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Are you seriously suggesting that we don't develop these cultures out of necessity and desire, and maintain them for the same reasons? Including the religions and theologies that go along with it? That these are somehow being imposed on the masses by some evil sorcerers?
I think people believe what they want to believe, and no one can stop them, or make them.
No. Just that the systems exist. I make no judgement whatsoever as to how or why these systems exist in the first place, and make no value judgements as to whether or not they are good or bad.
No. Just that the systems exist. I make no judgement whatsoever as to how or why these systems are maintained, and make no value judgements as to whether or not maintaining them is good or bad.
Once again, "imposed on the masses by some evil sorcerers".
So you seriously believe our culture and upbringing have zero impact whatsoever on the beliefs we tend to hold as an adult?
That's just language.
Neither me nor Mock Turtle have said anything contrary to that.
Not every culture developed a God concept, although I may agree that every culture developed some form of spiritual response to the world. That is not necessarily an argument in favour of the innateness of the value of a God concept in and of itself, as much as it may be an expression of the ways in which human beings tend to understand things in a manner that is self-reflective: i.e, we understand reality in terms of intelligence and creation BECAUSE we are intelligent and capable of creating. This, by no means, fundamentally devalues or renders false the God concept, it just means that there can be explanations for the pervasiveness of the concept that are outside of whether or not the response is based on a fundamental truth that is independent of our perception.
Why did you have to turn an almost perfectly valid series of observations (for once) into yet another diatribe about how atheists are meany-meany-poo-poo heads?
Because (generally) they deserve it. And because they can't see that they deserve it.
Thanks for that.
What if we replace the statement with ─
Yep, that doesn't say anything about Maths, only about mathematicians - who objectively exist in reality.
And thus, you prove the very point that you are feeling so insulted by.
But it's not about that. It is about the fact that what religious beliefs one tends to have educated or indoctrinated into one is mostly dependent upon where one lives, and unless you can show otherwise, it is what they tend to have as beliefs for the rest of their lives - in general - given that most people just don't question such and/or seek alternative answers. How can this be something that doesn't then embody discord and conflict as to future paths - when it could be so different - given that religious beliefs do still cause such discord.
And perhaps you are just dismissing the conflicts and aggression between religious beliefs as just a by-product and which could have come from so many other sources - as the whataboutism trope goes. Many of us just don't have an issue with religious beliefs. But why expect children to be force fed any particular beliefs when they are incapable of having any resistance to such - given they vary so much!
People speak the language they've been given. And they don't understand people that speak a different language because they don't speak it. This causes "discord". So what's your solution? To discontinue teaching people languages? To make everyone else speak only your language? It's like you're complaining because gravity makes things fall to the ground.
www.jewishpress.com
Well, comparing religious beliefs to a one's native language might be a new one - as to being born with such and therefore inevitable. Woe to all those who do some thinking and decide to change their beliefs.
Never said such beliefs would ever go away - I just would like some rationality entering the issue - as to letting people decide as to what to believe when they are capable of doing so rather than when they are not, that is, when they are too young.
Pointing out a few examples of people changing in some countries is fine until you can produce evidence that most people don't in fact change their religious beliefs (what they had as taught to them). Try looking towards Hindus and Muslims for a start. And protestants being as much as 3% of the population in China - wow, they must seriously be worried. And no figures for India - as to statistics.Iran’s Christian Boom
As a clandestine phenomenon, the practice of what are sometimes called Muslim Background Believers (MBBs). Iranian MBBs tend to be fervently pro-Israel.
Church Growth Soars in India Despite Persecution, COVID-19
India (Mission Network News) — For the second year in a row, Open Doors ranks India 10th on the list of countries where it’s most challenging to be a Christian. “But even [amid] that persecution, God grows and strengthens his Church,” says David Reeves, President and CEO of unfoldingWord. The...christiannews.net
I think people generally have the capacity to change their faith even when they grew up differently. Much like Christians that became atheists or visa-versa.
Pointing out a few examples of people changing in some countries is fine until you can produce evidence that most people don't in fact change their religious beliefs (what they had as taught to them). Try looking towards Hindus and Muslims for a start. And protestants being as much as 3% of the population in China - wow, they must seriously be worried. And no figures for India - as to statistics.
You still need to provide evidence that my proposition holds - that what one gets as a religious belief tends to stick no matter where one lives - unless one is not educated into any particular one and perhaps given a choice - and which isn't the norm.
But isn't your complaint based on the idea that people can't or won't decide to change their beliefs? And that cultural or religious indoctrination is somehow involuntarily being imposed on a society?Well, comparing religious beliefs to a one's native language might be a new one - as to being born with such and therefore inevitable. Woe to all those who do some thinking and decide to change their beliefs.
Your rationale is not the pinnacle of rationality. People choose to stay with the religions they were given, or not to. As evidenced by those who choose not to. And they both have their 'rationale'. So maybe instead of complaining about their choices, you should consider that they are being rational, but that you've never bothered to understand their rationale ... or respect their right to it.