Silly Religion

[RCSaunders]

However at the same time, humanity must strive hard to find fool proof [note] alternatives to replace religions in dealing with the unavoidable existential crisis.

VA, I have no idea what you are talking about here. I almost never use strong langauge but I really have to ask, what the hell is an, "existential crisis?" ... and if there were such a thing, what do you think it is?

[Lacewing]

It is very silly for a jihadist to be a suicide bomber with the hope of a reward of 72 virgins.

Yes... it is an absurd belief! And sometimes it's natural to laugh about absurd things.

You'll still laugh about it if it so happened your loved ones are among the jihadist's victims?

So, are you saying an absurd belief cannot be funny to laugh at because it pertains to evil?

If we cannot laugh at man's foolishness (which includes some very twisted stuff) -- then we appear to be taking it seriously. It does not deserve any such validation.

[Eodnhoj7]

Reciprocation is the repitition of behavior, first projected then projected back...it is a loop....

That's not what the Golden Rule says, though. So the GR isn't "reciprocation," as you want to define it.

The Golden Rule is a projection of the self on to others, with the projection cycling back to the observer in certain degrees.

[Immanuel Can]

The Golden Rule is a projection of the self on to others, with the projection cycling back to the observer in certain degrees.

"In certain degrees?" That waffles the truth.

The GR says we have a duty to love people who are our enemies -- to turn the other cheek and go the extra mile, including the cheek they enemy will not turn, and the mile he will not go. That's not "projection cycling back": that's going above and beyond.

[RCSaunders]

If we cannot laugh at man's foolishness (which includes some very twisted stuff) -- then we appear to be taking it seriously. It does not deserve any such validation.

Very good and very succinct!

[Eodnhoj7]

The Golden Rule is a projection of the self on to others, with the projection cycling back to the observer in certain degrees.

"In certain degrees?" That waffles the truth.

The GR says we have a duty to love people who are our enemies -- to turn the other cheek and go the extra mile, including the cheek they enemy will not turn, and the mile he will not go. That's not "projection cycling back": that's going above and beyond.

False, the bad acts are cycled back as "coals upon the head" to certain degrees. There is no stating that people will behave the same way in return but for all projected actions some degree is projected back.

[Immanuel Can]

The GR says we have a duty to love people who are our enemies -- to turn the other cheek and go the extra mile, including the cheek they enemy will not turn, and the mile he will not go. That's not "projection cycling back": that's going above and beyond.

False, the bad acts are cycled back as "coals upon the head" to certain degrees.

You think the "coals" are literal? They're clearly not. If they were, then the text would read, "I will heap..." It doesn't. It says "you will heap."

If the "coals" are literal, then you would have to think that no Christian since the dawn of it has ever followed this instruction. Is that what you think?

Or is it merely speaking of the conscience of the perp becoming inflamed by his failure to elicit malevolence where he has practiced malevolence? That's the more reasonable reading.

[Eodnhoj7]

The GR says we have a duty to love people who are our enemies -- to turn the other cheek and go the extra mile, including the cheek they enemy will not turn, and the mile he will not go. That's not "projection cycling back": that's going above and beyond.

False, the bad acts are cycled back as "coals upon the head" to certain degrees.

You think the "coals" are literal? They're clearly not. If they were, then the text would read, "I will heap..." It doesn't. It says "you will heap."

No, they are metaphorical and represent shame. A person does harm to another and does harm to himself. One receives what they project. This is a loop.

If the "coals" are literal, then you would have to think that no Christian since the dawn of it has ever followed this instruction. Is that what you think?

Or is it merely speaking of the conscience of the perp becoming inflamed by his failure to elicit malevolence where he has practiced malevolence? That's the more reasonable reading.

[Immanuel Can]

You think the "coals" are literal?

No, they are metaphorical and represent shame. A person does harm to another and does harm to himself. One receives what they project. This is a loop.

A "loop"? That' seems a singularly inapt description of a situation so one-sided. The victim has a duty to "love...and do good to...and pray for" the enemy, and the enemy has no duties specified by the GR. That doesn't look like a "loop." Maybe a ➔, but there's no feedback cycle to create the loop.

