The Church is a useful institution; it's a place to maintain social contacts. A lot of clubs and bowling leagues have gone out of business. The church is still there on the corner. Potluck, anyone? — BC
Is "religion" a waste of time? For some, yes; for others no. — BC
We'll have to come back from the grave to see whether that makes all that much difference. — BC
Tell me more about what I should let go of, and how you know its value so well. — unenlightened
Should we not let go of those very Christian values too? — unenlightened
It sounds like you have an axe to grind, but given that your post contains no arguments and has no relation to philosophy, why post this sort of thing on a philosophy forum? — Leontiskos
From a psychological, anthropological, and historical point of view, it’s just one more worldview. — Mikie
No reason to give “god” special attention just because you happen to be raised in that faith. — Mikie
I didn’t say anything about Christian values. — Mikie
It’s a waste of time. — Mikie
On the contrary, one cannot understand oneself and one's potential biases without some study of the history of the culture in which one was raised. — unenlightened
If you really believe your culture is special, exceptional, deserving of privileged treatment, etc — fine, go study it. — Mikie
Some say that it was a Christian society that brought about the enlightenment and the birth of science, and the very commitment to truth — unenlightened
Zeus was prone to eating his children too. It's a god thing. — unenlightened
And I have found much of value in all those stories that you seem to want me to dismiss. — unenlightened
So what do you have that is better than stories? — unenlightened
The argument is simple: because one happens to be raised in a Christian culture... — Mikie
To a lot of people it's the most important fact about life. — Quixodian
There's an asymettry - you don't see it as anything other than myth, whereas for those who believe it, there is something real - and vastly important - at stake. — Quixodian
then you should be informed that bundling together a bunch of anti-religious clichés in an anti-religious OP will certainly have the opposite effect. — Leontiskos
You were taught these stories as a child. Anyone who thinks them through, if they’re strong enough, will just let them go as cultural fairytales — on par with Santa Klaus and caring about the National Football League — Mikie
It’s not anti-religious. I’m speaking to those capable of recognizing their own religion as a product of their upbringing. — Mikie
The idea that only a select few are "capable of recognizing their own religion as a product of their upbringing" is anti-religious. This is obvious. — Leontiskos
...because there’s nothing special about your particular religion. — Mikie
More personal insults, then, just like the OP. — Leontiskos
Of those who do— and there are a sizable number — I think it’s worth giving the advice I did: — Mikie
I’m assuming people who do philosophy assume it’s myth as well. Nothing wrong with myth and stories — they’re important. But let’s acknowledge our privileging it over many others simply because we were raised in it. — Mikie
There are substantive philosophical questions entailed by religious belief. — Quixodian
How do you suggest we help those who continue to be manipulated by any pernicious uses of theism? — universeness
There are substantive philosophical questions entailed by religious belief. — Quixodian
There are important religious questions entailed by religious beliefs. But I wouldn’t call them philosophical. — Mikie
The question of whether there is a "governing intelligence of the Cosmos" is answerable only by faith. — Janus
There can be no evidence of such a thing — Janus
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