tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post2621038179957925993..comments2023-10-26T22:06:11.166+11:00Comments on Metamagician3000: A review of 50 Voices of Disbelief in the International Journal for Psychology of ReligionRussell Blackfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12431324430596809958noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-53523681999513929722011-12-09T10:03:03.469+11:002011-12-09T10:03:03.469+11:00Yes, I think that's true. I don't think it...Yes, I think that's true. I don't think it's a bad thing that people are often motivated by the oppression that a religion or a political ideology, or even a system of moral norms, causes them. If it drives them to consider how cogent the arguments are in its favour, and they find that the arguments for it are weak, and that there are good arguments for being sceptical about it ... well, I think that's fine. And I think it's fine for them to lay down what their path was for the benefit of others.Russell Blackfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12431324430596809958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-59525711561387475392011-12-09T00:31:26.497+11:002011-12-09T00:31:26.497+11:00And, at least as far as this book is concerned, pe...<i> And, at least as far as this book is concerned, people’s reasons for not believing appear to be related to how they feel religion has oppressed them.</i><br /><br />In fairness, there is probably some truth to this. There are many, many paths to arrive at a certain conclusion (even the correct one!), and moreover it's no secret that if religion were stripped of its worst abuses, they'd be able to retain a lot of potential atheists simply by not giving them an incentive to think about it all that much.<br /><br />I can't say for sure I would have arrived at atheism were it not for how much of an aesthetic and social mismatch the Mormon church (where I was raised) was for me. I suspect I would have got there anyway, but I can't deny that I was initially impelled away because I just didn't enjoy the singing, the praying, or most of the people.<br /><br />Were I raised Quaker or Unitarian, I could see myself having settled into a comfortable agnosticism instead. "Of course I don't take it literally! But hey, I like these people, so let's not ask too many more questions past that, mmm'kay?"<br /><br />Obviously this is not true for everyone, of course. But it's no secret that there are many within the atheist community who were initially inspired to think deeply about these questions simply because their religious environment sucked for them.James Sweethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17212877636980569324noreply@blogger.com