us.cnn.com— For the world to tackle truly important problems, people have to stop looking to religion to guide their moral compasses, the philosopher Sam Harris told.
Mar 26, 2010View in Crawl 4
Russia, China, or really any military dictatorship in the 20th century.Also a lot of the really horrendous violence in the late 20th/early 21st century has been based on ethnicity and not religion.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
I believe in God. - I don't think God is an intergalactic creature that tricks you and waits for your blunders. - God is not a thing, he's not like a chair, or like the air, or like the stars, or like the black holes - these are all things; god is no-thing; yet, still not nothing. He's the rhythm of being. - If you believe in Him, you will gain immensely from that. Not because He will "reward you" for being a good boy. But because you will - just like Neo in the Matrix - see the underlying reality, which will eminently help you. - I'm sorry I can't explain more in this box. I know this message looks stupid. :) Yet, it's all true. At least in my XP.
Hitler was also a vegetarian. These "debates" are silly and futile. Neither religion nor atheism "caused" the Holocaust or the Gulag; vile people making horrible decisions did, and we shouldn't justify their psychotic delusions by pretending the ideology they were 'inspired' by is to blame for its appropriation by a violent psychotic person. The Papal States launched the Crusades for political, social and economic power - pretty much the same things that motivated Stalin and Mao's atrocities. The more things change...
Christians and Muslims can't get along? Tell that to the mothers wearing head scarves that I see every day dropping off and picking up their kids from the private catholic school nearby.
But the thing is, real religious zealots will never ever listen to this man.There's still only really one place in the world where religion is still used to guide the laws and as an excuse to declare war, and I wouldn't bet they're planning on converting into reasonable people any time soon. (hint, I'm not talking about the USA)bye
Would you look at that! -54 diggs, amazing. "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves...and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved".Mathew 10, 15-23.
Anyone else see the irony here?Quote: "We should be talking about real problems, like nuclear proliferation and genocide and poverty and the crisis in education,"But with his arguments all he does is create even more useless attention on religion by getting his views put on CNN. The average person will just chit-chat about and live by what he/she sees on television and in the media, while the people responsible for working on these problems he mentions spent all their time arguing about what should be done, without finally doing anything.Frankly all we should be caring about is avoiding famines and droughts, being alert for epidemics, caring more about managing our resources, and stop doing war. I mean, isn't that complicated enough as it is?! Why should we complicate everything further with religion?
Yes, religion has done terrible things. I mean, all of these atheist schools here in third world countries are really taking the thunder out of those religious nuts' schools. And the religious people can't keep up with all of the atheistic hospitals and the atheist well drilling teams. They're just springing up everywhere, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it! And don't get me started on the numerous atheist aid organizations! I can't even begin to count them all! I mean, there must be, oh I don't know, nearly one of them!
I don't understand how to walk the earth without faith. Where does hope come from without faith? Seriously, you believe that a presidential election in your favor offers hope? Or a change in political system? Or an information revolution? Or a social networking innovation? Or even an earth-shattering scientific discovery? Please. Honestly? How does that stop the alcoholic from drinking? The batterer from battering? How does that help a marriage? An abused or abandoned child?The solutions atheism/agnosticism offer pale in comparison. There must be a higher source/power. Without that source, there's no [significant] hope. And without hope, we can't thrive. So much love comes from faith. You dog faith, but without it, we'd be 500 years behind where we are now. Faith's love doesn't make the news cycle. What's much more sexy is the hate that comes from faith. It's a Jerry Springer world. Living Colour said it best: "I will never be satisfied until it ends in tears." Faith is easily discredited by science. But hope in science? Hope in knowledge? Hope in what? The continuity of our species? What does that mean for me? Truth is, no one remembers me past 2 generations. I turn into just a name, at best. Is this all the hope that logic & science have to offer? Not good enough. I might kill myself if that's all there was.I thank God for the hope of heaven, for the salvation of my soul, for the love of Jesus Christ, for the grace that covers my sin, your sin, all sin. I don't care *where* you are on your faith-journey: single mother, barren woman, woman-batterer, suicide-bomber, KKK grandmaster, normal Joe/Jane trying to find something meaningful, drug-abuser, drug-trafficker, even child trafficker... Christ is with you, and is for you.Find community. Reach out to someone. Ask His love to imbue you. Try it for a month. See what happens. You won't ever be the same, one way or the other.
