I hope this is not too controversial.The more I learn about math and

[ehrenfest]

I hope this is not too controversial.

The more I learn about math and physics and the more time I spend in math and physics classes, the more religions seem so so wrong. The number of people around the world that go regularly to worship a deity is just astonishing to me. If you start applying the critical thinking techniques that you learn in math and physics courses to things like religion, it is really not hard to see why being religious makes no sense.

Maybe historically when there were so many unexplained physical phenomena, it might have made sense to use religion to explain them. But today, when you really have to delve deep to find something that is not explained, there is just nothing a religious system has to offer except maybe comfort about dying but that is really something we should be able to handle ourselves.

There are so many productive things a person could do instead of going to pray such as write a textbook, read a textbook, exercise, do homework, plant a tree. Unlike math and physics, religions are hardly progressive. Every year, people go to religious services and sing exactly the same songs and read exactly the same literature over and over again. That totally defies the spirit science and math which is always moving forward and making new discoveries and optimizing itself.

Sure there are lots of good things that religions do such as helping poor people. But at least some of their motivation comes their scripture telling them to do that. An organization devoted only to helping poor people only would be much more efficient and productive.

Of course, I respect people who are religious, I just think they are making a very irrational decision especially if they are also mathematicians or physicists.

Obviously I cannot prove that being religious is "bad", I can only give arguments why I think so. The point of this thread is to see whether other people in math and physics have come to the same conclusions I have. I think that there is really no point in arguing at length about this topic since this is not like a math problem. Basically, I came to the conclusions above from a lot of experience such as sitting in math courses and reading math books. I am wondering if that same experience has had the same effect on other people.

 

[Phlogistonian]

I hope this is not too controversial.

Ha! :)

Maybe historically when there were so many unexplained physical phenomena, it might have made sense to use religion to explain them. But today, when you really have to delve deep to find something that is not explained, there is just nothing a religious system has to offer except maybe comfort about dying but that is really something we should be able to handle ourselves.

The universe is an unexplained physical phenomenon.

 

[ehrenfest]

The universe is an unexplained physical phenomenon.

I don't think that's a meaningful statement. What I meant was that historically people saw bright lights in the sky at night and had no idea what they were. Every year there were four seasons and no one knew why. Now we do.

Ha! :)

Why is that funny?

 

[Phlogistonian]

I don't think that's a meaningful statement. What I meant was that historically people saw bright lights in the sky at night and had no idea what they were. Every year there were four seasons and no one knew why. Now we do.

Of course it's meaningful. The origin of the universe is unexplained. (If you think it came from a multiverse, then the origin of the multiverse is unexplained.) You know the laws of physics, but that doesn't prove you know where the laws of physics came from.

 

[Phlogistonian]

Why is that funny?

You're contradicting the strongly held beliefs of the majority of the world, and you hope it's not too controversial. ;)

 

[Moonbear]

Given the recent pattern of responses to topics about religion, I'm afraid this one isn't likely to turn out any better, so I'm locking it.

 

[Astronuc]

Well the topic - criticism of religion and peoples beliefs is controversial. That's why PF has a policy of no discussions on religious beliefs - because people will going on arguing.

There are so many productive things a person could do instead of going to pray such as write a textbook, read a textbook, exercise, do homework, plant a tree. Unlike math and physics, religions are hardly progressive. Every year, people go to religious services and sing exactly the same songs and read exactly the same literature over and over again. That totally defies the spirit science and math which is always moving forward and making new discoveries and optimizing itself.

Is this criticism based on personal experience observing various religious groups? It sounds nothing like many religious folks I know.

. . . . Basically, I came to the conclusions above from a lot of experience such as sitting in math courses and reading math books. I am wondering if that same experience has had the same effect on other people.

Has one spent a similar amount of time with various religious groups?