Latest Breaking News
In reply to the discussion: 'Science Guy' Bill Nye Defends Evolution vs. Creationism [View all]defacto7
(13,485 posts)I have to admit, there is something I forget at times concerning believers, and Bill made this plain:
"I just want to remind us all there are billions of people in the world who are deeply religious, who get enriched by the wonderful sense of community by their religion," said Nye, who wore his trademark bow tie. "But these same people do not embrace the extraordinary view that the Earth is somehow only 6,000 years old."
It is easy for non-theists like myself to put believers into a smaller box than many deserve. As an atheist I am concerned more with education, human advancement, and survival of all life than I am with the beliefs themselves. In politics, many politicians have bowed to a few moneyed extremists and have taken a position of authority for the advancement of those extremists who hold a very narrow view of reality or use narrow views to control an uneducated population. With the explosion of that mindset it is easy to be narrow and mistake believers as being one entity rather than being diverse.
What we need is education based on reality so people can make decisions without being cowed into ignorance. If their view of the universe includes religious views that respect the rights of others to have their beliefs and the right to non-belief, then the world is all the more colorful for it.
Thanks Bill for helping me to keep that in perspective.