Uh what? I'd prefer that most Americans sat and watched sitcoms and left the mental lifting to the rest of us. Sadly, the religious folk think they have a seat at the intellectual table as well.
No their function is not to divine when did Noah leave the ark and how did all those animals and humans repopulate the earth in 4k and something years.
Their job is to ask "stupid" questions. Their job is to analyse the results of science through spiritual and theological lens. In short role of religion in society is same as role of CEO in a company - to provide strategy, vision and guidance. Sadly both are increasingly failing us.
True problem of religions nowadays is not that there is no place for them - but that they outright refuse to re evaluate their positions, instead demanding their rights of old. Just like RIAA, MPAA, etc..,
But indeed that would mean they had to work and be creative - maybe even expose themselves to some risk, but that would be too hard. Better to cling to old birthrights and refuse to cooperate.
LOL. I love that I get downvoted and the child comment gets upvoted. ITT Religious people are sad that their ilk are ignorant and are holding back social progress.
It's all about the tone. If you'd expressed concern that religious powers are holding us back in terms of scientific progress (stem cells, attempts at creationism in schools, etc), I think you'd have wide agreement. Instead, you said it in a more "reddit" mocking way, which rarely goes over well here.
I guess I just assumed it was implied. I generally don't like typing out my dissertation on how religion has held back social progress since the birth of America and the fact that that includes everything from cutting funding for scientific research, education, grants, etc to telling gay people they can't get married. It's all fundamentally anti-intellectual. Expressing it usually just gets me in a fit of rage.
I guess " religious folk think they have a seat at the intellectual table as well" is mocking, but I still stand by it. It's a succinct indictment of people who by definition don't adhere to reason having way too much power over those of us with the intelligence and ideas to do REAL GOOD in politics and science and society.
Now my moaning reply was just silly, but I was annoyed. Probably because I spent a lot of yesterday arguing with a Baptist.
