Yes, that TED talk is probably where I got this idea from. And I agree on most other points except that religion COULD be a force for good, and insofar as it is currently not, it is in need of new leadership. Sociopaths and psychopaths indeed seem to have a knack for infiltrating positions of power and there’s no reason why religion should be immune to that.
Anyways, just thought I’d throw that out there. Not gonna get into details of what needs to change because that’s likely very personal and sure to get contentious. Looking forward to your response on my other comments though.
I thought you supported logic? Why are you now supporting things like religion which attempt to distort reality and are inherently illogical?
Organized religion is even more dangerous than simply believing in god(s). Any position with that kind of power inevitably ends in cult-like behaviour and other abuses of power (see Catholic priests and just Catholicism in general). It’s not something anyone should be engaging in a perfect world.
I do support logic – it’s a wonderful tool, but it’s not sufficient in and of itself to live by because it can be excessively cruel. If you think about it, there is no logical reason why you should be alive – no scientist has yet been able to give an explanation for the universe or life itself to exist that doesn’t somehow leave a kernel of irreducible irrationality.
And no, that doesn’t mean you have to follow any organized religion – in fact, that’s not at all what I was suggesting. I merely said that that there may be value in studying religious scripture for yourself without adhering to an established dogma. If Christianity rubs you the wrong way, perhaps try Buddhism, which puts a stronger emphasis on putting everyone of its teachings to the test (basically, the Buddha himself said not to follow him blindly but merely to try out the things he suggests and observe if they make a difference in your life, meaning it’s perfectly acceptable to use the scientific method in your pursuit of it, as long as you apply it with full integrity).
Long story short, I think it’s a mistake to assume that a perfect world would be one of perfect rationality, because such a world would be too cold and boring to live in. There has to be a source of randomness left in it because otherwise, nothing new would ever happen, and without renewal, the only possible destination is death.
Yes, that TED talk is probably where I got this idea from. And I agree on most other points except that religion COULD be a force for good, and insofar as it is currently not, it is in need of new leadership. Sociopaths and psychopaths indeed seem to have a knack for infiltrating positions of power and there’s no reason why religion should be immune to that.
Anyways, just thought I’d throw that out there. Not gonna get into details of what needs to change because that’s likely very personal and sure to get contentious. Looking forward to your response on my other comments though.
I thought you supported logic? Why are you now supporting things like religion which attempt to distort reality and are inherently illogical?
Organized religion is even more dangerous than simply believing in god(s). Any position with that kind of power inevitably ends in cult-like behaviour and other abuses of power (see Catholic priests and just Catholicism in general). It’s not something anyone should be engaging in a perfect world.
I do support logic – it’s a wonderful tool, but it’s not sufficient in and of itself to live by because it can be excessively cruel. If you think about it, there is no logical reason why you should be alive – no scientist has yet been able to give an explanation for the universe or life itself to exist that doesn’t somehow leave a kernel of irreducible irrationality.
And no, that doesn’t mean you have to follow any organized religion – in fact, that’s not at all what I was suggesting. I merely said that that there may be value in studying religious scripture for yourself without adhering to an established dogma. If Christianity rubs you the wrong way, perhaps try Buddhism, which puts a stronger emphasis on putting everyone of its teachings to the test (basically, the Buddha himself said not to follow him blindly but merely to try out the things he suggests and observe if they make a difference in your life, meaning it’s perfectly acceptable to use the scientific method in your pursuit of it, as long as you apply it with full integrity).
Long story short, I think it’s a mistake to assume that a perfect world would be one of perfect rationality, because such a world would be too cold and boring to live in. There has to be a source of randomness left in it because otherwise, nothing new would ever happen, and without renewal, the only possible destination is death.