|  csny | Jan 14, 9:19am | | 30:good post.. some people are just naturally gifted |
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| | LuridHope | Jan 14, 9:42am | There was time when people thought that the rumbling of a volcano was actually angry god.
Without an understanding of the natural world, religion covered a multitude of unknowns.
I believe psychology to be a lacking fledgling science, but it will eventually evolve to point where we will know just as much about the inner workings of the mind as we do about volcanos.
The human 'spirit' is the final scientific frontier. |
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| | csny | Jan 14, 9:57am | | totally(better living through chemicals) |
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|  mhdk | Jan 14, 12:07pm | If lack of an understanding of the natural world is a feature of the modern religious mindset, then what modern mysteries of the natural world are they relying on religion to explain? After all, there are notable number of scientific people who are also religious. Are these religious-scientists unaware of the possibility that science could eventually explain these mysteries? I think not.
I think psychology could explain religious belief in some way, but that discipline may not yield an entirely satisfactory answer. A lot like how Dawkin's selfish genes don't explain why people fall in love and have children. You know... "Hmmm. Excuse me miss, my genes have informed me that I must attempt to interact with you in order to propagate and ensure the survival of my gene pool. May I make a contract with your gene overlords for our mutual benefit?"
Ultimately, only understanding the conscious choices that religious people make will be of much use here. And there are patterns to how religious people think, that mark them out. When you can ask a religious person, do you believe X as opposed to Y, and they agree and their belief clearly leads to them being religious rather than atheist then and only then will you have a complete understanding.
I don't claim to have a complete understanding but I think I've got fairly close to understanding how they believe what they do. If you take a look at my site (shameless plug - see post 27) then you will see a challenge that I have put to religious people and the FAQs that correspond to the responses I have got in return.
I sincerely hope you find it of interest. |
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Atheists → Discussion