The Rest in Peace Thread (RIP)

[Frownland]

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

Does poverty bring god into existence?

It makes people more ready to accept easy answers when they're desperate.

[OccultHawk]

It doesn't make it true.

[Chula Vista]

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

It doesn't make it true.

But it helps some people cope.

[bulbasaur]

i could see occult sporting an amazing atheist avatar

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by elphenor

Maybe the problem is the war and poverty

Not the thing they use to cope with it

I feel it's crazy I have to say this

Yeah, for the most part I agree, but whether it's Islam or Wahhabism, it's still a variable that changes the mentality of the believer, and is therefore worth consideration beyond dismissing that consideration as prejudice by definition. Moderate Buddhism is not going to have the same effect on a poor, traumatized, Middle Eastern extremist as hardline Islam does. It's all well and good to give the finger to people who hate Islam cause 9/11 made them real mad and 'Murica!, but after that you still have to deal with how religion is influencing people to commit violence, even if it's not the precipitating factor.

I assume we more or less agree on this, but I constantly see people stop at disagreeing with Islamaphobia, and then leaving the rest of the issue untouched, which is kind of annoying.

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by elphenor

Funny you say that because there are historical examples of Buddhist monks slaughtering women and children

What radicalizes religion?

Politics, War, poverty etc. not the religion itself

I just said that I agreed that religion was not the precipitating factor. Moderate Buddhism was just an arbitrary choice. So, do you not agree that religion is a legitimate variable in extremist terrorism?

[OccultHawk]

It's incredible that people take a position that boils down to all belief systems are equally menacing.

No, they aren't.

[OccultHawk]

elph

Are you one of those people who'll argue that chihuahuas are as dangerous as pit bulls?

[Chula Vista]

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

It's incredible that people take a position that boils down to all belief systems are equally menacing.

No, they aren't.

Yes they are if you take history into account. Islam is dominating the headlines right now but Christianity has resulted in 50X, or more, deaths of innocent people.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_violence

Let's assume there are a million Islamic Extremests who'd be willing to kill innocents via suicide bombings, planes, hatchets, guns, or brainwashing willing participants, etc.

Thats roughly 0.06% of the people who practice the faith of Islam.

You should stop pissing on a religion when 99.94% of the people who practice the faith are peaceful.

[Key]

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

elph

Are you one of those people who'll argue that chihuahuas are as dangerous as pit bulls?

I'm trying really hard to figure out what this means.