{"id":5299,"date":"2012-05-28T22:30:08","date_gmt":"2012-05-28T14:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onthe8spot.com\/?p=5299"},"modified":"2012-05-28T22:30:08","modified_gmt":"2012-05-28T14:30:08","slug":"reposthow-religions-demand-for-obedience-keeps-us-in-the-dark-ages-daylight-atheism-big-think","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/onthe8spot.com\/index.php\/2012\/05\/28\/reposthow-religions-demand-for-obedience-keeps-us-in-the-dark-ages-daylight-atheism-big-think\/","title":{"rendered":"rePost::How Religions Demand for Obedience Keeps Us in the Dark Ages | Daylight Atheism | Big Think"},"content":{"rendered":"

That most of the Kashrut laws are divine ordinances without reason given is 100 per cent the point. It is very easy not to murder people. Very easy. It is a little bit harder not to steal because one is tempted occasionally. So that is no great proof that I believe in God or am fulfilling His will. But, if He tells me not to have a cup of coffee with milk in it with my mincemeat and peas at lunchtime, that is a test. The only reason I am doing that is because I have been told to so do. It is something difficult.In other words, the kosher laws have no reason or justification, and thats a good thing, because they teach people the habit of unquestioning obedience, which should be encouraged. This uncannily resembles a piece of parenting advice from Stephen Colbert, who satirically wrote that “Arbitrary rules teach kids discipline: If every rule made sense, they wouldnt be learning respect for authority, theyd be learning logic”. Religious authorities like this rabbi are making the exact same argument in all seriousness! And then, of course, theres Islam, whose very name is Arabic for “submission”.
\nvia How Religions Demand for Obedience Keeps Us in the Dark Ages | Daylight Atheism | Big Think<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

That most of the Kashrut laws are divine ordinances without reason given is 100 per cent the point. It is very easy not to murder people. Very easy. It is a little bit harder not to steal because one is tempted occasionally. So that is no great proof that I believe in God or am … <\/p>\n

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