[Lacewing]

humanity must strive hard to find fool proof [note] alternatives to replace religions in dealing with the unavoidable existential crisis.

What if religions are causing existential crises?

The existential crisis is almost as close to the inherent and unavoidable need to breathe.

It is? I don't feel it.

It is impossible for religion to cause the need to breathe and thus not cause the inherent unavoidable existential crisis.

Religion causes countless mind trips and traps, don't you think?

So your solution is to find "fool proof" alternatives. Maybe it would be good if we stop adding on more convoluted ideas, and instead REMOVE the existing convoluted ideas that are delusional, dishonest, and untrue? Maybe there would be no crisis if not for that. After all, it's easier to perceive clearly when there isn't so much noise and fuss. What is the programming that convinces some people of crisis, and throws them off of their innate and natural balance? Isn't it worth considering the toxicity/intoxication level of whatever they may be applying themselves to? Seems like the answer is to stop drinking the brew that makes their head spin.

Natural sobriety/clarity. No crisis there...why would there be?

[Veritas Aequitas]

The root cause is very simple. The vast majority of mankind is hopelessly ignorant and gullible. There is only one, "solution," and it is only possible to individuals. Every individual is capable of learning and understanding all one needs to live one's own life successfully in this world, but learning is hard work and means never accepting anything as true one does not understand why and how it is true. Most find it easier to just accept whatever their teachers teach them and to believe what their peers and neighbors believe, especially when they are taught they can evade responsibility for their own lives by surrendering to some superstition.

The human capacity for humor is the ability to see that what is regarded as evil is powerless to affect one's own ability to overcome it. Evil (such is the gross ignorance embraced by most of the world) is an evil, but it is no danger to any rational individual. When all the world is wringing its hands about the plight of mankind, the rational individual knows that, "plight," is the consequence of mankind's own individual choices and nothing to fear, and no danger to oneself. Laughing at that ignorance is overcoming it. Worrying about it is surrendering to evil.

You keep throwing in points that are irrelevant. I did not indicate I worry about it.

I wasn't saying you worry about it. I was only making a general point.

But:

It is very silly for a jihadist to be a suicide bomber with the hope of a reward of 72 virgins.
You'll still laugh about it if it so happened your loved ones are among the jihadist's victims?
Such an evil consequence is not speculative but highly probable.

What you just said is worrying about it. The chance of a jihadist actually being a threat to me or mine is forty times less than by drowning and five times less than being killed by a policeman, and I know how to avoid both of those. I'm not worried about it. Are you?

Again this is a straw man.
I am not worried in the general sense.

worry: feel or cause to feel anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems.

What I have done is to have justified concern and consideration for a potential problems and taking rational steps to deal with it.

Here are the odds:

Low odds do not mean one should ignore the potential threats, especially there is an element of evil in this case. Worst still this threat is grounded on an illusion.

I am not saying you must be worried about the above because 'worrying' is a negative psychological action.
What I advocated is we should take all potential threats of human lives seriously, find their root causes, explore solutions and preventive methods, rather than laugh about it.

[Veritas Aequitas]

However at the same time, humanity must strive hard to find fool proof [note] alternatives to replace religions in dealing with the unavoidable existential crisis.

VA, I have no idea what you are talking about here. I almost never use strong langauge but I really have to ask, what the hell is an, "existential crisis?" ... and if there were such a thing, what do you think it is?

I have written about it many times.

• 1. DNA/RNA wise ALL humans has an inherent potential of an existential crisis which for the majority is exuded subliminally and manifested as various indirect negative psychological feelings and behaviors.
  
  2. DNA/RNA wise, ALL humans are "programmed" to survive till the inevitable.
  
  3. To ensure survival [2] all humans are "programmed" with a subliminal* terrible fears to avoid premature death. * note subliminal, not so much conscious fears.
  
  4. DNA/RNA wise, ALL humans [not non-humans] are "programmed" to be self-conscious, self-aware and the likes.
  
  5. Thus all 'normal' self-aware humans are aware of inevitable death which trigger the subconscious to activate 3 above, i.e. subliminal fears.
  
