TED Jumps The Shark - Karen Armstrong preaches (2 of 2)

[EverEvolvingApe]

To me, she shoots herself in the foot! She says that the Golden Rule was first proposed by Confucius. The problem is that Confucianism is not necessarily a religion! There are supernatural aspects to it (as one might expect given the time in which Confucius lived), but it can be seen simply a moral code! So, to me, it becomes clear that you don´t need religion to develop the Golden Rule.

What she is trying to do is simply hijack compassion in the name of monotheism!

Good video!

[EverEvolvingApe]

This lady is dangerous!

[ndyt]

Karen Armstrong:

She always whitewashes religion! In every major religion: the golden rule only applies to people within your own religion! You are to kill, convert or enslave all others! What a crappy "source of all morally". I can't stand this lady, she is always flying cover for religion. "we need to revived that spirit" Really? The only way is to tear up all the religious texts.

[hallelujaallahuakbar]

I completely agree! Thanks, ndyt.

[ndyt]

hallelujaallahuakbar, if you agree then why would you post this video?

[hallelujaallahuakbar]

Explain?

[ndyt]

hallelujaallahuakbar, you agree that you can't stand this lady and you think she is white-wash religion yet you posted her video so she can continue to brainwash people. Why would you post her video if you agree with me?

[hallelujaallahuakbar]

Notice that this video contains annotations, while the original (hosted by TED) contains none. I think we need to hear arguments and preface them with why they are wrong, instead of ignoring them.

[ndyt]

hallelujaallahuakbar, ah, I assumed this was just a repost, my bad.

[NegativeNick]

to me it isn't so important as to whether religion has been hijacked or not, but whether itstrue or not. if not then it should be forgotten. but if true then what could be greater than to study it?

[willhum]

@NegativeNick and what is truth in religion if its based on subjective experiences deep in mythos brought out into logos by the likes of Christ, the Buddha and Mohammed? What do you mean by 'truth' if thats logos truth i.e. objective, scientifically verifiable, rationalistic etc then your barking up the wrong tree with religion which is mythos.

[NegativeNick]

@NegativeNick religion is mythos but it also tries to make truth claims, most of which that fail. that's my problem with religion. understand? I have no problem with jesus or budda making statements about morality just so long as the the statements do not rely on supernatural (i.e. unverifiable) claims about reality

[Narwal88]

There is no "hijacking" of any Abrahamic religion (Christianity/ Judaism /Islam). They are violent, bigoted, horrendous, medieval and obsolete by definition.

Hitchens, Sam Harris and Dawkins are right: it's time to get rid of this nonsense.

[Uruguruh]

Fundamentalists are always prepared to get violent.

Or at least interrupt interesting lectures with stupid and hateful remarks.

[hallelujaallahuakbar]

Was that a swipe at the video? For if you think a fundamentalist is simply someone who peacefully disagrees with your ass, well that is my kind of fundamentalist.

[felixpetrar]

90% of world population have some form of magical thinking which is different of being religious. Religion use magical thinking too but these two things are not similar.magical thinking means that our brain have a high predisposition of not distinguish between corellation and causality of a phenomenon.Those kind of beliefs are more related with superstition and not with religion. I am studying Oriental medicine and that fucking Qi concept so I know what I am talking about. A lot of superstitions

[hallelujaallahuakbar]

Sheldonwh : Very good points. Thanks for the insightful comments!

[felixpetrar]

It is true thar Europe is secular. It is illegal even to remind about something religious in schools (remember the scandal in France with muslim girls with covered face). Your list of dead people shows only muslim revenge.Seriously Halle, in Europe a big percentage of people are atheist. In USA there are 60% who believe in 7000years old Earth.USA was founded secular and encouraged business but exactly this made the church so powerful in the States because was transformed in business.

[hallelujaallahuakbar]

felixpetrar : It is true that there is a lot of nonbelievers in Europe. But secularism in France does not apply to Europe in general - as displayed in the Romanian situation you described.

I think ALL of Europe needs to do a better job of ignoring religious opinion - and put it in very official writing - before Europe can say they objectively "lead" the USA in this department.

