The Intelligence² Debate - Stephen Fry (Unedited)
The great Stephen Fry has spoken! Let us bow down to his unequaled eloquence and worship his outspoken genuineness (apparently genuinity isn't a word. Unfortunate.)! Really, though, I agree with a lot of what he has to say. Even though this debate is aimed at the Catholic church in particular, I feel a lot of the points can be applied to religion as a whole. Any large organized body whose main purpose is to exert control over one's thoughts and actions is a limiting factor in regards open-mindedness. Unfortunately, such institutions are not derived merely from religious sources, but rather include everything from schools and government agencies to those responsible for one's upbringing. Thus, today's society is significantly shaped by constraints passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years. Even though the past few generations have seen a rise of secularism, many facets of our upbringing are cultural, therefore religious in origin. Whether one's primary moral system is inborn or learned, it can be argued that religion is now irrelevant in that respect, because morals (even those religious in origin) will invariably be passed down from one's parents, or they will come naturally. If someone is exposed to, but not completely immersed in, different belief systems, they are free to make an educated decision, rather than putting all their money one major source, and its inherent imperfections (looking at you, anti-homosexuality pundits).
A reason why many people turn to religion is because they seek guidance; they wish to relinquish the control of their own problems to a higher being, and to belong in a community where they will feel supported by like-minded people. Also, fear. Fear is a fantastic conversion tool, hence the existence of hell for the non-believers. In my overall experience, a strong belief in any system which looks down upon others is a concomitant to unacceptability of some person or group, and while it's truly impossible to accept and ponder every viewpoint in the world (especially the extremist ones), the casualty count of simply going along with the group is far greater than being ostracized for having a different opinion. The only problem is, if you think differently, the casualty may be you.
Your future awaits...
Ok, I rambled nonsensically again. In conclusion, my religion is the only correct religion, everybody else's is valid, but wrong. The Flying Spaghetti Monster knows all, sees all, and is probably the most delicious of all deities.
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