Religion: The Rational Believing the Irrational

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There are people on this little old planet of ours who have what they term as ‘faith’. That ‘faith’ is an often unshakable belief in utter and unadulterated bullshit. Regardless of the ‘bullshit’ they ‘believe’. They believe in God/Allah/Buddha/Martians/Hari or who ever or what ever. I freely admit to a certain enviousness of these ‘believers’ if only because those with a strong and unshakable faith have no fear of death.

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They ‘believe’ implacably that, on their death, they will ascend to paradise, or, rather, their spirits will ascend to paradise or heaven or something like that. Personally I’m not at all happy about the prospect of dying primarily because I’ve always considered myself to be immortal and dying is something that other people do from time to time albeit they only, generally, do it once. Dying is something for everybody else thank you very much and there are times, particularly the dying times, when I would much prefer to not ‘follow the crowd’.

Now, I have often thought where do these ‘religious’ types get this faith thing? Is it parental influence? Is it a lack of intelligence? Is it brain washing? Is it drugs? Is it a form of mental illness were they cannot function without the ‘crutch’ of faith? I’ve no idea and, I very much suspect, neither have they – they’re too busy having faith and, of course, doubt in a religious context cannot function alongside faith. Where there is doubt there is no faith.

Through the ages those of ‘faith’ and incapable of ‘doubt’ have, from time to time, caused mayhem and, not infrequently, murder and, on occasion, genocide to other members of humanity who had either no faith or a different faith.

Actually, at the time of writing, certain sections of Islam are still merrily continuing this odd tradition of trying to wipe out all those who either have a different faith or none at all.

The Christians did much the same sort of thing during the ‘Crusades’ whence they cheerfully chopped off the heads of ‘the heathens’ who, at the time, happened to be mainly Muslim so all this head chopping off stuff started long before Islam got the heads up on it – I do apologise for the awful pun by the way.

I have noted, as I’m sure you all have, that, whenever an article appears on MMA that prompts a person of faith – usually Christian – to comment, almost without exception they either cannot spell or type gibberish well spelt or otherwise or sound like they’re quoting from the script of Cecil B DeMille’s ‘Ten Commandments’ movie. I can’t wait for the day when an Islamist turns up in the comments and issues a fatwa against us. Well, actually, I can wait for the day for a long time actually as I rather prefer my head attached where it’s supposed to be thank you very much.

That’s the thing isn’t it? Those of ‘faith’ talk of their ‘peaceful God’ then tell us that we’re either going to burn in hell or get our heads chopped off but we should realise whilst reading their bile that their’s is a religion of peace.

How does religion do it? In the 21st Century when humankind is actually creating a realistic chance of flying to and landing on Mars somehow religion still manages to ensnare people and turn them into gibbering robotic loonies. Whilst Christianity wanes in certain parts of the world Islam rises and we see pictures on our TV screens of demented people beating their chests and threatening to ‘kill the kaffir’ (which, apparently, is all those who aren’t followers of Islam so shut up Christians, you’re toast too)

Whilst it would clearly be a better world if religion would just sod off it is equally clear that it won’t.

Catholicism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, Moonies, Christian Scientists, Judaism and on and on and on it goes.

I nearly said “God help us” – oops 😉

About Post Author

Neil Bamforth

I am English first, British second and never ever European. I have supported Oldham Athletic FC for 50 years which has made me immune from depression. My taste buds have died due to too many red hot curries so I drink Kronenburg beer and milk - sometimes in the same glass. I have a wife, daughter, 9 cats and I like toast.
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Richard Vaught
9 years ago

A simple rational answer. Even if you can show that some material something can come from some nothing (an impossibility), that “something” must follow intangible rules. The rules had to be derived from information that had to come from somewhere in order to become all of the “somethings” which you know and love.

Now, as no one has proven that “some thing” can come from “no thing”, or that “some information” can come from “no information”, how are the religious any more insane, or desperate, or irrational than those that chose to believe that every thing just *poofed* into existence in this incredibly organized, complex, and remarkably fine tuned universe? If anything, I would say that they make more sense because their faith only requires that God (energy and information) comes into existence ex nihlo, as opposed to matter, energy, AND information. One less complication, you know.

Reply to  Richard Vaught
9 years ago

I prefer to look at the universe as having no beginning. It always was and always will be, in some form or another. There was no god that created it, nor is there one that watches over it. God is therefore rendered irrelevant. Time is the creator of life, and the more time the universe has, which is infinity, the more life is created and in many different forms. Given that assumption it’s fair to say that in this same infinite period life is also destroyed. God, in whatever form humans assign, has nothing to do with it. If one prefers to believe in a great deity then just look to the universe, for it is the creator of all things.

Reply to  Richard Vaught
9 years ago

Only religion claims to have all the answers. It’s always only one answer, though. “God did it.” Never mind that they have never produced even a tiny bit of evidence of any god, they want to believe that because it is far easier than thinking.

