midrange said:
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"If everyone became tolerant of one another, what problem is there in letting people believe in what they want? The idea that one side of an argument HAS to win at all costs is what produces inefficiency.
Let's say I don't like how the weather is. Is it easier to spend time proving to me that this is the most optimal weather state, or is it easier to just let me think what I want?"
Because it is always the best thing to make sure people have the best information to make the best possible choices. You have to choose your battles, so I probably wouldn't argue about the weather, especially since that is largely a matter of opinion. However, when a group of people have a certain belief, for example teaching your kids to follow their religion, preventing you from using contraception, etc. then it becomes an issue well worth discussing.
As for the "if everyone became tolerant part" that is not at all what we've seen, and as I'll probably get to later, it is directly opposed by most religious doctrines.
You mention religion as a medium through which negative thoughts pertrude minds, but isn't the opposite true? Do you think it would be wrong for a rich person to donate to charity for the sake of their religion?
Of course not. Unfortunately, while religion seems to encourage people to give, most of that giving seems to go directly to supporting religious institutions or converting the non-believers. When you take out money that is going towards supporting the churches and religion themselves, there is no evidence that religious people are more giving. Plus, the amount we're losing in taxes due to deductions, parsonages, property taxes and so on offsets this.
http://religiondispatches.org/new-study-three-quarters-of-american-giving-goes-to-religion/
Religion has been known to portray helpful thoughts to the masses. Famous examples include being a "good samaritan" and "turn the other cheek."
Religion is not the only source for "be nice to people" and "don't be a dick". We see these ideas in many places from secular and religious sources. There are however some terrible ideas that can only be found in religion... For example...
You are under constant surveillance by an invisible man, and he hates when you do certain things with your penis.
Anyone who does not believe as I do will be tortured for all eternity.
People who smash a cracker representing my god should be killed (host desecration, look into it).
We have a higher authority to support our agenda, so we do not need reason or evidence.
If you blow yourself up you will be a martyr and get 70 virgins.
The end of the world is coming. And we should want that to happen, because then we will go to happy magic land.
Children are sinners from the day they are born and deserve to be tortured forever unless they are saved.
Any belief that goes against my book must be wrong and should be discarded.
People should not wear condoms to fight deadly diseases because it is morally wrong.
I need to follow someone I can not see, hear, or converse with without question on pain of death.
Someone drew a picture of my prophet. We should fucking kill them.
Math is evil.
These are ideas and values that could only come from religion or the invocation of the supernatural (and surely there are many bad things that come from other sources). These are also ideas that are directly opposed to tolerance. You can not have true tolerance while believing that a person deserves eternal torture for their beliefs.
Can you think of any positive values and ideas that can only come from religion?
As I said, the best way to deal with this issue is to have people respect each other's opinions.
No. We should respect people. We needn't respect ideas that are not worthy of respect. When someone holds an opinion or belief that is not true we should discuss it and present the case against it.
A lot more gets done if people stop bickering about what is right and what is wrong.
We have to bicker about what's right or wrong. That's part of figuring out what the right thing to do is.
Proper classes put in place to inform others of such viewpoints will also be advantageous. Just like we have classes on foreign cultures, it would be helpful to have classes on foreign religions to open people's mind
We do not need waste time or money discussing religion in anything but the context of culture. We do not have to pretend that these ideas are valid and beyond question. In every other subject or topic we endeavor to find the truth or the best course of action. I don't see why in this one area we just have to accept every idea as equally valid.
