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Are Theists Idiots?
Posted on: April 11, 2007 - 3:32pm
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Are Theists Idiots?
Do you think it's right to call a Theist an idiot? I mean they flat out deny logic and reasoning, but at the same time it's really not their fault (entirely)......
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Well, I think outright calling someone an idiot is wrong (even if they do believe such ridiculous fairytales). I think that most theists are just ignorant. This meaning that they don't know any better. When I was a theist, I was surrounded by many like minded people to validate my crazy beliefs. I had no reason to doubt them. That ignorance is what I think most theists are.
Remember, religion can be called a "mind disease," and it's usually not that person's fault for having it (they probably caught it from their parents). So yeah, I don't think it's nice to call someone an idiot. However, I don't see what's wrong with friendly conversation.
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I don't think so. Religion is a mind virus. Attack the virus, not it's carriers.
Not all of them are that stupid. Most of the smart ones come around, but not all. It's stubbornness that keeps the smart ones around.
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I think the reasons some people stick with religion are not always intellectual in any way, even among some very smart people. Some people probably would find it difficult to leave a religion for family or social reasons, and don't care enough about religious issues. So, no, as a blanket statement, I think calling all theists idiots is wrong, and further in most contexts it's inappropriate because it's just an ad hominem, which has no place in a rational argument.
[Edit: Clarity]
It's only the fairy tales they believe.
Some theists are idiots yes, just as some atheists are, some agnostics etc. Them being a theist/atheist/whatever isn't what makes them an idiot, though.
Ones logic is easily overcome, but love and other such emotions are much harder. Most theists are brought in to their religion long before they have the ability to decide, they're taught to love and get a very strong emotional bond built inside them from a young age. The length of time they've had this bond makes it so much stronger, and this is why it is so hard to break people from their irrationality where religion is concerned. Love is blind.
This is also a large part of why many theists feel morals, love, and everything good comes from religion and without these things morals, true love and everything good cannot exist. It is why many feel empty when they turn from religion so against all logic go back to it.
Organised religion is the ultimate form of blasphemy.
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No they are not. idiots. They have just fell victim to basic human psychology and cognition. The mental disorder analogy is more correct. We know that there is no correlation between intelligence and mental disorders. Even highly intelligent individuals can hold irrational beliefs that most people would find ridiculous. These beliefs do not reflect on their intelligence, but do cause significant distress in some individuals.
"Those who think they know don't know. Those that know they don't know, know."
Someone once said that theists are parasites...I said theists are rather playing host to a parasitic dogma.
Flemming Rose: “When [christians] say you are not showing respect, I would say: you are not asking for my respect, you are asking for my submission….”
Also, there are some Theists that are very immature. (Walton)
Tho I agree with you on your point, again you can have atheists/agnostics/anyone else thats immature. Again, just like idiots, immaturity is not limited to theists.
Going back to the original question, I would not call a theist (or again, anyone) an idiot until I talked to them to find out what they know and how they present themselves and their ideas. Some people this may take a while to determine, others its usually apparent after word one.
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People who think there is something they refer to as god don't ask enough questions.
Not a single vote for "yes, theists are idiots"
And I agree with all of you. Thests are not always idiots. Furthermore there are some atheists that are idiots. Theists are always irrational about their belief in a god, this is the commonality that I've found.
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You should understand that religion is a trick. It’s easy to fool anyone by using twisted logic. People who fall for the god scams are not being idiots they are being fools.
In an attempt to stigmatize the word fool, sellers of gods claim that being called a fool fulfills a prophesy, proving that Jesus was the son of a god, but I am sure that Jesus knew that you can’t fool all of the people all the time. I can tell the future with a deck of cards. What does that make me? Wait wait! Don’t bow down and worship me! It makes me a trickster just like anyone else who claims to be a prophet.
"Who is more foolish? The fool or the fool who follows him?" - Obi Won Kanobi
Have you ever seen A Beautiful Mind? That guy was pretty intelligent and he had imaginary friends.
Sounds made up...
Agnostic Atheist
No, I am not angry at your imaginary friends or enemies.
Yes, and he overcame it through sheer willpower.
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Indeed, but even before he overcame the imaginary friends, he was a pretty smart character.
[edit] but I even.. removed the 'I' it was not suppose to be there.
Sounds made up...
Agnostic Atheist
No, I am not angry at your imaginary friends or enemies.
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I would say no.
Many are raised as being a theist from an early age; blaming them for this is idiotic.
For me, I never really thought about my god-belief until I started to become an atheist. Maybe this is the same in theists that were much more involved than I was.
"What right have you to condemn a murderer if you assume him necessary to "God's plan"? What logic can command the return of stolen property, or the branding of a thief, if the Almighty decreed it?"
-- The Economic Tendency of Freethought
{Mod edit - removed post per Freethinking Anonymous rules}
Copying the rules of the Freethinker's forum here so everyone will see them as they read through the posts.
From this point forward the moderators will be destroying posts made by theists in the "Freethinking Anonymous" forum. If you are a theist please be careful not to waste your time posting in this forum by looking at the top of the screen to determine which forum you are in when posting. If you are an atheist and want theists to be able to weigh in on your topic, use "General Conversation" or "Atheist vs. Theist."
Thanks,
RRS Mod Team
Yowsa!
I'm going to chime in and say that no, theism does not correlate to being an idiot. On the other hand, I'd say that having the name wisebob has a pretty good correlation to not reading the rules and then getting pissy when your posts get deleted.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
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The amount of rational people without any irrational beliefs is zero.
Theism is irrational, but theists are not necessarily any less rational than anyone else.
If a person is not within their epistemic rights (i.e. if they hold to a belief in a disingenuous fashion) and they are able to be aware of their irresponsibility, then they should be called on their irrationalism, not called an idiot.
If they are unable to even grasp why their claims are irrational, then the best thing to do is walk away.
"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'
Hamby, that was perfect!!
Todangst - you are absolutely correct but sometimes I get the feeling that you do a mental sigh for all of us when I read your posts! (But I love them!!)
Theists are not necessarily idiots; theism is necessarily idiotic.
Within the span of five minutes he posted in three or four freethinking anonymous threads. I deleted them all and sent him a PM, then he gets pissy. Whatever..... LOL.
Hold on, you're not talking about me are you... cuz I don't think I did that. lol
No, a member with the username "wisebob". LOL