Dear Relda,

It is not surprising that a fictional character in the works of a devout Catholic author would claim that those not attached to religion would be given to superstition.

My observation of humanists and skeptics is that they less given to beliefs in the paranormal, new age, UFOs and other non-religious superstitions than religious people.

In connecting God with religion you have defined a particular kind of religion. Buddhism is a genuine religion which does not require a belief in God. Religion is one thing. Belief in God is another.

Have you any evidence to support Father Brown's contention that non-religious people are more given to non-religious superstitions than religious people? I don't think it is true, but I have no statistical evidence, only my observations, to support my contention.

They can’t leave Israel, even it would be a good idea . For them, it would be blasphemy. Religion has them in a bind.

"Religion has them in a bind."

Of all things, Oliver? religion?

Most of the citizens of Israel are not religious, yet there is a lot that binds them to Israel, including:

* The homes they built
* The trees they planted
* The jobs they have
* The schools where their children go
* Their friends, family and neighbours
* Their language
* Their culture
* A variety of community activities
* Familiarity with the place, shops and services
* The climate they got accustomed to
* Their memories
* The older generations which are no longer able to migrate (for health reasons if nothing else)

On the other hand, many Jews do not live in Israel, but do not consider it "blasphemy".

I am left to wonder what else you were told about the people of Israel, perhaps they have horns or tails?

david f,
To the ‘devout Catholic and author’ G.K. Chesterton and his overview add the findings of the skeptic, Martin Gardner (1983) and the empirical ‘evidence’ of the Galup Poll, as given – did you happen to skip my first four paragraphs?

Against the statistical and presumably more objective evidence, your observations prove to be incorrect.

Buddhists concern themselves primarily the Dharma, which is not a god or gods. - It is "truth" or "reality." The tendency is toward a ‘non-theism’. This need not need be a contradiction to 'belief in God' - there are in fact Buddhists who have a belief in God. The whole emphasis on ‘righteousness’ perhaps makes it theistic in essence, without a creator-God but atheistic in approach. Unlike staunch atheism, however, there is sufficient ambiguity within Buddhism to allow for theism.

Where God is a mere supernaturalism, belief in God and religion are one and the same – often quite separate from any reality or ‘truth’.

Dear yuyutsu,I dont expect absymmal ignorance to ever be able to cope with the views you and Relda have been putting out.Why bother to respond?It isnt going to do any good because they have to be first understood and understanding is not Oliver's strong suit.

Sorry,Oliver, but you led with your chin. Get an education.

socratease

Dear Relda,

Please accept my apology. I did what you accused me of doing. I read your last paragraph citing Father Brown and not the forgoing paragraphs. You wrote a well thought out post, and I responded only to what caught my eye.

Just discouraging religion, as you have written, won't create a new group of intelligent, skeptical, enlightened beings.

I belong to the Australian Skeptics who try to promote critical thinking and foster the growth of skeptical, enlightened beings. AS has encouraged the setting up of classes in critical thinking in Australian secondary schools including religiously sponsored schools. The AS charter involves “investigating pseudoscience and the paranormal from a responsible scientific viewpoint.”

In my reaction to your post of Monday, 9 February 2009 12:20:10 PM I was not behaving like a sceptic but more like one of Pavlov’s dogs.

My father was a religious man, and his comment regarding those who believed in unsupportable propositions was, “They’re educated beyond their intelligence.”

I could be one of the people he was talking about.