The Chosen People and the Reality Based Community

[Machiavelli's Apprentice]

Note that most of the following observations are stereotypes. They are valid, but there are exceptions to these generalizations.

In my continuing search for the "true" faith, I have seen an interesting phenonomeau in all of the religions I have seen so far.

Most of the religious people I have seen, be it Christians, Muslims, Jews, or whatever all have a sense of superiority over other people. "Oh, I believe in this God, or that philosophy, so that makes me superior to those infidels, who are all going to Hell!"



Now I imagine that some of the atheists reading this are nodding their heads in agreement. Yes, more evidence that religion is destructive to society, and should be eliminated - so everyone will see eachother as brothers instead of "unbelievers".

But save the applause and your expressions of concurrance - I'm not finished yet.

You see, its not just religious people that feel this way - atheists do too!

Many atheists arrogantly refer to themselves as the "reality based community". Oh, I'm so much smarter and wiser than those stupid religious people because I don't believe in any of that crap about a God or heaven

Religious people feel superior because they believe in a certain God(s).
Atheists feel superior because they don't believe in Gods.

This may have sounded harsh, but I'm not attacking any particular religion or ideology. My point is this aurora of superiority that people raise up around themselves has nothing to do with their belief system, its something to do with the human psyche.

And these feelings of superiority are not restricted to beliefs. They can also be associated with race or tribal ties. I'm aryan, so that means I'm better than other people. Or I'm from the Gichi Gichi tribe in South Africa, and I'm better than all of those stupid other tribes.

Thoughts, anyone?

[Last Roman]

judging from some of the readings at this forum, most atheists or religious people do not feel this way (but maybe they are and they're just not writing it). However there are plently of examples of what you have written about outside this site. But for the most part, people here do not show a condescending personality and are respectful (that changes when you write about politics).

[Ummon]

With Machiavelli's Apprentice we have acquired a great poster.

[Machiavelli's Apprentice]

judging from some of the readings at this forum, most atheists or religious people do not feel this way (but maybe they are and they're just not writing it). However there are plently of examples of what you have written about outside this site. But for the most part, people here do not show a condescending personality and are respectful (that changes when you write about politics).

Well, the problem with expressing such feelings on the forum would be everyone else would probably mock that guy. People generally express such desires and feelings in a friendly enviroment, where everyone agrees with them.

This has gotten many people on the extreme left and the extreme right in trouble. They say something outrageous, like "Death to the Jews" or whatever, not realizing that the story is going to spread on the internet and everyone will know what arrogant dumbasses they are.

With Machiavelli's Apprentice we have acquired a great poster.

Err, thanks.

[Ecclesiastes]

Well said indeed. You've just figured out how humans are. Humans can't be brothers of eachother because humans are humans. However I try not judge and or to look down on another. And by doing so I do not feel superior to others I just hoped they would do the same...

[Last_Crusader]

The superiority complex is a great survival aid, but in a social situation is anything but a positive factor affecting the gelling of societies.

[Besart]

religion is just another group thing just like race and ethnicity
we humans have this urge to separate ourselves into groupes and naturally my group has to be better than yours
it's basically a human instinct to see yourself and your group as better than the others

[Jesus The Inane]

Funny how even in this moment, by reading this, and agreeing with it, we, too, are feeling this sense of superiority... even Socrates himself, if he existed, must have felt this sense of superiority... perhaps it is inescapable.

[Turbo]

Congratulations, you have discovered a common trait among all people that has nothing to do with religion. The need to be superior and different exists everywhere from business class and first class on planes to exclusive country clubs. This is about as unique as the color red and is not limited to just religion.

[PacSubCom]

Many atheists arrogantly refer to themselves as the "reality based community". Oh, I'm so much smarter and wiser than those stupid religious people because I don't believe in any of that crap about a God or heaven

Atheists cannot defy reality the way theists can. There are stuck in it. What a fate ...

[Francisco Montana]

In my continuing search for the "true" faith, I have seen an interesting phenonomeau in all of the religions I have seen so far.

I think your problem is that your trying to find something that is defined by other men (ok, or women). The 'true' faith, IMHO, is the one in your heart. You don't need others to validate it (organized religion).

I think God is a one on one sort of fellow. :original:

[Tom Paine]

And you feel all superior over this revelation, or not? Ie, do you hold yourself superior because you think you have found true faith?

[Francisco Montana]

Who me?

Oh, good Lord no. I know I don't know squat.

My mantra is Wisdom is knowing you don't know it all.

I'm just sharing what works for me, take it, or leave it.

[Tom Paine]

A Socratic idea, then; "I am the wisest man alive because I know I know nothing"?

[Francisco Montana]

Wisdom means you understand there are so many more things to learn. I swear you just like to follow me around and pick my brain apart, don't you?

[Darth Wong]

Religious people feel superior because they believe in a certain God(s).
Atheists feel superior because they don't believe in Gods.

The difference is the kind of superiority. The word "superior" is chosen to evoke harsh associations with Nazism and other forms of bigotry, but it's not unreasonable to say that person A is superior to person B in one specific aspect. For example, Shaquille O'Neal is much larger and stronger than me, but I am better-educated than him. So I could say that he is physically superior to me, while I am intellectually superior to him. This is not unreasonable, or bigoted.

In the case of religion vs atheism, religious people feel that their faith makes them morally superior, while atheists feel that our lack of faith makes us rationally superior. There's a difference. And in fact, when religious people aren't arguing with atheists and getting all defensive, they actually admit that their faith is irrational.

[Tom Paine]

But superiority in one aspect leads to thought of superiority in all aspects.

[LordHazard]

It's just how we are, we believe that we are right, and we also believe that we can't be right without someone being wrong. Thinking that we are right and they are wrong leads us to believe that we are superior and by default that makes everyone else inferior. It's things like this that lead to prejudice.

[Turbo]

I think your problem is that your trying to find something that is defined by other men (ok, or women). The 'true' faith, IMHO, is the one in your heart. You don't need others to validate it (organized religion).

I think God is a one on one sort of fellow. :original:

Ah, my belief is exactly! I also believe that salvation is extended to all men and that the message and requirements differ. Remember the prodigal son? One son lived by his faith the other didn't. Yet God says that he will welcome the prodigal son in great celebration.

True faith is difficult to elaborate on as it is different from person to person. I think people often misunderstand christianity with this born again thing where people truly believe they are superior and have something unique. A big misconception.

[Darth Wong]

Question: what's wrong with atheists referring to their worldview as "reality based?" Is that not a completely literal and exact description of the difference between atheism and theism? Theists believe in something which exists outside reality, while atheists don't.