No. Many of them aren’t. I get the jab, but I think reducing everyone who has strange or perplexing, even illogical views to just being “an idiot or a grifter” isn’t productive.

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 6 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Ah right - they're the griftees, having paid a fuckton of money for a PhD in "Christian Theology."

[–] Minotaur@lemm.ee 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I guess so. It’s still a bizarrely reductive and self serving viewpoint, but whatever helps you.

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 5 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

We're not talking about people who have an academic interest in Christian mythology in the way that there are people who have academic interests in Egyptian mythology or Norse mythology. We're talking about people who believe the myths as divine truth. It's like if I had a PhD in Norse mythology, and I thought I was going to Valhalla, a real place.

In the US at least, and elsewhere for sure, Christian nationalism partnered with fascism is on a very steep rise. This is a "bad thing," and I experience exactly zero shame in standing against people who are already trampling the rights and agency of so very many people based on religious views.

[–] Minotaur@lemm.ee 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Ok. That’s fine. Perhaps instead of viewing them entirely in ways that allow you to look down your nose at them you could instead try to understand them and find out what systems lead to religious beliefs - including religious belief in people who are objectively smarter than you are.

You don’t help anyone by treating them entirely in this sneering, beneath you way. It might make you feel better about yourself, but it doesn’t actually help any of the people you profess to actually care about.

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

... you could instead try to understand them and find out what systems lead to religious beliefs ...

Been doing that already a long time, thanks for assuming I haven't.

... including religious belief in people who are objectively smarter than you are.

Isaac Newton is a wonderful example. Absolutely brilliant in so many ways, and absolutely wrong in others. Just because someone is "smart(er than me)" doesn't mean that they're always right and I'm always wrong.

Somebody wants to be religious, have theistic views? That's fine, I don't care. I think they're wrong, but I don't care. I believe that people who put so much into it that they get accredited (why?) degrees in their beliefs (ones that I think are wrong, as previously mentioned) are well beyond just "being religious" and deep into fantasy indulgement. I also believe that there is a great deal of overlap between such people and those who want government to adhere to a specific set of religious rules or laws.

You don’t help anyone by treating them entirely in this sneering, beneath you way.

I sense some projection here.

[–] Minotaur@lemm.ee 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Maybe this is simply a problem of world experience. You seem to have a view of religious scholars that does not align with reality, including not being able to comprehend why someone would want to receive a degree in religious studies.

It’s a lack of empathy and experience that drives you on this issue. Try to have a conversation with some of these individuals before indulging yourself

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Oh I so much love that you think you know me.

[–] Minotaur@lemm.ee 4 points 7 months ago

I only act with the information you have given me.

[–] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

okay, but you can look at the specific perplexing or illogical view when making that judgment and if that specific illogical view is designed to promote your own wealth the needle on the bullshitometer moves a bit closer to "grifter"

[–] Minotaur@lemm.ee 3 points 7 months ago

You lost track of where the conversation went. I am talking specifically about religious academics