Daniel C. Dennett on What Should Replace Religions?

Daniel C. Dennett, Co-Director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University, on What Should Replace Religions?

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[nlee035]

I can't seem to figure out the essence of hope and love in a religion. If the only way you want to help me is because you are afraid of going to hell or in contrary, you want to go to hell and make GOD happy then, please don't help me. I would want you to help me sincerely from your heart, not because it's a christian thing to do but because you care. Just my opinion.

[umalim]

I love TED, they went off for 2 weeks during summer and I felt lonely as if I lost my pet lool

[troseter]

I use myths from various traditions not centered on christianity. More towards the Roman or Greek, Norse Gods of drinking, giving gifts, and buring the yule log. etc. No christian songs allowed because it covers up the horrendous behavior they practiced to suffocate other's traditions. It would be like celebrating Nazi traditions because one loved the cadence of their marches.

[Zorcon100]

@Shunarjuna Agree

[Shunarjuna]

The music of Bach is a common argument for religion but his most important work, and among his most beautiful and impressive, was "The Well Tempered Clavier", a secular educational work. Imagine what Bach could have done if he didn't need to write a cantata every Sunday and could concentrate on teaching instead.

[Shunarjuna]

Daneil Dennett needs to broaden his musical horizons before commenting on music in this way. Music would in no way be poorer without religion. To development of western music leading up to the Baroque period was largely an attempt to recreate the music of the ancient Greeks anyway, which is why the church "modes" all have Greek names.

[Shunarjuna]

@Zorcon100 Exactly my complaint, plus I really resent the implication that religious music is necessarily more beautiful than secular music. Religious people love to use Bach as an example of why religion is good but invariably don't realise that most of Bach's most important, impressive, and beautiful music is secular, like the "Well tempered clavier", the "Goldberg variations", the "Art of Fugue", the solo cello suites etc... and that's just Bach who admittedly was very religious

[Zorcon100]

@micmac274 I'm a heterosexual and I can assure you, no homosexual will go to hell. Number 1 hell does not exist, Number 2 more women for us (I think), Number 3 your not doing anything wrong like genocide, dashing infants into stone (Psalm 137), slavery etc, you are totaly FREE (without a MASTER), humanity's life's purpose, Number 4 I find homosexuals very open minded. And now a question, are all homosexuals atheist? I think atheism can learn alot from your/their fighting spirit.

[Zorcon100]

I'M ATHEIST AND I HATE THESE IDEAS DENNETT BROUGHT FORWARD, yes I can understand what he tries to do, but replacing church music with church music... Those people who started to stand up and clap hands really made me sick. Prof Dennett I respect you, but I can't agree with this, and sadly I don't have a better alternative though. All I'm saying is if all this happens, I don't want to be part of it. Churches, hymns, don't need it. But alot of people do. Atheism is a way of life, not a cult.

[cbarcus]

Consider the role of religious experience within the paradigm of bicameralism (see Julian Jaynes). The notion of a second self is truly profound, and quite a bit of preaching actually entails indoctrination.