Religion

trotsky

(49,533 posts)

39. The biggest criticism of religion that I have is that it exacerbates the "us" vs "them" dynamic.

Fri Dec 21, 2018, 08:42 AM

Dec 2018

It intensifies it, and gives it a divine justification (i.e., firmly placed outside the realm of reason and evidence).

THAT'S what makes religion unique.

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Is religion the main source of conflict in the world? [View all] guillaumeb Dec 2018 OP

I don't know about the world True Dough Dec 2018 #1

Well said. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #2

The main source of conflict in the world violetpastille Dec 2018 #3

Very well said. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #6

Agree. Many of us are afraid of what we don't already know. That makes them a "them" erronis Dec 2018 #11

The biggest criticism of religion that I have is that it exacerbates the "us" vs "them" dynamic. trotsky Dec 2018 #39

That's what is erased from all the discussion Lordquinton Dec 2018 #43

There's a reason why people like guillaumeb want to control the discussion... trotsky Dec 2018 #44

Patriotism and other things are always brought in Lordquinton Dec 2018 #45

This is a nonsensical fallacy. Oneironaut Dec 2018 #4

It shows that war is a human condition. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #7

You are essentially making the same mistake as in the OP. Oneironaut Dec 2018 #13

No, the focus should be on vioelnce. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #15

Why do you think religion should be excluded as a cause of violence? Oneironaut Dec 2018 #17

I am not excluding it. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #19

Why would it matter, since religion and tribalism are two different things? Oneironaut Dec 2018 #23

Tribalism encompasses many things. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #24

I'm not so sure about that. Oneironaut Dec 2018 #25

Tribalsim has embedded in it the concept of us versus them. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #27

Gee, I thought the O.P. posed a question, did not state a fact! cornball 24 Dec 2018 #9

I have always said that if we got rid of religion half of the world's conflicts would BigmanPigman Dec 2018 #5

If war is a human condition, guillaumeb Dec 2018 #8

We should have never gotten away from that whole hunter/gathering thing. violetpastille Dec 2018 #10

But would hunter gatherer societies guillaumeb Dec 2018 #16

There wouldn't be as many of us. violetpastille Dec 2018 #18

And we would probably not be having this conversation. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #20

We might be having a conversation. violetpastille Dec 2018 #21

And our conversation would be face to face. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #22

I don't usually read this group, and I'm sure this has been broached before, it is tribes erronis Dec 2018 #12

It is an excellent point, guillaumeb Dec 2018 #14

I need to think more. But my counter question would be: What are the good aspects of tribes erronis Dec 2018 #31

Humans are social animals. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #33

Indigenous people violetpastille Dec 2018 #35

Religion is just tribalism cilla4progress Dec 2018 #26

An aspect of it. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #28

Well here's some good news for you then: Voltaire2 Dec 2018 #29

Which has nothing to do with the topic. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #30

You cited communism as a source of conflict. Voltaire2 Dec 2018 #32

Some scholars disagree with you. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #34

Conflicts. Your op was about conflicts. Voltaire2 Dec 2018 #37

But often wars have a public reason, guillaumeb Dec 2018 #54

No actually they did their mass murdering Voltaire2 Dec 2018 #55

Actually, you are diverting from the topic, guillaumeb Dec 2018 #56

Of course because when the subject is conflict Voltaire2 Dec 2018 #57

I focused on Communist countries. guillaumeb Dec 2018 #58

again, states imprisoning and executing Voltaire2 Dec 2018 #59

Your assumption only works edhopper Dec 2018 #36

Guillaumeb is NOT an atheist...yet... MineralMan Dec 2018 #46

I know that edhopper Dec 2018 #47

So many things are at odds with his faith. MineralMan Dec 2018 #48

his "Creator" edhopper Dec 2018 #49

It does sound like that a bit. MineralMan Dec 2018 #50

But his creator edhopper Dec 2018 #51

Perhaps it just needs a better definition. MineralMan Dec 2018 #53

There were over 100 million people living in the americas before Columbus arrived Lordquinton Dec 2018 #38

Arguing against straw men again. trotsky Dec 2018 #40

Sure is amusing, isn't it? Act_of_Reparation Dec 2018 #41

guillaumeb takes "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" to absurd levels, that's for sure. trotsky Dec 2018 #42

Yep 100% kevink077 Dec 2018 #52