First, I don’t know where I have to put this kind of question on Lemmy so I’m asking it here. Marx viewed religion as a negative force, often referring to it as the ‘opiate of the masses.’ If someone is religious and also identifies as a Marxist, do you think that’s contradictory, or is it just a matter of mislabeling themselves? Would it be more accurate for them to call themselves a socialist instead of a Marxist?
You should judge these things by their outcomes. If someone is a decent person, because they think it will please their invisible friend in the sky, I’ll take it.
But they only think of themselves as decent. Religious thought stunts one’s ability to make moral decisions in changing circumstances.
Sure, my pa is ‘decent’ and considered very kind by most, but he uses his religion to keep from having to learn to deal with his gay and trans offspring in a humane manner. His religion is explicitly harmful on those subjects even though he is otherwise mild mannered and ‘nice’.
Religion makes followers into lesser, less-flexible versions of themselves. This is not a good outcome.
From my perspective, organized religion predisposes people to being easily brainwashed.
Someone that is a decent person BECAUSE of their invisible friend in the sky will also do and permit evil things if they are convinced that it pleases invisible sky friend.
I’d honestly rather people that “need” religion to “be good” just be bad. Then we can weed them out easier.