Why does it matter?
Offline First to admit religion is the worst thing to ever happen... but why does it matter? 
YOU RESPOND:
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Brandon
Date: Nov 27 2006 7:09 PMRRS,
Sometimes your message comes off as a rant. It reminds me of evangelical christians. Why does your group want to spend so much time trying to get people to quit believing in God. It is almost as bad as the people that spend their lives trying get people to believe. Is there some agenda behind all of your work. I will be the first to admit that religion is the worst thing to ever happen to this planet. But, most if not at least 98% of Religious people live normal lives. How does this hurt anyone? The religous people aren't really missing out on anything. Becoming an athiest doesn't do dick for anyone. There is zero comfort in being an athiest. But for religious people, there is this comfort of something better for them. Why not let them have it? If you are right than it won't matter for them anyway. They won't know the difference. Sorry about the rant.. Saying religion is irrational won't move many people towards your side. So in the end my question is this. "Why do you even care what people believe???"
Brandon
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Do we have to answer this again? (maybe this needs to go in the FAQ)
Because religious people often try to force their beliefs on others : See the anti-choice movement, anti-women, anti-gay, etc, too- the religious war on science (anti-evolution, etc.)
Besisdes that, isn't it better to have true beliefs than to waste time believing a lie?
Matt Shizzle has been banned from the Rational Response Squad website. This event shall provide an atmosphere more conducive to social growth. - Majority of the mod team
Imagine if this person wrote that "Independence day" movie.
"Oh look aliens, they are destroying the world, that's bad!
But why should we care?"
I did have to add this question and my reply to the FAQ.
Ask ten different members of the RRS why they do what they do and you'll get ten different answers. Because religious people are annoying, because it's dangerous, because they assume people want to live in a world that is as close to concrete reality as possible. I see all of these answers as just a symptom of an underlying problem.
Religion, in any form, moderate or fundamental, violent or peace loving, self-imposing or self-contained, they all exist as sort-of a virus that infects peoples' minds, spreads, grows worse, and in extreme cases can even be terminal. Imagine if we were to sit by and just accept that some people get influenza, or hepatitis, or AIDs and there was nothing we could do about it? If we were to just sit back and not bother people with this virus, we are doing nothing to keep it from infecting us or the ones we love. Why is this virus of the mind ALWAYS a bad thing, even when it has no negative effects, behavior-wise? Because it reduces us to the mentalities of children. It returns us to a fantasy world of child-like absolutes, of good and evil, of right and wrong, black and white, rendering us crippled in a world of adult shades of gray.
No matter how apparently harmless religious beliefs are, to sit back and allow them to pass without some sort of (what Sam Harris calls) conversational intolerance is what allows the more dangerous fundamentalist religions to take over countries, restrict freedoms, and commit genocide in the name of their angry god.
Thanks, but no thanks.
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Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer.
http://unpleasantcharacters.blogspot.com
I would like to apologize for not defining my email better. I understand what religion does. I understand what fundementalist do. I just didn't understand the group position. I should have checked out your website instead of just looking at the myspace. Honestly, religion has not affected my life directly. I am white, straight and live in Williamsport, PA. I wouldn't say people around here are tolerant, but they do mind their own business. I guess it is hard to care about stuff on the news when your home life is great. I admit that is selfish. Today I bought Sam Harris' "The End of Faith". I saw that it was quoted and I thought I should give it shot. Thanks un0!! I will also read the faqs MattShizzle. By the way Ophios, I would stand around when aliens attacked the world. The Scientologists would save us anyway... I am not very good at humor. Thanks for commenting guys. I will post something that is less of a rant and more level headed from now on!
Brandon
"We never respect stupidity in our society unless it is Religious Stupidity." -Sam Harris
Maybe drive them away with their drivel.
Shit. I say go ahead and rant in the blog.
Sometimes you never get to hear the opposing viewpoint until you piss people off.
As far as only posting 'level-headed stuff', I don't think that will achieve any satisfaction from the post itself.
Rational versus Irrational example:
In my opinion,
Irrational would be posting that you hate Islam. Rational would be posting WHY you hate Islam and hearing/reading/understanding other people's justification for hating or not hating it.
Irrational would be believing that because you are not affected by theism then no one else is. Rational would be hearing/reading/understanding HOW other people feel that they are or aren't.
Irrational would be thinking that because you don't see any threat of theocracy on the horizon then it won't happen. Rational would be an analysis of sociological factors that could or could not precipitate that outcome.
Just my thinking. Welcome to a haven that provides comfort for, at least, this atheist.
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Saying "The Scientologists would protect us anyway" shows you get our style of humor.
AAAAA!!! You live in Williamsport! That's where the place I work for has their HQ!
Matt Shizzle has been banned from the Rational Response Squad website. This event shall provide an atmosphere more conducive to social growth. - Majority of the mod team