipulate and control people, and stop them from thinking.

Nah. The nazis could do that. Religion is just people lying to themselves and others - nothing original there.

[klr]

No.
There is nothing religion provides that can not already be found elsewhere.
Nothing.

Correct.

Except bad things. Like how to manipulate and control people, and stop them from thinking.

Nah. The nazis could do that. Religion is just people lying to themselves and others - nothing original there.

It's outlived Nazism though, and just about every other "-ism". It's got staying power, and we need to know why, if only to counteract it.