Quote of the Day by Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society

If science disappeared from human memory, we would soon be living in caves again. If theology disappeared from human memory, no one would notice. Theology is a completely and utterly useless pursuit. It is self-indulgence of the first order. Link.
HT Russ

7 comments:

Chuck said...

I agree with this perspective but feel it would be seen as nothing more than hostile because too often we define who we are by what we do. I have friends studying theology and I think their studies very silly and not helpful to anyone yet I do find them good and kind and smart people. It is confusing. Much like how I can recognize the goodness of the christiand I know but the christian belief as nothing more than primitive superstition and mythology.

DavidA said...

As Gould once pointed out, religion came on the scene first, meaning logically that it could do nothing but give ground from the moment it was conceived. It's easy to cut into a philosophical monopoly. And yet the relationship between religion and science from a historical perspective is being all but erased as the crazed materialists locks his psycho grandma in the cellar as if she played no part in his existence.

Cafeeine Addicted said...

@David Allred

Grandmas should generally get on with enjoying themselves in their retirement, leaving work to the active population. Religions however seem quite unwilling to retire.

The problem isn't the 'grandma' in your analogy, it's the 'psycho'.

DavidA said...

No Caff, the psycho is the crusty old fart who approaches the merry-go round and tells the children they can't possibly be enjoying moving in circles. To which the children just spin and smile.

Cafeeine Addicted said...

You're mixing metaphors and your meaning is not clear to me.

Nobody is trying to erase the history of religion. There's a quote by AC Grayling that says: "Religion and science have a common ancestor - ignorance".
Many important advances were closely tied to people with religious goals, from the architecture to art.

Theology however is not one of them.

Chuck said...

David

Gould was an atheist.

Chuck said...

David

Your merry go round metaphor proves too much. Religion is a childish distraction based on nonsensical repetition and circularity mostly appealing to infants and the mentally ill.