Interesting quote on religion

by MulaiAzhagi Wed Jan 11, 2012 11:50 pm

As 1979 Physics Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg has said: "With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil -- that takes religion."

by charvaka Wed Jan 11, 2012 11:57 pm

MulaiAzhagi wrote:As 1979 Physics Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg has said: "With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil -- that takes religion."

Thanks for reminding me of this pithy statement.

by doofus_maximus Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:37 am

beautiful.

stealing this.

by Guest Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:45 am

so true.

by MulaiAzhagi Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:59 am

MulaiAzhagi wrote:As 1979 Physics Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg has said: "With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil -- that takes religion."

====> Well known mathematician Freeman Dyson has criticized Weinberg's remark: "And for bad people to do good things—that [also] takes religion.")

by Maria S Thu Jan 12, 2012 1:44 pm

Sara,

Imo, it's not so simple as both quotes.

It's basic human nature to find reasons and excuses to be cruel and evil. People with or without religion are quite capable of being cruel and evil.

It is also human nature to seek group affiliations. If it is not religion- it will be some other group affiliation people will adhere to - to do good things or bad things. Of course by joining forces as a group, people can do more good/bad things- the scope and benefits/damages are much bigger.

by garam_kuta Thu Jan 12, 2012 5:14 pm

MulaiAzhagi wrote:
MulaiAzhagi wrote:As 1979 Physics Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg has said: "With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil -- that takes religion."

====> Well known mathematician Freeman Dyson has criticized Weinberg's remark: "And for bad people to do good things—that [also] takes religion.")

exactly.. vyAsa, thirumangai aazhwAr, purandaradAsA and the list goes on..

by charvaka Thu Jan 12, 2012 5:36 pm

Maria S wrote:It is also human nature to seek group affiliations. If it is not religion- it will be some other group affiliation people will adhere to - to do good things or bad things. Of course by joining forces as a group, people can do more good/bad things- the scope and benefits/damages are much bigger.

Indeed. For much of history, people argued that religion is necessary for morality or as a foundation for ethical behavior. It is good that many believers nowadays accept that religion is not really a prerequisite for good behavior -- that both religious and irreligious people are capable of both good and bad behaviors. This helps separate discussions on ethics from those on religion, and it is a positive trend for society.

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Thu Jan 12, 2012 8:02 pm

charvaka wrote:
Maria S wrote:It is also human nature to seek group affiliations. If it is not religion- it will be some other group affiliation people will adhere to - to do good things or bad things. Of course by joining forces as a group, people can do more good/bad things- the scope and benefits/damages are much bigger.
Indeed. For much of history, people argued that religion is necessary for morality or as a foundation for ethical behavior. It is good that many believers nowadays accept that religion is not really a prerequisite for good behavior -- that both religious and irreligious people are capable of both good and bad behaviors. This helps separate discussions on ethics from those on religion, and it is a positive trend for society.

Looks like you are now born-again.

by charvaka Thu Jan 12, 2012 8:43 pm

Marathadi-Saamiyaar wrote:
charvaka wrote:
Maria S wrote:It is also human nature to seek group affiliations. If it is not religion- it will be some other group affiliation people will adhere to - to do good things or bad things. Of course by joining forces as a group, people can do more good/bad things- the scope and benefits/damages are much bigger.
Indeed. For much of history, people argued that religion is necessary for morality or as a foundation for ethical behavior. It is good that many believers nowadays accept that religion is not really a prerequisite for good behavior -- that both religious and irreligious people are capable of both good and bad behaviors. This helps separate discussions on ethics from those on religion, and it is a positive trend for society.

Looks like you are now born-again.

by MaxEntropy_Man Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:50 pm

MulaiAzhagi wrote:As 1979 Physics Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg has said: "With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil -- that takes religion."

isn't weinberg one of the guys who got the nobel for building on work done by george sudarshan?

and he was denied again in 2005 which led to this famous remark:

The 2005 Nobel prize for Physics was awarded for my work, but I wasn’t
the one to get it. Each one of the discoveries that this Nobel was given
for work based on my research.

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