tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1905686568472747305.post4078602770790986919..comments2024-03-22T06:22:08.010+00:00Comments on Stephen Law: New York Times article on those unbelieving Swedes and DanesStephen Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167317543994731177noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1905686568472747305.post-35374490057337731542009-04-02T15:06:00.000+00:002009-04-02T15:06:00.000+00:00Cross-posted to the SMRT forums. Great article. ...Cross-posted to <A HREF="http://www.wearesmrt.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=965&p=14359#p14359" REL="nofollow">the SMRT forums.</A> <BR/><BR/>Great article. Makes sense to me personally, as I have several Swedish friends who live here in MA. They scoff at the religiosity here in the US, but not condescendingly. They'd rather discuss politics, social policies, etc.<BR/><BR/>My Grandmother was a Swede; it often took a little effort to get her to talk about religion. She treated it as a private subject.<BR/><BR/>I wish more people were like this.Whatevermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14458601080799278850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1905686568472747305.post-46969572923997685942009-04-02T13:04:00.000+00:002009-04-02T13:04:00.000+00:00Paul if you think that most people couldn't give a...Paul if you think that most people couldn't give a toss what others believe, you are sadly mistaken.<BR/><BR/>I agree with you that whether someone believes in God or not isn't the determining factor.What matters is how they behave.anticanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18135207107619114891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1905686568472747305.post-14591153121354034582009-04-01T20:19:00.000+00:002009-04-01T20:19:00.000+00:00You misunderstand me Anticant. What I say is that ...You misunderstand me Anticant. What I say is that it's unimportant, as far as I'm concerned, whether people believe in God or not. What God means to them individually is another matter.<BR/><BR/>My point is that I don't judge people on whether or not they believe in God, whatever that means to them, because I think it's unimportant. And I think, that for most people, they couldn't give a toss what anyone believes either. <BR/><BR/>My experience is that people don't discuss this, as Zuckerman found out (how surprising), because it's a very personal issue. It's only when someone tries to tell you what you should believe that people get 'antsy'.<BR/><BR/>Regards, Paul.Paul P. Mealinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14573615711151742992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1905686568472747305.post-24045386507572528352009-04-01T20:03:00.000+00:002009-04-01T20:03:00.000+00:00Of course its unimportant whether or not God - wha...Of course its unimportant whether or not God - whatever that means - actually exists or not. <BR/><BR/>What IS important is what those who believe there is a God do as a consequence of their belief.anticanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18135207107619114891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1905686568472747305.post-34911427171927291892009-04-01T19:49:00.000+00:002009-04-01T19:49:00.000+00:00I think Zuckerman raises one interesting point, al...I think Zuckerman raises one interesting point, albeit indirectly: how unimportant it is whether people believe in God or not. <BR/><BR/>For some atheists, like Dawkins, apparently it’s very important that no one believes in God, and, for some theists, it’s very important that everyone believes in God. <BR/><BR/>But I expect most people simply don’t care. Certainly, I've always believed it’s unimportant (since adolescence at least), and this is one of the contentions I have with Dawkins.<BR/><BR/>Regards, Paul.Paul P. Mealinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14573615711151742992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1905686568472747305.post-37196986460513497762009-03-31T15:07:00.000+00:002009-03-31T15:07:00.000+00:00Reducing the role of religion to "being nice" woul...Reducing the role of religion to "being nice" would be a nice change from its taking the lead in being nasty, which is all too often the case.anticanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18135207107619114891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1905686568472747305.post-81053845288209965422009-03-31T12:33:00.000+00:002009-03-31T12:33:00.000+00:00I think reducing the role of religion to "being ni...I think reducing the role of religion to "being nice" and a few purely cultural events is a wonderful idea. And it's quite close to my own personal experience of the Anglican church!<BR/><BR/>The Comte-Sponville book sounds interesting - has anyone read it?Sallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09057418203345788048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1905686568472747305.post-27763917000307976452009-03-31T11:31:00.000+00:002009-03-31T11:31:00.000+00:00Having read the article, I'm not surprised at all....Having read the article, I'm not surprised at all.<BR/><BR/>I don't expect many people think about existential questions at all. Most, in fact, almost all, the conversations I have with people are about anything but.<BR/><BR/>It's very rare, in my experience, for someone to ask if you believe in God or an afterlife.<BR/><BR/>So why is Zuckerman surprised is the real question.<BR/><BR/>Regards, Paul.Paul P. Mealinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14573615711151742992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1905686568472747305.post-62506734187696290432009-03-31T08:10:00.000+00:002009-03-31T08:10:00.000+00:00What sensible people! But increasingly threatened,...What sensible people! But increasingly threatened, as the whole of Europe is, by the incursion of irrationalist Islam.anticanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18135207107619114891noreply@blogger.com