Quote:

thedoctor said:
Quote:

magicjay38 said:


Religion is meant to create illusory fantasies for the poor. Economic realities prevent them from finding true happiness in this life, so religion tells them this is OK because they will find true happiness in the next life. I am not entirely without sympathy: people are in distress and religion does provide solace, just as people who are physically injured receive relief from opiate-based drugs.

The problem is that opiates fail to fix a physical injury — you only forget your pain and suffering. This can be fine, but only if you are also trying to solve the underlying causes of the pain. Similarly, religion does not fix the underlying causes of people’s pain and suffering — instead, it helps them forget why they are suffering and causes them to look forward to an imaginary future when the pain will cease instead of working to change circumstances now. Even worse, this “drug” is being administered by the oppressors who are responsible for the pain and suffering.




Your folly was that you are unable to back up all of your opinion. Your recitement of history was lacking in several very fine and important points. It's your opinion, and you can have it. We can also question it.



First of all I'm discussing IDEAS not history! The above statement has no historical referance. It's just an expression of my thoughts. Use history if you want, but rebutt me. Tell me why I'm wrong.

No one has disputed the truth of the original statement. You've tried to draw me into a dialectic about Judaism and I'm having no part of it! You all see religion as an instrument of social control? Karl Rove does! Are we both wrong?

"Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives." John Stuart Mill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. Oscar Wilde He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless dead.