Is atheism and religion destined to be against each other, in anticipation of when rationality and reason will finally put an end to dogmatic faith in the world; or, until every opposing knee shall bow and the entire human race professes dogmatic belief in God?
Posted: May 13th 2011
George Locke
Eternal war? Fatalist language like that clouds the issue. The conflict between atheism and theism is not a war.
I doubt that dogmatic faith can be eliminated entirely. Humans are too credulous. A secular society, where religion holds little influence over public affairs, seems like a realistic goal, though secularism in itself can’t guarantee against dogma and faith (as the USSR and Khmer Rouge demonstrate). The Birther phenomenon is a good example of non-religious irrational dogma. The frequency of such outbursts could be reduced, or their impact limited, but it’s hard to imagine a world where this kind of thing never happens.
(For what it’s worth, the prospect of a worldwide regime of theocratic mind police doesn’t keep me up nights.)
Posted: May 16th 2011
logicel
Theocracies don’t exist in a large part of the world. Many religious believers in non-theocratic states have no desire to restore theocracies, therefore avidly supporting a secular state where religion or no religion can be chosen. In the other part where theocracies do exist, there is a trend pointing away from such rigid handles on the practice of one religious system. However, that change towards secularism is very challenging.
If theocracy did win out, the world could still support many different kinds, so the religious would still be tearing each others’ eyes out based on religious disagreement. In a secular world, there would be no reason for the different religious believers to fight on the basis of religion. Certainly, in a secular world, there still would be war, but just not involving the extremely contentious aspect of religion.
Posted: May 14th 2011