The Twelve Worst Ideas Organized Religion Has Unleashed on the World.
Apologies if this is a repeat. I just think it’s extremely well done and worth a periodic refresher.
Hadn't seen this, so no apologies needed.
A good summary of the tribal, cultish aspects of religion.
#3 is one of the main objections I have, but in the form of Weinberg's quote: Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.
Good list but I disagree with their portrayal of karma as a way to blame a victim of something awful. I’m sure there’s a shithead way of interpreting anything but I’ve never heard it applied like that. I don’t think the theory behind karma is that all our circumstances are 100% dictated by what we’ve done in the past. It’s just a way of extending the golden rule into every present moment; to behave as if your intentions and actions will come back to you.
Thinking about what might be your bad karma in retrospect seems like a very western perversion of the concept. Karma only does any good if you’re acting on it in the present. At worst it may be wishful thinking or confirmation bias in noticing patterns. I don’t expect rewards immediately from doing good things, but I have certainly seen others and occasionally myself made a fool of by our own anger. Gettin straight up hoist by your own petard is definitely a thing and the idea of karma is a pretty useful warning lol. Just seems like good common sense to me. You do good, you feel good. You do bad and you’ll feel bad. Probably. Unless you’re a sociopath.
Maybe we should change the name to "Osmosis" lol.
I think it is always a good idea to share these contributions.
I think it is always a good idea to share these contributions.