Comments on: Atheism is necessary, but not sufficient — and not the final goal http://www.wayofthemind.org/2008/03/05/atheism-is-necessary-but-not-sufficient-and-not-the-final-goal/ Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:02:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Strappado http://www.wayofthemind.org/2008/03/05/atheism-is-necessary-but-not-sufficient-and-not-the-final-goal/#comment-39599 Strappado Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:49:22 +0000 http://www.wayofthemind.org/2008/03/05/atheism-is-necessary-but-not-sufficient-and-not-the-final-goal/#comment-39599 I think "necessary" is the keyword here. Currently, religion is the biggest enemy of rationalism, and if we somehow managed to get people to drop religion, then it is easier to promote rationalism, because there will be no religious laws against rational thinking. However, while eradicating religion is in itself not a very easy task, rest assured that making everyone rational is impossible. People can change their views about religion, because religion is an opinion, but you can not make an inherently irrational person become rational. I think that by going for religion we can "rescue" the rational people currently in the grip of religion, but idiots who are into conspiracy theories and whatnot can probably never be helped. I think “necessary” is the keyword here. Currently, religion is the biggest enemy of rationalism, and if we somehow managed to get people to drop religion, then it is easier to promote rationalism, because there will be no religious laws against rational thinking.

However, while eradicating religion is in itself not a very easy task, rest assured that making everyone rational is impossible. People can change their views about religion, because religion is an opinion, but you can not make an inherently irrational person become rational.

I think that by going for religion we can “rescue” the rational people currently in the grip of religion, but idiots who are into conspiracy theories and whatnot can probably never be helped.

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