I’ve never met such an atheist, one who simply hates the concept of any type of spiritual belief? Have you?
Personally I consider things like Zen Buddhism to more like a philosophy or a lifestyle than a “religion”. I always assumed it was lumped in with religion because there isn’t really a better term that allows it to fit into most people’s world view
To me “religion” implies a dogmatic system overeen by a fictional all powerful self serving omnipresent deity or deities
Again, these are just my personal views on the matter though
Personally I consider things like Zen Buddhism to more like a philosophy or a lifestyle than a “religion”. I always assumed it was lumped in with religion because there isn’t really a better term that allows it to fit into most people’s world view
This seems intelligent.
Don’t know. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t sit around mulling over how much I like or dislike different religions. I do think about when the people in those religions do stupid and evil shit, but otherwise I don’t care that much.
I can only speak for myself, but I’m really only concerned with whether a belief promotes irrational action or deluded reasoning that manifests in some sort of real world harm.
The issue with beliefs based on superstition is that they create avenues by which ideas can bypass our critical thinking. If a system of belief is able to convince people to deny what they witness with their senses or that which can be tested for scientifically, that to me is dangerous, whether it’s a religion or anything else.
I wasn’t raised in a country that is heavily influenced by Zen Buddhism, so to me it does appear more benign than some relgions, but someone who grew up around that kind of thing might have better insight into how it breeds irrational thought. I don’t rule out that it could be problematic, but I simply don’t know enough about it to say. It’s a very different tradition from Abrahamic type religions, the fundemental premise seems to be quite different depending on the sect.
I’d say this is a fairly good spot to focus an investigation. Buddhism can sometimes be orientalized and idealized by westerners, and it’s not good to let that blind us to when someone like Ashin Wirathu claims it in order to stoke Islamophobia, Imperial Japan used it in nationalist propaganda, or some traditions use it to denigrate women.
Any belief system will likely have some power-hungry bastards try to use it in these kinds of ways, I think.Personally I do usually see myself as a secular buddhist - I am agnostic on the truth of the longer arcs most schools draw regarding rebirth etc., but I know experiences within a human lifetime include suffering, change, the pain of grasping etc. which the teachings offer some understanding of and tools for dealing with that have helped me. And from the suttas I’ve read, that appears to be the thing the Sakyamuni Buddha returned to a fair bit - the purpose of practice is to reduce suffering, not metaphysical musings.
Speaking strictly for myself, I’ll believe anything you tell me as long as you can support it with the appropriate evidence. If you tell me there’s life after death, I’ll believe you – after you show me how you know it’s actually true. I do not accept arguments from authority, arguments from faith, or any other example of motivated reasoning. You need concrete, repeatable evidence before I take you seriously.
Not all atheists are skeptics, and not all skeptics are atheists. But they are very complementary positions.
I think religious or spiritual belief itself is a compromise on your intelligence that social engineers can use to make you do anything they want… Which if you look at American politics is working like a charm for them.
As for “ire” generally my beef is with Christianity and the woo community, both of which promote harmful beliefs over safe practices just to live out a Harry Potter fantasy.
I think religious or spiritual belief itself
Right, but that is my point. So the ones that aren’t about ‘Belief’, what do you think about those?
Meh, I guess.
The word “atheist” comes from “a”, meaning “without,” and “theos,” “god.” It’s about supernatural deities, not religion in general.
Don’t really care about religions that are not actively not being equitable with there people. It’s when it becomes unethical inequitable and non consensual is when I don’t tolerate them. Sadly it feels like 90% of religions out there.
It’s only the idea that you have to believe certain things that I hate. It’s one of the most destructive ideas. People that hold to that idea often don’t understand that other religions don’t teach it.
That being said, there’s a certain amount of Philosophy in practices like Zen, and perhaps long ago there was even a bit of science in it.