Stalin and Mao didn't kill anyone in the name of atheism. They killed people out of greed and a lust for power. Atheism doesn't HAVE any dogma or ideology from which to influence others to kill. Fundies always like to trot out this bunch of bulls**t, its like you all circulate the same bulls**t between yourselves. Stalin, mao, pol pot, etc etc. You people are ridiculous. What likely happened is that Beck or your pastor or some religious figure told you these men were atheists and killed because they were atheists and without even bothering to research for yourself you bought it completely, like you buy all the other bulls**t they tell you. I've said this a million times, whats once more? Mao, Stalin etc, did not kill because of atheism. Not just because I said so, but because its a fact. They killed out of greed, politics and power. They didn't even try and sway their citizens with appeals to atheism. You know how they whipped up their populace? Nationalism. Kind of like the right wing of America does all the time with their "patriotism" (nationalism).
Where is God? What is His Plan? We all want hope. God of Hope offers exactly that - as it attempts to answer the questions of where God is and what His plan is ... http://on.fb.me/u8q7CK
Mr. Harris' "False Dilemma" argument is fallacious reasoning. He is saying religion has NO contribution to ethics, human well being, or human fulfillment; only his faith in secular humanism does.
Once I see atheists of all incomes become voluntary charitable givers (beyond what they pay in taxes to the government) on par with Christians; launch social entrepreneurship ventures to provide help for the urban and rural poor of America, build schools and hospitals, drill water wells and feed the starving around the world, micro-lend to developing nations, and the list goes on and on--his theory is just empty words.
Nice try at poisoning the well Mr. Harris. Only elites and secular academia MIGHT subscribe to your dogma. The majority of Americans across the country know better than to think religion has no positive role to play in the moral, personal, or social needs of our country.
zelldMar 28, 2010
Russia, China, or really any military dictatorship in the 20th century.Also a lot of the really horrendous violence in the late 20th/early 21st century has been based on ethnicity and not religion.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
maynymMar 28, 2010
I believe in God. - I don't think God is an intergalactic creature that tricks you and waits for your blunders. - God is not a thing, he's not like a chair, or like the air, or like the stars, or like the black holes - these are all things; god is no-thing; yet, still not nothing. He's the rhythm of being. - If you believe in Him, you will gain immensely from that. Not because He will "reward you" for being a good boy. But because you will - just like Neo in the Matrix - see the underlying reality, which will eminently help you. - I'm sorry I can't explain more in this box. I know this message looks stupid. :) Yet, it's all true. At least in my XP.
solistusMar 29, 2010
Hitler was also a vegetarian. These "debates" are silly and futile. Neither religion nor atheism "caused" the Holocaust or the Gulag; vile people making horrible decisions did, and we shouldn't justify their psychotic delusions by pretending the ideology they were 'inspired' by is to blame for its appropriation by a violent psychotic person. The Papal States launched the Crusades for political, social and economic power - pretty much the same things that motivated Stalin and Mao's atrocities. The more things change...
Closed AccountMar 30, 2010
The religious trend is on it's way out. Just quiet down, and accept you fate of extinction gracefully, like the Dodo.
hotvisionApr 1, 2010
"Religion is a timely whore." -myself
Closed AccountApr 2, 2010
Religion has outlive it's orginal purpose. Is time for humanity to severe all links with archaic traditions that are not but handicaps at this point.
swedishfriendApr 3, 2010
Christians and Muslims can't get along? Tell that to the mothers wearing head scarves that I see every day dropping off and picking up their kids from the private catholic school nearby.
laerarenApr 5, 2010
But the thing is, real religious zealots will never ever listen to this man.There's still only really one place in the world where religion is still used to guide the laws and as an excuse to declare war, and I wouldn't bet they're planning on converting into reasonable people any time soon. (hint, I'm not talking about the USA)bye
ataniteApr 5, 2010
Would you look at that! -54 diggs, amazing. "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves...and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved".Mathew 10, 15-23.
