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.

  • Tedesche@lemmy.worldOP
    95·
    1 year ago

    As a Taoist, I don’t believe in any deity and my beliefs boil down to letting people be who they are meant to and want to be and supporting them as much as I can in their personal journeys.

    If that’s all your “religion” consists of, then I wouldn’t categorize it as a religion. In my view, belief in supernatural processes as a requisite component of religion.

    you don’t seem to have invested much time in understanding religion as a tool and concept outside of those areas.

    You’re wrong. I know a lot about the benefits of religion–as well as how all of those benefits can be acquired without it.

    Respecting people’s cultures and religion boils down to respecting people

    No, it doesn’t. I can respect a person who happens to be racist without respecting their racism. Likewise, I can respect a religious person without respecting their religious beliefs.