Is Christianity Useful? Dinesh/Shermer Debate P-13 of 14

[waylonsus]

sea~ u think its a placebo because it is a placebo for u! but for those who "know" its "real" because they we're shown, Its not!

Religion is a placebo for you!

I know you just don't know any better!

You don;t trust because you trusted not to trust religion. Im not saying this is you but

Some people are soo mad at God that they like to pretend Hes not there!

It reminds me of being a kid and telling my dad i hate him! But I knew i couldn't stay mad at him!

but some folks are just like Cain!

[winterstellar]

@waylonsus Heh! I'm scandinavian, and up here most people are non-believers..so virtually all my relatives, friends, co-workers, whatever, are non-believers. But I have never heard any of them say they're "angry with "God".. Man, that would be like saying you're "angry with the Toothfairy" or "angry with Bigfoot" or "Santa Claus". From what I've seen of "The Bible" and christianity, I must say that I see nothing there indicating that it's anything else than bronze-age superstition, i.e b.s..: )

[seathanaich]

This is a red herring. Whether a religion is useful or not depends on "useful for what"? Princes and popes have certainly found it useful for controlling people and taking their money.

But how does that have any bearing upon whether or not it's true? People are given medical placebos all the time, and those placebos can even have a positive effect.

Religion is a placebo.

[templarart]

Oh my GOD - Shermer didn't call Dinesh on that ASININE "Atheist of the GAPS" comment? - He almost never calls Dinesh on his insane assertions (Hitler was an atheist?!?!) - Shermer just seems far too passive in this debate.

I'm going to go listen to Hitchens squish Dinesh again.

Thanks for posting.