Comments on: Would we be better off without religion? http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/2010/07/06/would-we-be-better-off-without-religion/ Promoting rational thought above dogma. Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:05:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Dan http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/2010/07/06/would-we-be-better-off-without-religion/comment-page-1/#comment-1305 Dan Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:49:47 +0000 http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/2010/07/06/would-we-be-better-off-without-religion/#comment-1305 I will agree that, in general, what others believe should be their business and nobody else's. However, since people act based on their beliefs, those beliefs can and will affect others. When someone's beliefs indicate to him that all non-white people are inferior, for example, it has a profound effect on those around him. The populations of our world are connected. We live in societies where our actions can intimately affect those around us... and those all over the planet, so I don't think it's really possible for people to "leave their neighbors alone" in that regard. Sure, you can avoid discussing religion and politics with your neighbor and frequently, that's a smart and considerate thing to do (depending on your neighbor!). But our beliefs shape our actions... and actions inevitably will affect our world. To me, that's why beliefs are important, whether they're mine or someone else's. I will agree that, in general, what others believe should be their business and nobody else’s. However, since people act based on their beliefs, those beliefs can and will affect others. When someone’s beliefs indicate to him that all non-white people are inferior, for example, it has a profound effect on those around him.

The populations of our world are connected. We live in societies where our actions can intimately affect those around us… and those all over the planet, so I don’t think it’s really possible for people to “leave their neighbors alone” in that regard.

Sure, you can avoid discussing religion and politics with your neighbor and frequently, that’s a smart and considerate thing to do (depending on your neighbor!). But our beliefs shape our actions… and actions inevitably will affect our world. To me, that’s why beliefs are important, whether they’re mine or someone else’s.

]]> By: John Pieret http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/2010/07/06/would-we-be-better-off-without-religion/comment-page-1/#comment-1304 John Pieret Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:23:10 +0000 http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/2010/07/06/would-we-be-better-off-without-religion/#comment-1304 Ummm ... In a perfect world, rational people examining the empiric evidence would realize that there ain't no such animal as a perfect world. In a close-as-we-might-ever-come-to a perfect world, we'd have a secular society where what people <i>believe</i> is nobody else's business whatsoever ... <i>including</i> how anyone goes about "moral and critical thinking," as long as they leave their neighbors alone. Ummm … In a perfect world, rational people examining the empiric evidence would realize that there ain’t no such animal as a perfect world. In a close-as-we-might-ever-come-to a perfect world, we’d have a secular society where what people believe is nobody else’s business whatsoever … including how anyone goes about “moral and critical thinking,” as long as they leave their neighbors alone.

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