re: #130 LudwigVanQuixote

Well, I am not going to argue the other side.

However, it is not an invalid argument either. The argument that you refrain from killing Larry when he is annoying because Larry has incalculable worth endowed by the fabric of creation itself, is much stronger than you don’t kill Larry in order to prevent Larry’s friends from killing you or because you think Larry is useful even though annoying.

Religion certainly is good for keeping people in line, and for convincing them to take certain actions.

I do however, have trouble accepting the idea we don’t kill Larry because Larry has worth. We don’t kill Larry because of the cost/benefit ratio. Religion has the ability to skew the belief in what that ratio happens to be, even if it does not reflect reality.

Our current social conscience, which has been partially influenced by religion, does the same thing.