We Learn Religion

I discuss how I feel we inherit our religious beliefs and superstitions. Some of us investigate those beliefs and end up without a religious belief system of any kind.
We realize that religions were formed from ancient myths and the ancient books were written by superstitious men. Superstition seems to be something we are taught and when we investigate what lies behind those teachings we won't find any ghosts, goblins or have fears of the imagination.

I wanted to include something from Daniel C. Dennetts book, Breaking the Spell in the description box to accompany my video.

Background music by LittleMickyFingers (when he sent this song to us) I have always wanted to use it in one of my videos.
He is now known as ElemeFF (see playlist on my channel)
http://www.youtube.com/user/ElemeFF

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The following is taken from the book Breaking the Spell:

In general, if you believe some proposition, you also believe that anybody who disbelieves it is mistaken. And by and large, its too bad when people are mistaken or ill informed or ignorant. In general, the world would be a better place if people shared more truths and believed fewer falsehoods. Thats why we have education and public-information campaigns and newspapers and so forth. There are exceptions-strategic secrets, for instance, cases where I believe something and am grateful that nobody else shared my belief. Some religious beliefs may consist in proprietary secrets, but the general pattern is for people not just to share but to try to persuade others, especially their own children, of their religious beliefs.

Many people believe in God. Many more people believe in belief in God! (We can be quite sure that, since just about everybody who believes in God also believes in belief in God, there are actually more people in the world who believe in belief in God than those who believe in God.) The worlds literature-including uncounted sermons and homilies-teems with tales of people wracked with doubt and hoping to recover their belief in God. but here is a perplexing question: of all the people who believe in belief in God, what percentage (roughly!) also actually believe in God? Investigating this empirical question turns out to be extremely difficult.

Why? At first it looks as if we could simply give people a questionnaire with a multiple-choice question on it:

I believe in God: ______Yes______No_____I dont know

Or should the question be:

God exists:
______Yes______No_____I dont know

Would it make any difference how we framed the questions? ....

Given the way religious concepts and practices have been designed, the behaviors that would be clear evidence of belief in God are also behaviors that would be clear evidence of (only) belief in belief in God. If those who have doubts have been enjoined by their church to declare their belief in spite of their doubts, to say the words with as much conviction as they can muster, again and again, in hopes of kindling conviction, to join hands and recite the creed, to pray several times a day in public, to do all the things that a believer does, then they will check the Yes box with alacrity, even though they really dont believe in God; they fervently believe in belief in God. This fact makes it hard to tell who-if anybody!-actually believes in God in addition to believing in belief in God.

Taken from: Breaking The Spell, Daniel C. Dennett, pg 221, 222, 223

Category:

Education

Tags:

• religion
• superstition
• gods
• spirits
• atheist
• atheism
• agnostic
• freethinker
• bible
• learn
• behavior
• education
• critical
• thinking
• Daniel
• Dennett
• Breaking
• Spell
• christian

[llDARTZll]

I need guidance

watch?v=1nnLOB2Awr0

[Rhonda9]

desertlight, Such wise words. I don't see how anyone could have said it better. Education helps others to understand that life just doesn't revolve around them. Books can open people's minds. The best way to find a sense of purpose, is by sharing experiences and ideas with others who differ from us. We all have something to learn from each other, every day.

[desertlight]

If you're happy that's good enough for me. Though I personally think there could be a purpose I am not arrogant enough to declare that others must believe as I do. I cannot understand how anyone can declare that their religious club is only way, or worse, that something bad should happen to others who believe differently. Perhaps the way to tolerance is education, particularly of history and anthropology. It seems that religious bigotry is inversely proportional to factual education.

[GodLessRant]

yep it sucks but at least we're clear of it, true. it's not so bad now except for the PTSD left over from all that sh-it. at least we can maybe help others from being hurt in it for too long

[Rhonda9]

deserlight, Interesting comment and input.

I don't believe something or someone supernatural outside of myself is determining anything in my life. I know that if my brain activity ceases - so will my thoughts. Outside of my biological functions, I'm only comprised of my own thoughts. That sense of individuality is as spiritual as I'm ever going to be. It's all I need to be, really. ;)

[Rhonda9]

GodLessRant, I'm sorry you went through that and I'm glad you are free of it now. I'm glad I am also. We can't change the past, but at least we can make choices based on reason and look at people and the world without being bound by a useless dogma.

[GodLessRant]

I believe in the Lard Cheeses Chrust, the one true way. He is knocking on the door to your stomach, let him in. Eat his dough and drink his paste and you shall have everlasting peace (well at least till you get hungry again).

He came and was baked for our transgressions, 3 hours in the oven and then rose again to ascend (our heavenly mouths)

He suffered and was grated and rolled for to save us all from eternal starvation. Do not mock the sacred roundness of his Holey Spirt

[GodLessRant]

Rhonda makes the best point of all, the one that needs to be addressed first.

If religion is so true, WHY does it need to be taught? why isnt "jesus" in our brain upon birth. why sunday school, bible lessons, bible camp, etc. Why does it have to be taught? why do people believe what is in their region.

I think the "jesus is the one true god" thing is an excuse for them to go out and shove their cult onto everyone else. then they wrap it up in the term "GOOD NEWS"

[GodLessRant]

then you were indeed very FORTUNATE. want to switch upbringings with me? LOL

[GodLessRant]

how dare you mock the Holey Name of the Lard Cheesus Crust! Do not BlASSpheme the Holey Spirt, he is the Alfalfa and the Omega (fatty acids)