Science, on the other hand, has never claimed to know everything. One even said, “We are picking up pebbles from the beach of an ocean of knowledge.”

Science even willingly changes its position when new and better evidence is demonstrated. Religion can be dragged into a new position only when the evidence is so overwhelming that even they cannot deny it or lie it away.

Science has never claimed, as you imply, that something came from nothing. Religion does that constantly by failing to explain where did their “god” come from? They have evasions such as “god is eternal” but that explains nothing.

My usual question to those kinds of obfuscations is, “How do you know?” Sometimes it’s seasoned with one of their own favorites, “Were you there?”

I must have asked these kind of questions thousands of times over the decades. Guess how many provable rational answers I have received? (Hint: choose a whole number between +1 and -1)

Want to know the most frequent answers? There are two, abut equal in frequency.

1. “You must gave faith” I covered that in an earlier post in this thread.

2. “You’re doing to hell!” That’s the normal theist threat when they have nothing rational to say.

If they had anything provable to offer would theists need false promises of a paradise or the empty threats of a hell? A single verifiable fact of any god would convert a multitude (however many that is) of atheists. Not happening is it?

Norman Rampart
Reply to  Richard Vaught
9 years ago

Hello Richard and welcome.

Say again? I was with you at the ‘A simple rational answer’ part but didn’t really pick it up again until the ‘One less complication, you know’ part….

Sorry old bean….being northern English if there isn’t an ‘ey oop’ or ‘e by eck’ in there I’m easily confused 😉

9 years ago

Faith, as I have posted many times, here and elsewhere, is “Accepting as true that for which there s no supporting evidence and even much evidence against it.” How intelligent is that?

I have also told many believers, “Shown undeniable evidence, I will change my position on anything, including religion. What will it take to change your position?”

When I receive an answer at all, (believers are very good at ignoring anything they do not choose to answer) it is “nothing will change my mind.”

Ironically, they they often accuse me of being closed minded. Again, how intelligent is that? Is it any surprise I would regard believers as delusional, intentionally ignorant, and stubbornly stupid?

Norman Rampart
Reply to  James Smith
9 years ago

Despite being delusional, intentionally arrogant and stubbornly stupid I am not a believer – the exception proving the rule perhaps? 😉

Well…I do like The Monkees song but that doesn’t really count does it?

Joe Hagstrom
Reply to  Norman Rampart
9 years ago

Anyone that likes the Monkees can’t be all bad. Now off to save James’ soul.

Reply to  Joe Hagstrom
9 years ago

My soul has been in a favela since late October. I doubt it will ever leave. Sorry, save your efforts.

Norman Rampart
Reply to  Joe Hagstrom
9 years ago

I’ve never been all bad! Mostly but not all!!

Joe Hagstrom
9 years ago

Well old bean, God created all that stuff, including Mars, the planet and candy bar. And we must all remember to put Christ back in Christmas cause God forbid we forget. And it gives advertisers a chance to pander to the religious in their advertisements which God created also.

And despite the athiests who demand we say happy holidays, like they deserve them, instead of Merry Christmas remember that the hoidays not only include Christmas, which was named after Christ, but New Years Day which is the feast of the Circumcision. Nothing brings a man closer to God than having his foreskin wacked off. Your welcome for the holidays.

Norman Rampart
Reply to  Joe Hagstrom
9 years ago

That made me shiver…and it wasn’t the cold weather either! 😉

Reply to  Joe Hagstrom
9 years ago

Exactly what atheists are demanded anyone say, “Happy Holidays”?

Instead of worrying about putting christ back into christmas, how about putting christ back into christians?

Unless you mean this christ:

Matthew 10:34  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

P.S. I know you are being a poe and using your great skill at sarcasm. I thought I’d play along, OK?

Joe Hagstrom
Reply to  James Smith
9 years ago

The Good Book also says turn the other cheek James. Which by the way is a great response to questions we can’t answer.

And if memory serves me correctly it was either Hollywood or a big department store that started the happy holidays thing. But us real Christian Americans wouldn’t let the truth get in the way of a good story which can foment some hate and anger which we can parlay into keeping our base of zealots, idiots and bigots angry enough to keep voting for us.

Reply to  Joe Hagstrom
9 years ago

Exactly what cheek are you turning? 😉

Joe Hagstrom
Reply to  James Smith
9 years ago

The one with the image of the Virgin Mary. We see those thing everywhere also.

Reply to  Joe Hagstrom
9 years ago

This is too good to pass up LMAO!

Joe Hagstrom
Reply to  James Smith
9 years ago

I must admit that there is a downside to this hyper Christian republican deal. I have to stop at every intersection and genuflect cause it looks like a big cross. Takes me forever to get anywhere but seeing as how I will enjoy eternal life with Christ it really isn’t so bad. Have to think long term.

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