We’re in the 21st century, and the vast majority of us still believe in an utterly and obviously fictional creator deity. Plenty of people, even in developed countries with decent educational systems, still believe in ghosts or magic (e.g. voodoo). And I–an atheist and a skeptic–am told I need to respect these patently false beliefs as cultural traditions.

Fuck that. They’re bad cultural traditions, undeserving of respect. Child-proofing society for these intellectually stunted people doesn’t help them; it is in fact a disservice to them to pretend it’s okay to go through life believing these things. We should demand that people contend with reality on a factual basis by the time they reach adulthood (even earlier, if I’m being completely honest). We shouldn’t be coddling people who profess beliefs that are demonstrably false, simply because their feelings might get hurt.

  • dan1101@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Pretty much. I mean if people want to believe and practice various things in their free time, that’s fine as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. But religious beliefs should have no place in government or public services.

    • Feddyteddy@lemmy.sdf.org
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      1 year ago

      And yes, turning your baby into a cutaway craft project because space daddy said so counts as hurting someone.

    • CileTheSane@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      Pretty much. I mean if people want to believe and practice various things in their free time, that’s fine as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. But religious beliefs should have no place in government or public services.

      That’s the opposite of what OP is saying. OP is very much against people believing these things in their free time, and said nothing about government or public services.