[OT] Benefit and belief [was Re: Suggested coding style]

[Steven D'Aprano]

DevPlayer wrote:

> On Sep 27, 10:25 pm, alex23 <wuwe... at gmail.com> wrote:
>> And like the Bible, the Zen was created by humans as a joke. If you're
>> taking it too seriously, that's your problem.
[...]
> Calling the Bible a joke is used to hurt people, not enlighten them.
> Those words show bitter arrogance, not constructive critism as it
> ignores how others feel about that book. What benefit to others is 
> gained by calling someones belief a joke? 

It is the same benefit as the little boy who pointed out that the Emperor
was not wearing any clothes. (In real life, the story was called "The
Little Boy Who Said The Emperor Wasn't Wearing Any Clothes, and Got
Arrested and Thrown in Prison Together With His Parents for Insulting The
Emperor".)


> To put the "believers" minds 
> straight? I think not. I think the unsensitive person who attackes
> others beliefs, even if illogical or unrealistic, is after some kind
> of self grandizement or to illude themself into thinking "they know
> the truth of the universe" and should attack others to prove they do.

There is a difference between attacking ideas and attacking people.

"The Bible is a joke" attacks the idea.

"Insensitive people after self-aggrandisement deluding themselves" attacks
the person.

We live in a world where religion is privileged, where governments pander to
the most sick and twisted, hateful, bigoted beliefs because of religion,
where organised conspiracies to support and protect child molesters and
sexual predators are nevertheless looked up to as sources of morality.

There are some ideas that are simply incompatible with civilization, and the
idea that religious beliefs should be beyond criticism is one of them.
Forget money, or even the love of money. The idea that one mustn't
criticise another person's beliefs is the root of all evil.



-- 
Steven