I'm told humans are capable of doing better than mockery. The generations which indoctrinated us into it was also just being fooled themselves so our belief is not a surprise. Nor was it a failing. I don't accept any restrictions on the ability of humans to do better. I am disgusted that we rarely do.

I have no faith in humanity, or mutual love, but it's a better bet than Xtianity. I think Heaven can only be found after a lobotomy.

@rainmanjr I have faith in good humans doing good things. Not all humans are good or or have good values, but I'm glad to know many who are. If "heaven" can mean a feeling of euphoria at experiencing the beauty of nature or the sharing of love and meaningful events, then I enjoy a bit of heaven every day. We all frame things the way we wish - and label things in a way we can understand. To each his own, for sure!

@Julie808 I have yet to meet a human who's totally good. The face we see may not be the face they vote with or the one their kid sees. Even the perceived bad becomes a truth but I'm glad you're happy with them. My view does not need to be everyone's. Peace.

Ricky’s a gift. Extract what’s useful and leave the rest is my general POV. Ours is an angry society.

@rainmanjr I see the USA as becoming increasingly angry as right-wing people feel more and more threatened by those who are capable of cognitive flexibility.

@anglophone I agree that the RW are, by far, the more violent and that's making the general unhappiness worse but we are not a happy nation on either side. I was told, by a Dem friend, that I had become an asshole (on Facebook) based on my humor. My general disregard for each and every human life or willingness to pay for red state disasters. "No, we must support them in a time of need." What BS. He was very angry with me for not being the Dem he expects me to be. I no longer post much on Z's Rag at all.

Hm. I think the main motivation is obedience or devotion. They may mean the same thing to one inclined toward religion. Indoctrination is a very hard thing to throw off. It takes generations of incremental changes and those that have become hardwired into society are even harder. I have sympathy for that but do not return the devotion. A person's journey is theirs until they want it to be mine. My housemate, landlord, and decade long friend (a Democrat) is currently angry that her assertions are not shared or given credibility by me. Talking with the dead and conspiracy theories surrounding her idols of youth. My answer will be to spend more time alone in my room. Technology and audiobooks will keep me quite happy if she doesn't ask me to leave.

@rainmanjr Yes it is certainly devotion and indoctrination that keeps people in religion, but their reason for going in and putting up with those in the first place, may have a lot to do with laziness and lack of courage. It just looks easy to go in or stay and be spoon fed.

Plus of course narcissism. Theist religion does everything it can to foster that, to tell people that they are all important and boost over inflated self esteem. Because it does not have to provide the proof that god thinks you are really special, until after you are dead. And if the victim requires proof now, well then if their relationship with god fails in that way, then it is the fault of their personal lack of faith and devotion to the church, try harder. Either way the church poses as offering all the narcissist could want, but at no cost to itself. That is why I have more respect for some Eastern religions like Buddhism and Tao, since at least they tell the narcissist to let go of their personal vanities.

There are people of faith (see previous statements by me about meaning of faith) who are not anti-atheist. They are merely unfulfilled by atheism and have sought another philosophy. That is not some kind of judgment or declaration concerning correctness of atheism or faith. It is merely a personal aspect of our journey, or relationship with ourselves.

We are all young when we are subjected to, and adopt, many forms of nonsense. "It takes many years to grow young again." I think that was one of Picasso's. My nature is to ruminate and grief has made those ruminations about death. I'm somewhat learning about life as I found some answers but those need more observation. As my ruminations about death have brought me to a place of Eastern Philosophy, in that I'm buying this life is an illusion, much of the illusion becomes silly. It's very freeing and I'm enjoying that lack of friction within myself. It's causing some unpleasant friction outside myself but that's a Zen thing.

I've chosen to try stepping away from the mental illnesses. I've been angry for too long and have never hated the 'other'. I try to understand them and communicate my takes on it but the tribal thingy is a concrete wall. Humans. Nice idea on paper but not so much for so-called "reality."

I wish I had your faith in humanity but stories like this make that a bridge too far for me. As a Taoist I have become very aware of my assumptions and expectations. This mindfulness has made me aware of those I hear from others. It makes me wonder if our explosive interpretations of words wrongly describing a minor thing is not a big source of society's problems with each other? I think it might be so I'm trying to be much more precise about mine. As a Taoist I try to dismiss any that I notice.

I don’t equate the word faith only to religion. I hold faith that my next breath is coming but one day I’ll be wrong People assign stronger sentiments than are appropriate, as the woman did for your momentary interest in the subject, and we should all work harder at perspective.

I said the article is somewhat interesting because I don’t agree with most of it but didn’t follow any links. Seemed a fitting discussion subject for Agnostic. I agree with most of your comment but not the idea that it’s aimed at supporting dogmatic believers. I see it as a grain of self reflection for anyone interested.

I feel the same way about my life so it seems to have a customized version appeal.

I spend as much time there as possible but it's hard for me to get in.