[felixpetrar]

It's true that TED accepts everybody... other examples: Rick Warren, Aubrey de Grey. I understand the good intention behind this but it is stupid.Why to build a bridge among specifically Abrahamic religions?Because these are the most intolerant and criminal with each other.She said "Propagation"?Then we should "Evangelize" the fact that god is a THEOREM and god is not an AXIOM!They trick people's minds with accepting god unconditionally and that we are not allowed to question it's existance.

[hallelujaallahuakbar]

felixpetrar : "Why to build a bridge among specifically Abrahamic religions?Because these are the most intolerant and criminal with each other"

Exactly! Simply the fact that people are attempting to pacify them is a testament to the fact that we need to truly dispose of their teachings.

[rudican]

I think that right there says it best of all. Where is the need to pacify the athiests & agnostics? nice video BTW.

[hallelujaallahuakbar]

rudican : Thanks!

[felixpetrar]

It's true that TED accepts everybody... other examples: Rick Warren, Aubrey de Grey. I understand the good intention behind this but it is stupid.Why to build a bridge among specifically Abrahamic religions?Because these are the most intolerant and criminal with each other.She said "Propagation"?Then we should "Evangelize" the fact that god is a THEOREM and god is not an AXIOM!They trick people's minds with accepting god unconditionally and that we are not allowed to question it's existance.

[thefotfoundation]

Hi halle, Glad to see your doing well.

"religion is merely the most popular form of totalitarianism". Popular totalitarianism... isnt that an oxymoron or would that be democratic?

Peace, fot

[hallelujaallahuakbar]

thefotfoundation : "Popular totalitarianism... isnt that an oxymoron or would that be democratic?"

Well some people DID like Hitler, and he never promised them a vote.

As we see in the United States, if people are afraid of the alternatives they will keep supporting the status quo. Be it a supernatural dictator or a flesh and blood dictator.

[niceonetom]

europe is nominally christian but functionally secular. america is nominally secular but functionally highly religious. fgs sweden may have a national church but is 80% atheist. all of the problems you cite here a related to immigration of muslim communities into a secular society, not inherent religiosity in europe.

[hallelujaallahuakbar]

niceonetom : "all of the problems you cite here a related to immigration of muslim communities into a secular society, not inherent religiosity in europe."

If we take Sweden to be Europe, then that's true. But I think there is a fair amount of religious people in Europe in general, and blasphemy laws, formerly state-sponsored churches, churches-as-states are still breathing within the bounds of Europe.

[niceonetom]

you're confusing dead legislation and anachronistic state/church structures with belief. europe has far fewer believers than the us and, for example, is a society where religiosity among politicians is very rare, and usually unpopular. for all the separation of church and state in the u.s. a presidential candidate must make clear their belief in god (and jebus) as often as possible if they hope to be elected. do you see my point?

i doubt armstrong is seriously at ted, she is a token theist.

[felixpetrar]

Niceonetom is true thar Europe is secular. It is illegal even to remind about something religious in schools (remember the scandal in France with muslim girls with covered face). Your list of dead people shows only muslim revenge.Seriously Halle, in Europe a big percentage of people are atheist. In USA there are 60% who believe in 7000years old Earth.USA was founded secular and encouraged business but exactly this made the church so powerful in the States because was transformed in business.

[hallelujaallahuakbar]

niceonetom : I do see your point, but what I am trying to communicate is that Europe has not achieved any sort of acceptable level of secularism. You might think you have a respectable level of nonbelievers, but I remain skeptical.

Germany is led by a political party called the Christian Democractic Union. Religion has fueled conflict in the Balkans. Abortion is illegal in Ireland. The list goes on.

All you need is one political struggle. They will show up around you.

[niceonetom]

the project is by no means complete, there's a long way to go, but western europe has made huge progress. i feel that the us has to be seen as lagging behind in secularization as long as people like huckabee can achieve high office (inconceivable here) and faith is still a big political issue. if there is a political struggle coming in europe i think it will be between religion (islam?) and no-religion, not between religious factions.