The problem with both having a religious point of view or a non-religious point of view is that it is utterly foolish to have either.
I have argued against religion many times on this forum because I know from personal experience, personal research, and subjective analysis that absolutely no good can come from religion what-so-ever except that that is attributed to it incorrectly.
For instance, it is scientific fact that people who are ill in hospital are less likely to recover if they know they are prayed for than people who do not know they are prayed for and people who aren't prayed for at all - yet people innocently attribute healing to religion and do not see any harm in it, despite the solid evidence to the contrary.
However, I also laugh heartily at those who "believe" in science. I was pointing and laughing at Steven Hawking when his theories where taught to me as fact - i've even debunked his theories to his face, he looked down on me for it, and I left it at that because there is no point in arguing with arrogance.
I did not point and laugh at my many priests when their views where taught to me in the same way, because I was too young and influencable at the time, I was indoctrinated young. I laughed later though, when I found my own path in life, because fools are little more than entertainment to me and if you can't laugh at an idiot then there really isn't any use for them at all.
I don't care what you believe, but if you believe, then you are wrong - without a shadow of a doubt - but how can I be so sure of my own 'belief'? Surely it is just that, it is a 'belief' right?
Well put simply, I don't care to have a belief at all. Quite often the religious fratternity ask the question "well how do you know how you got here?" and "have you not asked where we all came from?" and other questions of the like. My response is a simple one: I know the question cannot be answered so I do not try to answer it.
I do not care where we came from and I do not care to impose rulesets upon myself based on a theory of where we came from - whether it was a modern educated scientist who composed the theory, or a sexist biggot from the beginning of recorded history.
You do not need to know where you came from to live a good life, and neither does it matter.
I find it a sad state of affairs that no matter where you are born in the world, and no matter what you believe, that millions of people will hate you because of their own beliefs. On that basis alone you try convincing me that belief is a good thing, and you are onto a looser.
Oh and that argument about "Well you may aswell hedge your bets". No, there is too much evil in the "good book" no matter what good book you believe in for me to accept it. Too much prejudice, too much hatred, and too much intollerence.
I am an extremely liberal person, even to the point i'm seeing somebody who's quite religious. Broach me on the subject of religion however (as she wisely doesnt) and you'll find the one thing i'm intollerent about and with good reason: Belief in itself is something I regard as evil, regardless of what the belief is, as I see it as a source of negativity toward others and therefore inherrently un-liberal, to be un-liberal is to be intollerent, and I have no tollerance for intollerence.
I answered no to the poll on the basis that any and all specific Gods from any religion in human history is just a fantasy and does not exist, categorically. Whether there is something out there that is best described as a God, I do not know and I do not care.
It is political correctness that we should give religious freedom and allow people to express their religious views and respect them. I don't give a damned about political correctness (despite being a raving liberal), I do not tolerate intollerence, and I see intollerence as the primary focus of all religions, therefore, it is the 'right' thing to do to debunk religion and to mock it with supporting argument and i'd be a lesser person if I did not.
It is argued that religion is a personal thing, but all the religions we have ply their trade by imposing themselves on others. If they did not then religion would die in a generation. Religion thrives on indoctrination of the young and impressionable, it is how they tried to recruit me. It thrives on weaving itself into the fabric of society so that it is always an option and taken seriously, inspite the ludiocrity of it's very core. Therefore, it is my duty as a citizen to point out it's flaws at all appropriate opportunities.
Yes, for those that profess to be religious in this very thread I would think less of you if I was taking notes but oddly I do not because i'm not that bothered in you as individuals, and when I read your names in subsequent threads i'll start fresh over as I usually do because for me to recognise one forum user over another between threads is rare, as I really dont care about most of you.
That said, to say I that this is my "belief" would be incorrect and to say I must respect other beliefs would just be refuted. If you have a belief I do not respect it, and I never will.
The question of where we came from cannot be answered, which leaves just the moral code of the various good books - and frankly - i'm not interested in what men from a few thousand years ago thought about what was right and what was wrong.
