• arsCynic@piefed.social
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    38
    arrow-down
    6
    ·
    edit-2
    10 hours ago

    💭 To consider antireligion instead of atheism
    “The harm of religion is historically evident whereas the presence or absence of gods is not. Ultimately, the continued existence of religion is predicated on the indoctrination of children and suppression of rational thought. Therefore I am against religion but not necessarily against the idea of gods. For all we know gods are computer scientists and we are in their video game.” ―https://www.arscyni.cc/file/antireligion.html

    […] Not only is religion vague, it is dishonest. Homosexuality for instance. While conversing with a Muslim former colleague A, I noticed that even though the religious say they supposedly want tolerance and acceptance for all, do they actually believe it?

    Q: “Do you have a problem with homosexuality?”

    A: “Look. They can do whatever they want, but it’s abnormal you see?”

    Q: “In the strict definition of the word abnormal I agree, i.e., heterosexuality is a lot more prevalent than homosexuality, making the latter rare—“abnormal”. But I don’t consider it wrong. Do you? Do you consider it a sin even though it harms no one?”

    Long silence…

    A: “Yes, I consider it a sin.”

    Q: “Okay then.”

    Christopher Hitchens was right, religion does poison everything. Even though colleague A said people are free to do whatever they please, following it up with “homosexuality is a sin” arguably exposes his feigned tolerance. […]

    • SpongyAneurysm@feddit.org
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      3 hours ago

      Not gonna defend religion or anything, but this

      Even though colleague A said people are free to do whatever they please, following it up with “homosexuality is a sin” arguably exposes his feigned tolerance. […]

      is a non-sequitur argument. Or at least it has an unspoken premise, of what it means for something to be a sin.

      People are usually free to commit sins, and other religious people tolerate their sinning. As long as they’re the socially accepted kind of sins in that religious community, like drinking alcohol, hitting your children, coveting your neighbours wife, you name it. Hypocrisy is an integral element of any religious community I know.

      But the hypocrisy here is not, that homesexuality is called a sin. It is, that it is usually regarded as a graver sin than all the others that are happily tolerated.

      • arsCynic@piefed.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        1 hour ago

        is a non-sequitur argument.

        I think I have to disagree, but I understand where you’re coming from, hence the “arguably”. Believing something is a sin indeed doesn’t equal taking someone’s freedom to do so. However, his revulsion was uttered with such conviction and certain facial expressions that it signaled if he had free rein, he would not tolerate homosexuality at all, i.e., would prohibit it.

      • arsCynic@piefed.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        4 hours ago

        freedom of religion is a requirement for freedom from religion.

        “freedom of religion brainwashing is a requirement for freedom from religion brainwashing.”

        A spurious but innocuous sounding argument.

      • ThirdConsul@lemmy.zip
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        5 hours ago

        No, it is not. Freedom to pick a bullet caliber to shoot your neighbour is not a requirement to NOT shoot your neighbours

    • SnoopSqueak@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      13
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      10 hours ago

      I am against religion and the idea of gods, as well as every other superstition.

      I wish everyone would quit making shit up and focus on reality.

      • SpongyAneurysm@feddit.org
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        3 hours ago

        Isn’t that what tolerance is about? The live and let live thing? So you kinda have to be okay with other people doing what they like.

        Doesn’t mean you have to do the same though.