Expert: Austin Cline - 7/26/2006

Question
I've read some of the questions and I mostly agree with everything you and the other atheist experts write. My question to you is probably very different from most questions you get.

Don't you despair and grow increasingly frustrated with the continued existence and even expansion of religion and religious ideals in this so called modern world?

In some of your answers I find the same emotion I have when debating with simple-minded people. This emotion is a combination of apathy, rage and general depression. Yes, I know saying “simple-minded people” smacks of a holier-than-thou attitude, but just saying religious people is wrong. I have met many ignorant atheists and a few (very few) religious people who are knowledgeable, and even though I don't understand them, I respect what they say.  Knowledge and thinking critically are to me the greatest virtues and I find them sadly lacking in this world.

I grow so weary. Arguing/debating with religious people is like bashing your head into a brick wall. And it's not just religion that frightens me, nationalism, irrational support of sport clubs, etc. etc. Everything that smacks of this group irrationality and cult-like behaviour scares me and my conclusion is that the entire human race is impregnated with the desire to be part of these groups.

In short, I wonder if you or the other experts have similar feeling and how you deal with them?

I wouldn't mind so much if it just affected me on a personal level but I seethe when I read yet again how religion is continuously affecting our nations, our laws, our social construct (and I even live in a pretty secular country – the Netherlands) and our progeny. Last night on CNN there was some air time allotted to let firebrand preachers spread their poison about the oncoming apocalypse. I find it mind-boggling that a news source of that stature would allow that, I find it mind-boggling that billions of people choose to believe in an upgraded version of Santa Claus and I find it mind-boggling that we are still persecuted as non-believers although in more subversive ways.

Finally I'm a great supporter of this site, the ideals behind it and the work put in. So this is also a “thank you” note to you (and in fact all experts) who keep it up and running. Thank you.

Answer
"Don't you despair and grow increasingly frustrated with the continued existence and even expansion of religion and religious ideals in this so called modern world?"

Perhaps I should, but when I step back I see that no matter how irrational religion might be, it is at worst just a highly organized form of irrationality which exists everywhere. Even if I could wave my had and eliminate religion, this would not eliminate all of the problems we lay at the feet of religion: irrationality, unreason, anti-science, violence, bigotry, etc. I'm not saying that the elimination of religion wouldn't have any benefits, but it wouldn't make everything suddenly better.

Religion is a human system and, as such, all of the deficits and virtues of religion are ultimately due to us humans. Eliminating religion would not eliminate the humans who are ultimately the source of every problem with religion.

"In short, I wonder if you or the other experts have similar feeling and how you deal with them?"

Although I obviously focus on religion, my ultimately point and purpose is to promote skepticism and critical thinking generally. These are skills which are needed very broadly, not just with religion. If a person learns to use them more, I consider that a victory. It doesn't matter if they remain religious theists, just so long as they approach their religion and their theism more critically and skeptically. This would put them several steps ahead of the average believer.

"Last night on CNN there was some air time allotted to let firebrand preachers spread their poison about the oncoming apocalypse. I find it mind-boggling that a news source of that stature would allow that..."

Yes, that was pretty absurd. I'll be writing about that shortly.