I didn’t downvote (nor upvote) the first time I saw it. I have downvoted now.
Not because I disagree, but because the thesis isn’t clear enough to know whether I disagree. It may be obvious—most of the simplistic formulations of most religions are pretty hard to take seriously. It is missing any deeper exploration of why religious cultures seem to be more cohesive and happy, or any value in mystery or embracing contradictions in models of an unknowable (or at least not-fully-knowable) universe.
Most religions are wrong. That doesn’t make them futile.
Besides, making a big post on lesswrong about how religion is silly is just preaching to the choir—in the same way that if you really want to make a post on why AI is dangerous, don’t do it if you don’t have something new to bring to the debate.
I wonder, are the downvotes here an expression of disagreement, or a complaint that this is too boringly obvious?
I didn’t downvote (nor upvote) the first time I saw it. I have downvoted now.
Not because I disagree, but because the thesis isn’t clear enough to know whether I disagree. It may be obvious—most of the simplistic formulations of most religions are pretty hard to take seriously. It is missing any deeper exploration of why religious cultures seem to be more cohesive and happy, or any value in mystery or embracing contradictions in models of an unknowable (or at least not-fully-knowable) universe.
Most religions are wrong. That doesn’t make them futile.
I downvoted because it’s not a particularly interesting critique of religion (contrary to, say, Eliezer’s https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/fAuWLS7RKWD2npBFR/religion-s-claim-to-be-non-disprovable which is really solid. The paragraph on free will is weak because it fails to engage with what the other side is saying (yet alone refute a steel man version)
Besides, making a big post on lesswrong about how religion is silly is just preaching to the choir—in the same way that if you really want to make a post on why AI is dangerous, don’t do it if you don’t have something new to bring to the debate.