southernhybrid
April 3, 2004, 06:41 AM
Note:I split this from here: http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=80965
as I think it deserves its own topic--AspenMama
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I don't think that religion is necessarily bad and I don't think it's possible to eliminate it. What I think would be a better approach is to encourage more tolerance among both the liberal religious community and the nontheist community.
Dr. John Henderson in his book, Fear Faith Fact Fantasy suggests a Religious Bill of Rights. Dr. Henderson is a retired physician and a positive atheist. Here are some of his suggestions for such a bill of rights:
All persons shall have the right to hold diverse religious and intellectual beliefs.
Church and state will remain separate and distinct, each free to work within their own spheres.
Organized religions must denounce, repudiate, and condemn those who engage in hateful, harmful, violent or illegal activitiees in the names of their dieties and scriptures
Promulgation and implementation of rules, regulations, and laws are human activities and they will be enacted, implemented, modified, and abandoned solely for the welfare of humanity without consideration of god's desires.
Religion, myths and superstition have been a part of humanity in all known cultures. Imo, it is naive to believe that we can stop these things. It would seem to me that we could accomplish more by being examples of tolerance and by encouraging such tolerance in others. This does not mean that we should tolerate those who have harmful religious ideas, but we could benefit by forming alliances and being tolerant toward those with religous beliefs that are humane and accepting of diversity of ideas. By being open regarding our atheism, while remaining respectful of the rights of others to hold different beliefs, we might actually move forward. Trying to wipe out religion imo, puts us in the same camp as those who would like to wipe out atheism.
I tend to think that when and if religion ever becomes extinct, it will be because something else that gives individuals the same satisfaction and meaning will be there to replace it. I don't see that happening in my lifetime.
Another atheist who has been known for embracing mythology is the late Joseph Campell. I have just started reading one of his books. Campell thinks that mythology is extremely important to humanity and I think it will be interesting to learn more about his ideas. Just because we lack a god belief, doesn't mean that we must be close minded as to why religion has been so important throughout history. Perhaps we should try to be more understanding of those who believe in mythology in a literal way, rather than lump them all into one negative sterotype.
Religion is not all good or all evil. Like other inventions of mankind, it often reflects the dichotomous nature of our species. Knowing that religion is an invention of humanity, perhaps we should stop giving it almost supernatural relevance by using it as the scapegoat for all of humanity's ills, and try to understand it's purpose in a more rational way.
as I think it deserves its own topic--AspenMama
_______________
I don't think that religion is necessarily bad and I don't think it's possible to eliminate it. What I think would be a better approach is to encourage more tolerance among both the liberal religious community and the nontheist community.
Dr. John Henderson in his book, Fear Faith Fact Fantasy suggests a Religious Bill of Rights. Dr. Henderson is a retired physician and a positive atheist. Here are some of his suggestions for such a bill of rights:
All persons shall have the right to hold diverse religious and intellectual beliefs.
Church and state will remain separate and distinct, each free to work within their own spheres.
Organized religions must denounce, repudiate, and condemn those who engage in hateful, harmful, violent or illegal activitiees in the names of their dieties and scriptures
Promulgation and implementation of rules, regulations, and laws are human activities and they will be enacted, implemented, modified, and abandoned solely for the welfare of humanity without consideration of god's desires.
Religion, myths and superstition have been a part of humanity in all known cultures. Imo, it is naive to believe that we can stop these things. It would seem to me that we could accomplish more by being examples of tolerance and by encouraging such tolerance in others. This does not mean that we should tolerate those who have harmful religious ideas, but we could benefit by forming alliances and being tolerant toward those with religous beliefs that are humane and accepting of diversity of ideas. By being open regarding our atheism, while remaining respectful of the rights of others to hold different beliefs, we might actually move forward. Trying to wipe out religion imo, puts us in the same camp as those who would like to wipe out atheism.
I tend to think that when and if religion ever becomes extinct, it will be because something else that gives individuals the same satisfaction and meaning will be there to replace it. I don't see that happening in my lifetime.
Another atheist who has been known for embracing mythology is the late Joseph Campell. I have just started reading one of his books. Campell thinks that mythology is extremely important to humanity and I think it will be interesting to learn more about his ideas. Just because we lack a god belief, doesn't mean that we must be close minded as to why religion has been so important throughout history. Perhaps we should try to be more understanding of those who believe in mythology in a literal way, rather than lump them all into one negative sterotype.
Religion is not all good or all evil. Like other inventions of mankind, it often reflects the dichotomous nature of our species. Knowing that religion is an invention of humanity, perhaps we should stop giving it almost supernatural relevance by using it as the scapegoat for all of humanity's ills, and try to understand it's purpose in a more rational way.