5 ms·

But what if you really are crazy? Not a dysfunctional schizo type of crazy, but just talking to invisible deities in the sky and sincerely believing they are th

by k1ll3r 4y ago

But what if you really are crazy? Not a dysfunctional schizo type of crazy, but just talking to invisible deities in the sky and sincerely believing they are there type of crazy? Which is literally what the author (proudly) claims to be, no? Are we supposed to take such beliefs seriously? Being unable to tell people they're full of shit, in a respectful manner, is much more of a serious problem here. You want to hold certain beliefs and to express them, then you should be ready to be challenged. The more peculiar the beliefs the stronger and more immediate the challenges. Alternatively, you can, you know, just shut the fuck up and keep working on those wonderful products of yours and not pollute your social surroundings with religion that has oppressed and killed millions of people throughout history.

hackyhacky 4y ago
> Not a dysfunctional schizo type of crazy, but just talking to invisible deities in the sky and sincerely believing they are there type of crazy? Isn't that.. all religions?
- differentView 4y ago
  My Invisible Underground Unicorn (rainbow poop be beneath her) disagrees.
- throwuxiytayq 4y ago
  Doesnt't that... make the situation all the more ridiculous?
- tialaramex 4y ago
  Nah, there's a bunch of very popular religions which probably are derived from Canaanite worship of El about 2500 years ago and these focus on that "Creation God" figure so much that their surviving text is today read by believers as saying there aren't any other Gods even though if you look at it frankly sure seems like it's actually ranking El as merely the most important of many Gods. Thus it's easy to see why you might think that, but plenty of religions don't have any personal Gods at all, or don't think you can talk to God.
- astrange 4y ago
  There are non-theistic religions and most theistic religions aren’t specifically sky-old-guy monotheist. (Although despite Buddhism’s non-theistic reputation, the most popular kinds do have Pure-Land-old-guy worship)
thinkingemote 4y ago
History will also show you that it is religion that has formed the moral and social framework for today's values to be opposed to oppression. You might think they, human rights, good morals, fundamental truths, are innate and fundamental but then look at geography and history together and you will see that it's religion that is the origin for these beliefs. The twentieth century featured many deaths caused by 2 different philosophies in 2 different places explicitly opposed to religion, for example!. It's a paradox and irony in many cases. Just some perspective and nuance for widening ones thoughts.
- hackyhacky 4y ago
  Sorry, but this is ridiculous. Are you claiming that murder was totally accepted as normal before Moses got the Commandments? Religion, at best, codified moral values that were already in place in society.
  - ars 4y ago
    > Are you claiming that murder was totally accepted as normal before Moses got the Commandments? Pretty much: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infanticide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infanticide read the 4th paragraph. Or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_war https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_war which also traces its roots to religion. Or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_law I don't think you quite realize how much of modern morality traces itself to religious law. Maybe take a course in Philosophy.
    - hackyhacky 4y ago
      > Pretty much: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infanticide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infanticide read the 4th paragraph. I asked about murder, not this particular special case. Furthermore, even from the paragraph that you cite, there is nothing explicitly connecting religious law with a prohibition of murder or infanticide. The article states the Christianity forbade infanticide, which I will note is about 1300 years AFTER Moses. > I don't think you quite realize how much of modern morality traces itself to religious law. Maybe take a course in Philosophy. Thanks for your unjustified condescension. Maybe you should read the articles that you cite?
dang 4y ago
Please do not take HN threads into religious flamewar. Last thing we need here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

by k1ll3r 4y ago

hackyhacky 4y ago

> Not a dysfunctional schizo type of crazy, but just talking to invisible deities in the sky and sincerely believing they are there type of crazy? Isn't that.. all religions?

differentView 4y ago
My Invisible Underground Unicorn (rainbow poop be beneath her) disagrees.
throwuxiytayq 4y ago
Doesnt't that... make the situation all the more ridiculous?
tialaramex 4y ago
Nah, there's a bunch of very popular religions which probably are derived from Canaanite worship of El about 2500 years ago and these focus on that "Creation God" figure so much that their surviving text is today read by believers as saying there aren't any other Gods even though if you look at it frankly sure seems like it's actually ranking El as merely the most important of many Gods. Thus it's easy to see why you might think that, but plenty of religions don't have any personal Gods at all, or don't think you can talk to God.
astrange 4y ago
There are non-theistic religions and most theistic religions aren’t specifically sky-old-guy monotheist. (Although despite Buddhism’s non-theistic reputation, the most popular kinds do have Pure-Land-old-guy worship)

thinkingemote 4y ago

History will also show you that it is religion that has formed the moral and social framework for today's values to be opposed to oppression. You might think they, human rights, good morals, fundamental truths, are innate and fundamental but then look at geography and history together and you will see that it's religion that is the origin for these beliefs. The twentieth century featured many deaths caused by 2 different philosophies in 2 different places explicitly opposed to religion, for example!. It's a paradox and irony in many cases. Just some perspective and nuance for widening ones thoughts.

hackyhacky 4y ago
Sorry, but this is ridiculous. Are you claiming that murder was totally accepted as normal before Moses got the Commandments? Religion, at best, codified moral values that were already in place in society.
- ars 4y ago
  > Are you claiming that murder was totally accepted as normal before Moses got the Commandments? Pretty much: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infanticide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infanticide read the 4th paragraph. Or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_war https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_war which also traces its roots to religion. Or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_law I don't think you quite realize how much of modern morality traces itself to religious law. Maybe take a course in Philosophy.
  - hackyhacky 4y ago
    > Pretty much: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infanticide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infanticide read the 4th paragraph. I asked about murder, not this particular special case. Furthermore, even from the paragraph that you cite, there is nothing explicitly connecting religious law with a prohibition of murder or infanticide. The article states the Christianity forbade infanticide, which I will note is about 1300 years AFTER Moses. > I don't think you quite realize how much of modern morality traces itself to religious law. Maybe take a course in Philosophy. Thanks for your unjustified condescension. Maybe you should read the articles that you cite?

dang 4y ago

Please do not take HN threads into religious flamewar. Last thing we need here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html