Quote:
Originally Posted by katrik
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I don't have a 'big' problem with religion. I do believe that it sets the human race back as a whole, with the absence of needless wars and focus on advancement/science. But, culture is not a bad thing.. religion helps people cope with the reality of death, helps out local communities, helps feed the poor, etc. I do have a problem with extremists.. every religion has them.. which stinks. I'm an atheist, but i'm not in your face about it. I'm private about it, as I think all religion/beliefs should be.
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I agree with a lot of this, especially the last sentence, but culture can and should be just as robust and vibrant and spiritual without religion as it is with religion. This idea that atheism somehow detracts from all the good things we enjoy in life, like music and the arts, or self-transcendence and enlightenment, and that these things can only be provided by religion is just simply false. Atheism is not acultural, nor does religion have some kind of monopoly on or secret keys to culture.
Every good thing you just mentioned that can be done with the help of religion can also done by the irreligious, except helping people cope with the reality of death - religion doesn't help people do this in any way whatsoever.