x3k0Apr 6, 2010
Anyone else see the irony here?Quote: "We should be talking about real problems, like nuclear proliferation and genocide and poverty and the crisis in education,"But with his arguments all he does is create even more useless attention on religion by getting his views put on CNN. The average person will just chit-chat about and live by what he/she sees on television and in the media, while the people responsible for working on these problems he mentions spent all their time arguing about what should be done, without finally doing anything.Frankly all we should be caring about is avoiding famines and droughts, being alert for epidemics, caring more about managing our resources, and stop doing war. I mean, isn't that complicated enough as it is?! Why should we complicate everything further with religion?
commentpostedApr 15, 2010
Yes, religion has done terrible things. I mean, all of these atheist schools here in third world countries are really taking the thunder out of those religious nuts' schools. And the religious people can't keep up with all of the atheistic hospitals and the atheist well drilling teams. They're just springing up everywhere, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it! And don't get me started on the numerous atheist aid organizations! I can't even begin to count them all! I mean, there must be, oh I don't know, nearly one of them!
jettca1Apr 19, 2010
I don't understand how to walk the earth without faith. Where does hope come from without faith? Seriously, you believe that a presidential election in your favor offers hope? Or a change in political system? Or an information revolution? Or a social networking innovation? Or even an earth-shattering scientific discovery? Please. Honestly? How does that stop the alcoholic from drinking? The batterer from battering? How does that help a marriage? An abused or abandoned child?The solutions atheism/agnosticism offer pale in comparison. There must be a higher source/power. Without that source, there's no [significant] hope. And without hope, we can't thrive. So much love comes from faith. You dog faith, but without it, we'd be 500 years behind where we are now. Faith's love doesn't make the news cycle. What's much more sexy is the hate that comes from faith. It's a Jerry Springer world. Living Colour said it best: "I will never be satisfied until it ends in tears." Faith is easily discredited by science. But hope in science? Hope in knowledge? Hope in what? The continuity of our species? What does that mean for me? Truth is, no one remembers me past 2 generations. I turn into just a name, at best. Is this all the hope that logic & science have to offer? Not good enough. I might kill myself if that's all there was.I thank God for the hope of heaven, for the salvation of my soul, for the love of Jesus Christ, for the grace that covers my sin, your sin, all sin. I don't care *where* you are on your faith-journey: single mother, barren woman, woman-batterer, suicide-bomber, KKK grandmaster, normal Joe/Jane trying to find something meaningful, drug-abuser, drug-trafficker, even child trafficker... Christ is with you, and is for you.Find community. Reach out to someone. Ask His love to imbue you. Try it for a month. See what happens. You won't ever be the same, one way or the other.
Closed AccountMay 16, 2010
Stalin and Mao didn't kill anyone in the name of atheism. They killed people out of greed and a lust for power. Atheism doesn't HAVE any dogma or ideology from which to influence others to kill. Fundies always like to trot out this bunch of bulls**t, its like you all circulate the same bulls**t between yourselves. Stalin, mao, pol pot, etc etc. You people are ridiculous. What likely happened is that Beck or your pastor or some religious figure told you these men were atheists and killed because they were atheists and without even bothering to research for yourself you bought it completely, like you buy all the other bulls**t they tell you. I've said this a million times, whats once more? Mao, Stalin etc, did not kill because of atheism. Not just because I said so, but because its a fact. They killed out of greed, politics and power. They didn't even try and sway their citizens with appeals to atheism. You know how they whipped up their populace? Nationalism. Kind of like the right wing of America does all the time with their "patriotism" (nationalism).
jimimagetlDec 28, 2011
Where is God? What is His Plan? We all want hope. God of Hope offers exactly that - as it attempts to answer the questions of where God is and what His plan is ... http://on.fb.me/u8q7CK
StPatsBuffaloChurchJan 28, 2012
Mr. Harris' "False Dilemma" argument is fallacious reasoning. He is saying religion has NO contribution to ethics, human well being, or human fulfillment; only his faith in secular humanism does.
Once I see atheists of all incomes become voluntary charitable givers (beyond what they pay in taxes to the government) on par with Christians; launch social entrepreneurship ventures to provide help for the urban and rural poor of America, build schools and hospitals, drill water wells and feed the starving around the world, micro-lend to developing nations, and the list goes on and on--his theory is just empty words.
Nice try at poisoning the well Mr. Harris. Only elites and secular academia MIGHT subscribe to your dogma. The majority of Americans across the country know better than to think religion has no positive role to play in the moral, personal, or social needs of our country.