That was pretty arrogant Runner. Let's have a conversation, not an immature name calling session eh?

"“Religious belief and behaviour are a hallmark of human life, with no accepted animal equivalent"

Dunno 'bout that, my girlfriend's cats worship a great white god which resides in the kitchen and provides sustenance on demand.

My dog thinks I am god.

And the Sulphur Crested cockatoos which invade the garden think they are gods.

There are lots of beliefs that can help to make us happy and docile for a short while: for instance, the belief that I am Bill Gates's heir, or the belief that Megan Fox is just about to ring me up for a hot date. Unfortunately most of these beliefs fail a simple reality check: and religion is no different. The happiness is transitory; the confusion and fear caused by maintaining a mental reality-distortion field to screen out conflicting evidence can last for a lifetime. There are plenty of examples among our regular correspondents.

It is far more important for long-term survival -- not to mention happiness -- that we learn to check our beliefs against reality than that we master the art of wishful thinking.

“Religious belief and behaviour are a hallmark of human life, with no accepted animal equivalent, and found in all cultures."

I always knew that animals were brighter than us. After all, what self-respecting animal would believe in mythical gods, life after death, heaven and hell, purgatory, miracles, angels, virgin births, etc.

None!

"the belief that Megan Fox [or Brad Pitt?] is just about to ring me up for a hot date".
Posted by Jon J, Monday, 13 September 2010 1:06:21 PM

.. now that is the art of wishful thinking.

(Perhaps we might meet them in the afterlife?)

ink bot

'Let's have a conversation, not an immature name calling session eh?'

no name calling but just an hilarous attempt in ignoring/denying the Creator with a little pseudo science thrown in.