Do Some Religious People Really Have A Neurological Disorder?

[John Galt?]

Let's just examine the definition of skeptic...

One who instinctively or habitually doubts, questions, or disagrees with assertions or generally accepted conclusions.

That would make the following people skeptics: Aristotle, Archimedes, Adams(John and Sam), Colombus, Copernicus, Einstien, Edison, Franklin(Ben), Galileo, Hamilton, Kepler, Lincoln, Monroe, Milton, Newton, Pascal, etc, etc, etc, there are hundreds more.

The most famous person fitting that definition (questions, or disagrees with assertions or generally accepted conclusions) was a carpenter from Nazarath.

On the other hand, Maher is a satirist, not a skeptic.  He stretches things to the very bounds in order to make a point.  Jonathon Swift didn't really think the children of poor Irish folk should be used as food, he was stretching his doubts and disagreements to absurdity in order to make a point.  Maher knows that if he isn't entertaining, which now days means being shocking and controversial, his points will fall on deaf ears.

Wow, way to take my comment all the way to the other end of the spectrum


Everyone should be skeptical, to the degree and the  motives behind Bill Maher's skepticism is not in line with many of the forward thinking names you posted. And is a clear sign of neourological disorder

I hear Hitler was an incredible talker, I guess you would compare his beliefs, ideas and motives to someone like Marttin Luther King Jr?


Maybe you should learn something baout context

[John Galt?]

Wow, way to take my comment all the way to the other end of the spectrum


Everyone should be skeptical, to the degree and the motives behind Bill Maher's skepticism is not in line with many of the forward thinking names you posted. And is a clear sign of neourological disorder

I hear Hitler was an incredible talker, I guess you would compare his beliefs, ideas and motives to someone like Marttin Luther King Jr?


Maybe you should learn something baout context

Sorry about that, I got interupted mid-post and had a premature "submit".  Without the second half of my post, it does go off-kilter.

okay that makes a lot more sense now. Im still not sure of we are in agreeance as far as whether Maher is a skeptic in the same sense as those other names

I didnt mean that being a skeptic is bad thing, necessarily. We obvioously can't all just be sheep who accept evertying as truth and think the world is flat because we're told so. Then again I don't give much credibility to someone who is skeptical just for the sake of being skeptical

My point was, as easy as it is to say the majority who believe in organized religion are mindless retards I could say the same about a guy who is controlled by his skepticism

[John Galt?]

My point was, as easy as it is to say the majority who believe in organized religion are mindless retards I could say the same about a guy who is controlled by his skepticism

No one said "majority".  Joe said ''some''.  And if you think about all the wacko cults (Jim Jones, Branch Davidians, Scientology) then I'd say the cause-effect relation is backwards.  It is more like people that lost the ability to think for themselves tend to find religions.

That's an interesting take.

I apologize to joe if he did only mean "some", since that is what he said

I just tend to think that atheists lump the majority of religous folks together, and if you are saying "some" have a neurological disorder what you really mean is you 'must' have a neurological disorder to have faith in something that cant be proved. Thats the way it sounds to me. Sorry if I was out of place, butu Maher generally thinks every last Christian is a nutjob by nature so if you are quoting Maher's takes on religion I can only assume you agree

[krazybuc]

i dont think maher thinks every last christian is a nutjob... i think he, like most atheists, doesnt understand how people can blindly accept words (the bible) based on nothing other than someone telling them "you just have to believe, or have faith".

maher's other problems come from the government allowing religion to play a part in it's decisions.

religious people have some sort of disorder i'll say that.
hell the whole world is screwed up because of religion.
not to be offensive but that is my opinion. I think people have good intentions with religion but it is also used for as a tool to control people and their thinking.

[John Galt?]

Another question is; which is worse, a religious person that doesn't think for themselves or someone who tries to think and does it badly? ^^^

Is this another Jesus v Bill Maher compare and contrast? ; )

[ufojoe]

Actually, you're very intelligent - the things one learns on the internet.  Curious, do you listen to Rush Limbaugh? I know you don't fall in the same political thought, but anyway - I take back what I posted above. You add a lot to this board - everyday.  No offense intended.

Very interesting topic on religious belief.

Your thoughts about  health care system reform has also been enlightening -

Once again - keep posting interesting stuff. Apologies again.

Thanks oma but I REALLY need to get the heck out more! Don't encourage me to post more! :-)

No apologies needed and no offense taken. The truth is the truth. My wife gets on my case a
few times a week. It's one thing if I was writing for my newsletter but on a message board?
Waaaaaay too much time spent here. Although I DO enjoy it.

Actually, when I was responding to your post this morning, I was out of the house. My wife
and I drove 2.5 hours from the beach to the mountains and inner tube sliding in the snow. And
then, on the way home for lunch, we stopped at a French Creperie near our apartment. And
towards the end of that lunch, I turn around and guess who's there? Jeff Garcia! I HAVE to
start another thread on that one. But it's not too exciting. I don't bother celebrities if I see
them out in public.

See what happens when I get out more?

I actually might go see Iron Maiden tonight but tix are too expensive. It's cheaper to stay
home and post messages here!

maybe religion is their way of dealing with the disorder and they don't even realize it.

[SnookAU]

This country has WAY too many religious kooks. 

[Pirate Zone]

religious people have some sort of disorder i'll say that.
hell the whole world is screwed up because of religion.
not to be offensive but that is my opinion. I think people have good intentions with religion but it is also used for as a tool to control people and their thinking.

My question to everyone is, why does anyone who believes in God & prays and has a set of standards they live by have to belong to any RELIGION or go to church?? Like I told one die hard christian at my job who was judging me for not belonging to any church or not going at all, "that's like saying to have a great taco I have to go to Taco Bell only, when Ortega puts out a great taco dinner you can have right at home that tastes just as good and maybe even better". He then said "o'kay if you say so Chris, but you still need to join a church to recieve God in his proper form"(so in other words he just didn't get it).

[SnookAU]

Churches are all about money...

I had to go to a church this weekend for a baptism and I wasn't sitting down for 5 minutes before some guy stands up asking for donations...