Ello darlings,
I have, like many of you I’m sure had dozens of very intense religious debates with friends and family. I’ve come to realize something, which I haven’t ever witnessed either Sam, or hitchens or Dawkins mention.
Religious people are in love with their God.
It’s obvious they love their God, but I think it goes much further than that. They are in love like a teenager falls in love, totally and utterly and be damned the consequences or opinions of others. They say love is blind, but the bigger truth is that it’s also blind and deaf, and if you will pardon the expression, partially retarded as well.
I have wondered to myself since I had this rather minor revelation, how someone like Sam Harris would use a point like this ( if he even would consider it a valid point…lol). How do you deal with a friend who is so obviously in love with the wrong person? We all know the futility of trying to “debate” a person out of their faith. It just doesn’t stick. You can throw all the dates and research and modern ethical/philosophical notions at them like you can muster… and they will still hug their loved God to their chests, fiercely defensive and always loyal.
I watch talks by Sam and Hitchens and Dawkins, and all three of them are brilliant in their own way but none of them seem to put their ideas across in a way that is understanding of how the religious people of this world feel about their faith. Perhaps Sam does to some extent with his acceptance of spiritual ideals and practices..but I feel it’s not enough.
Anyhoo, this is my first post in these forums..so hello to everyone!
