16 Sep 11
Originally posted by trev33From Wiki, I have estimated that 2.505 billion adult people on this planet are theists. By adult I mean people between 18 and 65 years age. The christians are 1 billion,muslims are 1 billion,hindus are 0.5 billion,jews are 0.5 million. Total adult population of our planet is about 4.5 billions. So is about half of the total population of earth to be considered idiots?
How else are we supposed to explain idiotic blind faith of so many?
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16 Sep 11
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoFirst you can be wrong without being an idiot.
From Wiki, I have estimated that 2.505 billion adult people on this planet are theists. By adult I mean people between 18 and 65 years age. The christians are 1 billion,muslims are 1 billion,hindus are 0.5 billion,jews are 0.5 million. Total adult population of our planet is about 4.5 billions. So is about half of the total population of earth to be considered idiots?
There are both really smart and really stupid people in both the theist and atheist camps.
second, I wonder about your numbers, apart from ignoring a whole host of religions...
do the figures of number of religious people include children?
Most religions try to inflate their numbers and so almost certainly include minors in their figures.
thus the comparison wouldn't be with adult population but with total population.
Also I don't think you have to reach 18 before being able to make rational decisions about whether
you are or are not religious.
That said I would say that belief in god is stupid, and if you go back in time the proportion of the
population that would have claimed religion gets close to 100%.
This didn't make them right then, and it doesn't make them right now.
16 Sep 11
Originally posted by googlefudgeI have excluded Buddhists, because their 'religion' does not have anything like God. Other religion followers like the sikhs,jains or the zoroastrians etc.are too small in numbers. The total population of earth including the juveniles is about 6.8 billions. I have taken only the adults into the estimate because of simplicity. I am also estimating that the entire adult muslim population is theist, about 80 percent of adult hindus are theists.
First you can be wrong without being an idiot.
There are both really smart and really stupid people in both the theist and atheist camps.
second, I wonder about your numbers, apart from ignoring a whole host of religions...
do the figures of number of religious people include children?
Most religions try to inflate their numbers and so almost certa ...[text shortened]... n gets close to 100%.
This didn't make them right then, and it doesn't make them right now.
16 Sep 11
Originally posted by googlefudgeThe persistence of 'religious reflex' in humans for thousands of years is now explained by a biologist Jesse Bering as an intrinsic trait carrying powerful evolutionary benefits. To call it as an idiotic blind faith is wrong.
First you can be wrong without being an idiot.
There are both really smart and really stupid people in both the theist and atheist camps.
second, I wonder about your numbers, apart from ignoring a whole host of religions...
do the figures of number of religious people include children?
Most religions try to inflate their numbers and so almost certa ...[text shortened]... n gets close to 100%.
This didn't make them right then, and it doesn't make them right now.
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16 Sep 11
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoMy point was that the numbers of religious people will include children.
I have excluded Buddhists, because their 'religion' does not have anything like God. Other religion followers like the sikhs,jains or the zoroastrians etc.are too small in numbers. The total population of earth including the juveniles is about 6.8 billions. I have taken only the adults into the estimate because of simplicity. I am also estimating that the entire adult muslim population is theist, about 80 percent of adult hindus are theists.
So you are comparing number of religious people including children, with
number of people total, without children. you are not comparing like with like.
That said, i think the numbers are irrelevant to the point in hand.
I don't care how many people believe in a religion, or any idea, it doesn't on its
own have any baring on the validity of that idea.
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16 Sep 11
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoI didn't think you believed in evolution? or maybe I am mixing you up with someone else.
The persistence of 'religious reflex' in humans for thousands of years is now explained by a biologist Jesse Bering as an intrinsic trait carrying powerful evolutionary benefits. To call it as an idiotic blind faith is wrong.
Anyhow, that fact that something has HAD evolutionary benefits, and it is far from a settled
question as to whether religious belief is a built in evolved concept.
That doesn't mean that it still does or always will be beneficial.
Even if it did have benefits in the past, and I am not conceding this point,
I hold it no-longer has benefits now, and going into the future.
So I stand by my position that belief in god is stupid.
[again the belief is stupid, not necessarily the people doing the believing]
16 Sep 11
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoSince the various religions disagree with each other, there can be absolutely no doubt that the majority of the worlds population is wrong. Whether that is good reason to call them idiots is another matter.
