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Originally Posted by new man
Science and religion ultimately cannot coexist because science is based on proof whereas religion is based on mythology.
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Religion and science have been coexisting for quite some time. Since they tend to satisfy completely distinct needs they will ultimately continue to coexist.
All of the negative characteristics that I presume you attribute to religion might be more accurately attributed to human nature, and as such the complete abandonment of religion won't rid us of them. If you want to see completely secular ways that humans can be manipulated you need look no further than the marketing department of most any successful corporation.
I don't even know why the subjects of science and religion are framed as being fundamentally at odds. Certainly
some religious folks have problems with
some scientific ideas and
some scientific folk have problems with
some religious ideas, but by and large, from my personal, noninternet experience, most religious folks are pretty accepting of scientific ideas and most scientific folks are pretty accepting of religious ideas (not necessarily to the point of embracing them).
I think most scientist are utilitarians, and they can see the utility in religious ideas, even if they can't personally subscribe to them.
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Just because religion was tackling ideas for centuries does not mean that its efforts were fruitful. The best they could come up with was six days and a flood. It was only science that managed to drag some people kicking and screaming out of the dark ages. It was science that freed us from the creationist myth. Science can also measure the euphoric effects and chemicals in the brain that come from "feeling the spirit" and the effects of certain mood altering drugs. The whole crux of religion is that there is an ineffable spirit that surrounds us and binds us, and that we cannot understand it. Baloney. Religion is a tool to subjugate. It is not designed to answer questions, but to fit people's mindset into certain patterns of thought. Religious figure, paraphrased; "Fine, ignore me, I am just the messenger. But the big guy upstairs is gonna get ya. We killed the nonbelievers, god was on our side. New Orleans, was flooded, it's your sinful behavior. But if you repent and do what god told me to tell you to do, your soul will be saved".
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A critique of a subset of Christianity isn't all that useful as a critique of religion.