Quote:
Originally Posted by Russ
Regarding my friend who survived a suicide attempt. Unless he kept something hidden from me for 15 years he had nothing in his past that would have given off suicidal tendencies. Having Dawkins tell him everything he'd lived for over the previous 10 years being a 'lie' is what pushed him over the edge.
You say for me not to take Dawkins' words personally. If you make it your mission to try to destroy a part of my life that had helped me through many potentially devastating situation over the year you're damn right I'm going to take it personally.
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In the case of the first paragraph your friend had pre-existing psychiatric issues and evidently was using things as crutches. No-one of sound mind contemplates suicide because they start doubting their 'faith', and no-one of a solid faith doubts it because of what Dawkins writes. There has to be pre-existing doubt there.
Regarding the second paragraph Dawkins repeatedly and emphatically states that some people use religion as a comfort and he doesn't frown upon that, but states that it doesn't make the beliefs themselves any more likely to be reality rather than 'beliefs'.
Take it as personally as you want to, his words are not a personal attack on you but on concepts. Sometimes the truth is unpleasant, but being admonished to look at things in order to understand them isn't a personal attack on anyone.
Were it hard drugs or alcohol that got you through these potentially devastating situations you'd potentially be taking criticism of them personally too. Doesn't make the criticism any more personal and before you get offended I'm not equating faith with either of those but using them very loosely as I'm half-drunk and my brain won't come up with anything better as a comparison.
This is why humanism / atheism isn't so popular in many cases. We can't offer the idea of meeting family or friends in a utopian afterlife, we can't offer a happy ending to anyone, all we can offer is what the evidence points to. In many ways I find this far more comforting, profound and awe-inspiring but at the most base of human levels it's most definitely no match for immortality and again at that most base level won't ease the mourning process.
I am sorry about your Dad by the way. Please take comfort in that whatever belief system anyone may hold he lives on through you and any other children he may have, along with his works, and the memories his life made in others.
---------- Post added at 23:56 ---------- Previous post was at 23:54 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maggy J
Just wish we could all get along and actually stop arguing/debating about our differences.It is what is dividing our society as a whole..
Just because I don't believe in a deity doesn't mean I should have the right to shove my views down the throat of someone who does believe in a deity..and the majority of those don't actually go around indoctrinating anyone.
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Debating our differences is what makes society progress towards a greater understanding between said differences. You can't understand, accept and 'get along' with something without discussing / arguing / debating it.
It may not be the most harmonious solution in the short term but it's perfectly healthy.