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If your friend prays, obviously they believe there's a reason to do so. The same as if they took vitamin supplements. > Who the fuck is any one of us to tell t

If your friend prays, obviously they believe there's a reason to do so. The same as if they took vitamin supplements. > Who the fuck is any one of us to tell them they believe something they don't? Who the fuck is any of us to kick down their door and yell it at them? Nobody here is doing that though. In fact, that's something religious people do to areligious people. But who are we to use the correct terminology to ourselves? Thinking beings. What's it to you?

eyelidlessness 10y ago
> If your friend prays, obviously they believe there's a reason to do so. The same as if they took vitamin supplements. Maybe so. Do you know what that reason is? Are you confident in that knowledge? Would you be willing to contradict my friend if he said otherwise? > But who are we to use the correct terminology to ourselves? Thinking beings. What's it to you? How is correctness determined? If we are discussing what other people believe, we are not in a position to define it for them. We can do all sorts of other kinds of analysis: understanding how the specific beliefs affect the believer's actions; understanding the impact of those actions on the world; understanding the way those beliefs intersect with and influence other beliefs. But it is not up to us to assign belief systems to others, even if what we perceive about their beliefs or their actions doesn't conform to our idea of how beliefs work.
- EdHominem 10y ago
  > Maybe so. Do you know what that reason is? I don't have to. But something motivated him to act, and if he's consistent he must believe it's important. > Would you be willing to contradict my friend if he said otherwise? Yeah. Of course. The same as if he said anything else obviously counterfactual. I don't care to, because your friend isn't my windmill, but... > How is correctness determined? If we are discussing what other people believe, we are not in a position to define it for them. We don't need to. The original goalposts are merely that your friend believes or not. > But it is not up to us to assign belief systems to others, "You, you'll be Muslim", "you, Hindu", etc. Funny, but that's not what we're doing. We're pointing to someone praying and saying there must be a reason. Anything less would be denying your friend's humanity. I'm sure that he has what feels like a good reason for what he does...
  - eyelidlessness 10y ago
    > something > The original goalposts are merely that your friend believes or not. > there must be a reason > I'm sure that he has what feels like a good reason for what he does... So wait. You're saying my friend is religious? Or aren't you?
    - EdHominem 10y ago
      > You're saying my friend is religious? No. That he evidently believes in a purpose or he wouldn't perform the actions.
smallnamespace 10y ago
> obviously they believe there's a reason to do so Habit is a reason. So is social conformity. A lot of people don't think it's worth upsetting their closest loved ones and family just to make a strong point about their personal beliefs. I personally have said grace when eating hosts who did, simply because I felt it was the polite thing to do. Doesn't make me religious though, and I don't think they would've been much bothered by the fact that I hadn't yet truly accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

eyelidlessness 10y ago

> If your friend prays, obviously they believe there's a reason to do so. The same as if they took vitamin supplements. Maybe so. Do you know what that reason is? Are you confident in that knowledge? Would you be willing to contradict my friend if he said otherwise? > But who are we to use the correct terminology to ourselves? Thinking beings. What's it to you? How is correctness determined? If we are discussing what other people believe, we are not in a position to define it for them. We can do all sorts of other kinds of analysis: understanding how the specific beliefs affect the believer's actions; understanding the impact of those actions on the world; understanding the way those beliefs intersect with and influence other beliefs. But it is not up to us to assign belief systems to others, even if what we perceive about their beliefs or their actions doesn't conform to our idea of how beliefs work.

EdHominem 10y ago
> Maybe so. Do you know what that reason is? I don't have to. But something motivated him to act, and if he's consistent he must believe it's important. > Would you be willing to contradict my friend if he said otherwise? Yeah. Of course. The same as if he said anything else obviously counterfactual. I don't care to, because your friend isn't my windmill, but... > How is correctness determined? If we are discussing what other people believe, we are not in a position to define it for them. We don't need to. The original goalposts are merely that your friend believes or not. > But it is not up to us to assign belief systems to others, "You, you'll be Muslim", "you, Hindu", etc. Funny, but that's not what we're doing. We're pointing to someone praying and saying there must be a reason. Anything less would be denying your friend's humanity. I'm sure that he has what feels like a good reason for what he does...
- eyelidlessness 10y ago
  > something > The original goalposts are merely that your friend believes or not. > there must be a reason > I'm sure that he has what feels like a good reason for what he does... So wait. You're saying my friend is religious? Or aren't you?
  - EdHominem 10y ago
    > You're saying my friend is religious? No. That he evidently believes in a purpose or he wouldn't perform the actions.

smallnamespace 10y ago

> obviously they believe there's a reason to do so Habit is a reason. So is social conformity. A lot of people don't think it's worth upsetting their closest loved ones and family just to make a strong point about their personal beliefs. I personally have said grace when eating hosts who did, simply because I felt it was the polite thing to do. Doesn't make me religious though, and I don't think they would've been much bothered by the fact that I hadn't yet truly accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.