We’re in the 21st century, and the vast majority of us still believe in an utterly and obviously fictional creator deity. Plenty of people, even in developed countries with decent educational systems, still believe in ghosts or magic (e.g. voodoo). And I–an atheist and a skeptic–am told I need to respect these patently false beliefs as cultural traditions.
Fuck that. They’re bad cultural traditions, undeserving of respect. Child-proofing society for these intellectually stunted people doesn’t help them; it is in fact a disservice to them to pretend it’s okay to go through life believing these things. We should demand that people contend with reality on a factual basis by the time they reach adulthood (even earlier, if I’m being completely honest). We shouldn’t be coddling people who profess beliefs that are demonstrably false, simply because their feelings might get hurt.
What does the womb have to do with that?
(Edit: Please disregard that part. I thought I was replying to a different comment.)
Also, I WISH people’s beliefs didn’t affect anybody else!
Sorry, lost me. Never said womb.
I also wish they didn’t- one of my other posts discusses this - ill paste it here:
I think you have hit on a good point here, and an area society still needs to mature in.
For years we hated the gays, different skin colors, different cultures. We grew past it and came to the (general) agreement of “you do you” as it doesn’t affect me and its not my right to dictate what you feel or who you are. Religion is a significant steeping stone as it does actually affect others and is deeply woven into society and government, but needs to be the same. Your religion is your religion, and you should be free to practice it bound by societys laws and ethics - but it should not affect those who choose the atheist path.
Sorry, someone else in this thread made a weird comment about the womb, I got you two confused.
Also, I don’t think people are saying nobody has a right to their beliefs. What’s being said is that, even if we respect the person, there is no need to respect their beliefs. Your comment, saying that beliefs a part of a person, seems to suggest that you believe that attacking someone’s beliefs is attacking that person. Since you claim that isn’t what you intended to say, you should probably reword your comment so it is less ambiguous.
So you wish communication of ideas was impossible?
What exactly do you think the words you say mean?
Unfortunately we don’t live in your utopia, where one’s beliefs in the on the meanings of words doesn’t effect others.