New Pope Elected: Centuries Of Make-Believe (Religion) Reaffirmed For The Masses

[BainsBane]

271. Let's review

The OP says religion doesn't exist. My main argument is that it clearly does exist, since people erect churches, synagogues and mosques all over the world. Now you may believe God doesn't exist, but that is not the same thing as religion. The fact that you are so invested in this discussion shows that religion is indeed very real. Religion is part of every culture in human history, which anyone who takes an anthropology or history class knows. I realize from your previous comments you don't understand what culture is. It isn't something necessarily good or bad, or simply rich or corrupt. It refers to a way of life: social structure, belief systems, and a whole host of factors. I also said that whether or not God exists strikes me as the least important aspect of religion. I do not need to believe in God to understand that religion has meaning to millions of people across thew world and is a key part of their culture. That is less true in the industrialized West where money and wealth has largely replaced spirituality and community as cultural values, but religion remains important to our historical formalization and political discourse.

I have never heard anyone I know say "God hates fags." As far as I know, the only people who say that are Westobrough Baptist. They are a small fringe group. But if you want to think they represent 90% of the world, that's your problem.

You haven't provided any polling data to explain your previous points about "true believers" all thinking a certain way. As for what you said, reread your own posts. You accused "liberals" who didn't adhere to religious orthodoxy of being other than "true believers.'It's funny that you feel yourself able to judge who is and isn't a true believer. I know enough about the history and current practice of everyday religiosity in, for example, Mexico and Brazil, among other places, to know that there is a world of difference between Church orthodoxy and everyday practice. The concept of true belief is one the Inquisition itself abandoned centuries ago. It's pretty clear to me that your own world is far more fantastical than those you criticize, principally because you imagine you are omniscient about a subject on which you are entirely misinformed.

Your point about people being nice bears no relation to anything I've talked about. I can only guess you're thinking of the fact that I noted polling data on Catholics supporting gay marriage and Muslims opposing the failed MN constitutional amendment to restrict marriage as between a man and a woman. What nice has to do with the importance of religion is human culture, I have no idea.

We aren't going to be able to communicate on this issue. You are clearly focused entirely on the most simplistic questions, and we are talking past each other. It's pointless.