Synopsis
We begin by believing everything: whatever is, is true. ~ Scottish philosopher Alexander Bain
▫ A belief is confidence in abstractions as true. Beliefs are the building blocks of values and worldviews.
▫ A worldview is a cognitive orientation toward life and existence. Worldview is an outlook that internally expresses personality.
▫ Naïve realism is the belief that reality is actuality as perceived. The Collective is a confederacy of naïve realists, and yet they indulge in the greatest of fantasies: religion.
Belief is the death of intelligence. ~ American psychologist Robert Anton Wilson
Religion
Religion has actually convinced people that there’s an invisible man – living in the sky – who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man as a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever ’til the end of time… But He loves you! ~ George Carlin
▫ Religion is a dogmatic belief system of a supernatural order underlying existence.
Everyone believes very easily whatever he fears or desires. ~ French fabulist Jean de la Fontaine
▫ Religion springs from the felt need for stability and control in an overwhelmingly chaotic world. Fear of death and desire to find meaning in life are the propulsive forces behind religions.
▫ Religions evolved from metaphysical animism to belief in deities indifferent to humanity to monotheism: belief in a singular supreme being (who supposedly cares about humanity). The emergence of a moralizing god was provoked by the interest of societies’ elites in preserving the material status quo, to which the fast-living underclass posed a potential threat.
The overwhelming majority of people living today believe that a mindful god controls their future. ~ Nicholas Epley & Adam Waytz
▫ The world’s major religions are Christianity (32%), Islam (23%), Hinduism (15%), and Buddhism (7%). 7% of the world’s people believe in other religions. The remaining 16% are irreligious.
All the scriptures of religions are available to you. Go and read them. They are of no use. ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj
▫ Contrary to common supposition, adherence to religion does not promote moral goodness: quite the contrary. Repressive religions, notably Christianity and Islam, warp believers’ moral integrity. (Those fool enough to have faith in absurdity are mentally unhinged to begin with.)
Catholic priest sex abuse and Islamic terrorism are extreme recent examples of a decided tendency shown throughout history: religion has been a wellspring of depravity, violence, and conflict.
Truth cannot be given to you; especially if you are following an organized religion, then truth will be as far from you as darkness is from light. Truth is not found by observing rituals, undertaking pilgrimages or reading the scriptures. It is simply a waste of time. ~ Indian guru Anandmurti Gurumaa