  6. Therefore there is a contradiction between 2 [survive else fears] and 5 [naturally cannot survive ultimately]. This generate a cognitive dissonance, i.e. the inherent unavoidable existential crisis faced by all 'normal'* humans. * mental cases are the exception.

The above is the existential crisis from cognitive dissonances of the contradictory facts which drive the majority to seek consonance in religions, e.g. believe and viola! one is saved.

[Veritas Aequitas]

What if religions are causing existential crises?

The existential crisis is almost as close to the inherent and unavoidable need to breathe.

It is? I don't feel it.

ALL humans are "programmed" not to feel it consciously but there are exceptions.

The existential crisis as explained above is triggered subliminally, i.e. within your subconscious mind.
For the majority the subliminal effect drives them to seek salvation which is effectively provided by religions.
For others, they may relieve their existential crisis/pains through, drugs, painkillers and various diversions.
For some, they seek effective spiritual approaches to deal with the existential crisis.

It is impossible for religion to cause the need to breathe and thus not cause the inherent unavoidable existential crisis.

Religion causes countless mind trips and traps, don't you think?

So your solution is to find "fool proof" alternatives. Maybe it would be good if we stop adding on more convoluted ideas, and instead REMOVE the existing convoluted ideas that are delusional, dishonest, and untrue? Maybe there would be no crisis if not for that. After all, it's easier to perceive clearly when there isn't so much noise and fuss. What is the programming that convinces some people of crisis, and throws them off of their innate and natural balance? Isn't it worth considering the toxicity/intoxication level of whatever they may be applying themselves to? Seems like the answer is to stop drinking the brew that makes their head spin.

Natural sobriety/clarity. No crisis there...why would there be?

Not all religions are mind trips and traps.
Buddhism-proper and some other non-Abrahamic religions are effective religions that has minimal side effects and negatives to humanity.

The existential crisis as explained is inherent in ALL humans and there is no escape from it.
As such we need to find "fool proof' alternatives to modulate and manage the existential crisis.
The point we must ensure the alternatives are fool proofs. The question is what are they and how to make them fool proofs. This is a possibility to be delved in another OP.

[Lacewing]

ALL humans are "programmed" not to feel it consciously but there are exceptions.

If people don't feel it, what's the problem?

The existential crisis as explained above is triggered subliminally, i.e. within your subconscious mind.

Sounds like you're making this up.

The existential crisis as explained is inherent in ALL humans and there is no escape from it.

Then maybe it's good. And maybe you're making up that it's an issue, so that you can be yet another person with an ultimate cause of some sort...that you can lead as the authority.

[Veritas Aequitas]

ALL humans are "programmed" not to feel it consciously but there are exceptions.

If people don't feel it, what's the problem?

Note I stated "not to feel it consciously" but to be triggered by it subconsciously.

It is like that intuitive feelings you get when you don't consciously know why, but there is some uneasy feelings that you felt when you are face to face with certain people.
This is very common with people.
It is the same with the existential crisis where the majority are driven to religion but they do not consciously know the real reason [root cause] for it. This is where they make up the story of a real God [actually an illusion] as the root cause.

The existential crisis as explained above is triggered subliminally, i.e. within your subconscious mind.

Sounds like you're making this up.

Show which of my premise leading to conclusion is false?

I am confident you will not be able to show my premises are false.
Thus my inference is based on justified premises, not made up ones.

The existential crisis as explained is inherent in ALL humans and there is no escape from it.

Then maybe it's good. And maybe you're making up that it's an issue, so that you can be yet another person with an ultimate cause of some sort...that you can lead as the authority.

Again show where my argument on the existential crisis is false.

Note the real evidence is >80% of humans are driven by the existential crisis into various theistic religions.
The central focus of all theistic religion is driven by the existential crisis, i.e. clinging onto to a God for salvation to eternal life and escape from eternal death and hellfire. Show me I am wrong on this?

As stated, all my premises are supported by justified premises.

Yes, I have an ultimate cause of some sort, i.e. to rid the world of theistic religions some day in the future [not now nor present] so there will be no more theistic related evil acts inspired by a non-existent God. What is wrong with that? To me this is not a laughing matter.