Religion

LAGC

(5,330 posts) Tue Dec 13, 2011, 11:49 PM Dec 2011

Is it Rude to Suggest that Religious Folks May Be Ignorant? [View all]

DISCLAIMER: I'm not saying that religious folks ARE necessarily ignorant, just wondering if its rude to even suggest as much?

As some of you may know, Richard Dawkins' new book just came out: The Magic of Reality -- How We Know What's Really True.

I ordered the Audio CD version a couple months ago and listened to it fully twice on a recent road-trip. It's "only" about 6 hours long, but is packed full of all sorts of interesting little facts and tidbits about nature. Time and time again, Dawkins and his lovely female companion narrate various stories about ancient religious myths trying to explain everything from why the sun rises and sets, why rainbows form, what causes earthquakes and tsunamis, and other basic scientific knowledge that all people should at least have a passing knowledge of.

The overwhelming theme is that time and time again throughout history, humans have invented fascinating religious ideas to try to explain what can now be much better explained by science. Taking God out of the equation doesn't in any way diminish the "magic" of reality -- indeed, knowing the true causes of how the world really works the way it does is amazing in and of itself.

But it definitely begs the unanswered question: are there perhaps still many things that science has yet to explain fully, that invented religious ideas still try to bridge that gap of ignorance? Consider how many people still believe in "miracles" and "answered prayers" -- that God supposedly intervenes on their behalf (at least some of the time) while apparently ignoring all the prayers of those who are suffering and end up dying prematurely?

Is Richard Dawkins being rude for pointing these things out?

57 replies

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Highlight:

Is it Rude to Suggest that Religious Folks May Be Ignorant? [View all] LAGC Dec 2011 OP

Rude, no. Stupid, yes. rug Dec 2011 #1

Religion is the intermediate step between ignorance and knowledge. immoderate Dec 2011 #2

Great point. n/t trotsky Dec 2011 #17

It is far better skepticscott Dec 2011 #29

Yes, I was pointing out the irony of certain types of compromise. immoderate Dec 2011 #31

+1000 smirkymonkey Dec 2011 #50

the real question is, why is E.B. Tylor's rubric still being used, where religion is only an early, MisterP Dec 2011 #3

There's way more wonder in thinking about things as they are. laconicsax Dec 2011 #4

Is it rude to suggest that brown-skinned, Spanish-speaking people in America might be illegals? n/t TygrBright Dec 2011 #5

Yes... considering the US has a very large population of NATIVE latinos. JustFiveMoreMinutes Dec 2011 #6

Instead of answering your question TlalocW Dec 2011 #7

Not rude. rrneck Dec 2011 #8

No, and I will say everybody is ignorant about something.... Humanist_Activist Dec 2011 #9

Very well said. LAGC Dec 2011 #10

I think this leads to much misunderstanding between religious people and... Humanist_Activist Dec 2011 #11

It may be rude but the truth often is....... nt bowens43 Dec 2011 #12

The word 'ignorant' is a dangerous one to use muriel_volestrangler Dec 2011 #13

'Ignorant' was my word, not his. LAGC Dec 2011 #14

It is both ignorant and arrogant to say it. Jim__ Dec 2011 #15

I would have an extemely difficult surviving in a jungle without modern supplies. ZombieHorde Dec 2011 #16

Excellent point tama Dec 2011 #33

Uhm, its not like people living in a jungle didn't learn how to live there... Humanist_Activist Dec 2011 #34

Vegetalista shamans tama Dec 2011 #38

Its a psychoactive substance, what would we be testing, its affects on humans? Humanist_Activist Dec 2011 #48

What's the hypothesis? tama Dec 2011 #49

I was just trying to say different people have different knowledge. ZombieHorde Dec 2011 #35

Birds and other wild animals have the intelligence to get out of the way lindysalsagal Dec 2011 #52

Doesn't sound like a blanket "ignorant about everything" statement. Goblinmonger Dec 2011 #18

*psst* laconicsax Dec 2011 #19

Everything I know about string theory Goblinmonger Dec 2011 #20

It's fun to read books by string theorists. laconicsax Dec 2011 #21

Sounds like reading James Joyce. Goblinmonger Dec 2011 #22

Let me investigate your question by the comparative method struggle4progress Dec 2011 #23

I wasn't aware that any of those groups made blanket claims about natural phenomena... LAGC Dec 2011 #25

Oh SNAP! What a great response to the false equivalencies provided to you. cleanhippie Dec 2011 #30

Boom goes the dynamite. Well done. darkstar3 Dec 2011 #37

Is it Rude to Suggest that String Theorists May Be Ignorant? nt tama Dec 2011 #39

Here? Yes. Iggo Dec 2011 #24

perhaps a little, when put in direct terms deacon_sephiroth Dec 2011 #26

If you ran across a group of people who worshipped Zeus, and prepared burnt offerings.... PassingFair Dec 2011 #27

They would probably be really fun. nt ZombieHorde Dec 2011 #36

Hellenism, of course they exist tama Dec 2011 #40

I think the point of the post uriel1972 Dec 2011 #44

Benevolent interpretation tama Dec 2011 #45

Ignorance is not a crime - we're all ignorant of many things. mr blur Dec 2011 #28

One should distinguish between religious individuals and religious bodies FarCenter Dec 2011 #32

I'm sorry, where in there did Dawkins call religious people ignorant? ChadwickHenryWard Dec 2011 #41

It is rude to call all religious people ignorant, uriel1972 Dec 2011 #42

What is the difference between "ignorance" and "magical thinking". darkstar3 Dec 2011 #43

I take your point nt uriel1972 Dec 2011 #46

To base your tama Dec 2011 #47

Most of us who reject magical thinking grew up practicing it in good faith. iris27 Dec 2011 #54

Praying? tama Dec 2011 #55

I use magical thinking lazarus Dec 2011 #56

Yes, exactly. Not a slur, but a description. n/t iris27 Dec 2011 #57

lol! lindysalsagal Dec 2011 #53

It's not rude to tell the truth Eliminator Dec 2011 #51