Surprise, surprise ,surprise !

one can find things to support one's personal preferences.


In contrast, the vast majority of people are theists.

You're consistent if nothing else.

However, this OP is about an actual survey, so your comment is irrelevant, really. It says nothing about the premise that was raised, but only attempts to dismiss the information presented.

There's a pattern to all of this, I think.

So, what do you think, personally? Does religion do more harm than good? I think it does, overall, do more harm, if I look at it from a historical perspective. But, Guillaume, what do you think? Do tell. Say something concrete for a change, if you will.

the very beginnings. And, as I have stated in other discussions, any belief can be used for bad or good. So to say religion, or patriotism, or tribalism is evil is far too simplistic.

I have read similar posts touting the imminent death of religion, or insisting that religious belief is dying out among (fill in the appropriate group or age category), but polling shows that the vast majority of humans are still, in fact, theists.

When you wrote:

your response was interesting because in another exchange at DU between me and a non-theist, the non-theist insisted that my claim that most humans are theists was false. The person has not actually presented any rebuttal, but his/her comment stands.

As to your question, how do we measure the harm/good ratio? What metrics do we use? Do we attempt to separate out every death, every war, every assault, every theft, in short, every negative act since humans first walked upright?

Are some non-theists saying that a belief shared by approximately 85% of humans is a bad thing?

I think that an assertion that religion is, on balance, a negative, reveals more about the person making the statement than it does about religion itself.

I hope that this was specific enough MM.

Guillaume

PS
I believe that religion, and the need for religion, is a human attribute. How it is manifested can be a negative or a positive. I also believe that the Creator is reflected in creation.

So not understanding relativity must be a good thing?

Ignorance is a major human attribute. So ignorance must be a good thing?

Interestingly, they believed their religion endorsed it. So we can agree that not only can a majority of people be wrong, they can be totally wrong about religion and god(s).

Or perhaps you disagree?

They interpreted it one way.

It's just your opinion, man.

Because you seem to be saying that.

So if I draw a venn diagram with your two subjects here, 'the need for religion' and 'human', as you phrased it, there is 100% overlap between the two circles as you stated it.

So, where am I? Do you think I don't exist, am non-human, or harbor some secret 'need for religion'?

but that does not make them right

seems pretty simple as long as state this

https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2017-10/G%40%20tables%20%28Religion%20-%20July%202017%29.pdf

24 countries - most larger OECD countries, China, India, Russia, and one or 2 others.