From Wiki, I have estimated that 2.505 billion adult people on this planet are theists. By adult I mean people between 18 and 65 years age. The christians are 1 billion,muslims are 1 billion,hindus are 0.5 billion,jews are 0.5 million. Total adult population of our planet is about 4.5 billions. So is about half of the total population of earth to be considered idiots?
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16 Sep 11
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoI said 'idiotic blind faith' i called no one an idiot.
From Wiki, I have estimated that 2.505 billion adult people on this planet are theists. By adult I mean people between 18 and 65 years age. The christians are 1 billion,muslims are 1 billion,hindus are 0.5 billion,jews are 0.5 million. Total adult population of our planet is about 4.5 billions. So is about half of the total population of earth to be considered idiots?
16 Sep 11
Originally posted by googlefudgeI repeat that from the religious groups I left out the below 18 age people from total population as well as the atheists before estimating the total theist adults from each religion.Total population of earth 6.8 billions.Total adult believers 2.505 billions out of total adult population of 4.5 billions. Buddhists have not been included in 2.505 billions as they are atheists and a no.of small religions are also left out.
My point was that the numbers of religious people will include children.
So you are comparing number of religious people including children, with
number of people total, without children. you are not comparing like with like.
That said, i think the numbers are irrelevant to the point in hand.
I don't care how many people believe in a religion, or any idea, it doesn't on its
own have any baring on the validity of that idea.
I have compared total theist adults with total adults. the ratio is more than 0.5.
16 Sep 11
Originally posted by twhiteheadOn the contrary,there is total agreement among various theistic( non Buddhist) religions about the existence of God.
Since the various religions disagree with each other, there can be absolutely no doubt that the majority of the worlds population is wrong. Whether that is good reason to call them idiots is another matter.
The disagreement is about what is the Denotation and Connotation of the term God. The books differ and the ways to realize God differ. But that was not the point of this thread.The essential point is about the belief in God.
There is no one right description of God nor one right way to realize God. The difficulty arises because God is beyond the capability of human words and mind to be explained as if it is a an emblic nut lying on one palm ( a well used simile in Hindu philosophy). So various religions have various descriptions etc.
16 Sep 11
1 edit
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoThere is nowhere that detailed and clear descriptions of the personality of Godhead Sri Krsna can be found other that the Vedanta Sutra.
On the contrary,there is total agreement among various theistic( non Buddhist) religions about the existence of God.
The disagreement is about what is the Denotation and Connotation of the term God. The books differ and the ways to realize God differ. But that was not the point of this thread.The essential point is about the belief in God.
There is no o ...[text shortened]... m ( a well used simile in Hindu philosophy). So various religions have various descriptions etc.
Comparing the meat eating religions to Vedanta Sutra cannot be done.
Vedanta Sutra stands alone.......as the only eternal original true religious system and no other system may be compared or equalled to it............ever.
Actually while all other systems of religion support animal slaughter they cannot be given the title "religion"................(they are pseudo religions)
Vedanta Sutra is actually Sanatana Dharma which is above mundane religion.
16 Sep 11
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoBut the fact remains that on many points the majority is necessarily wrong. So any argument that starts with the assumption that the majority are on to something is fundamentally flawed.
On the contrary,there is total agreement among various theistic( non Buddhist) religions about the existence of God.
The disagreement is about what is the Denotation and Connotation of the term God. The books differ and the ways to realize God differ. But that was not the point of this thread.The essential point is about the belief in God.
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16 Sep 11
Originally posted by twhiteheadAlso polytheism used to massively dominate belief systems.
But the fact remains that on many points the majority is necessarily wrong. So any argument that starts with the assumption that the majority are on to something is fundamentally flawed.
monotheism is relatively new, and its monopoly on religious belief very new (in historical terms)
If the majority used to be polytheist, and are now monotheist, then the majority can evidently be
wrong.
Note: actually polytheism with a pantheon of gods actually has fewer logical problems than a single
omnimax god that is a combination of all of them.
Having contradictory features spread about through different gods is fine because they can argue
and fight with each other with no problem.
Put contradictory features into one being and suddenly it lands up going to war with itself.