It’s not like belief in UFOs killed your pet hamster when you were a kid or something and you’ve had a terrible hatred of it ever since.
Skeptics will tell you that yes, it did. Belief that the Sun needs human sacrifices to rise in the morning killed their beloved big brother, and they’ve had a terrible hatred of it ever since. And they must slay all of its allies, everything that keeps people from noticing that Newton’s laws have murder-free sunrise covered. Even belief in the Easter bunny, because the mistakes you make to believe in it are the same. That seems like a pretty good reason to be concerned with it.
I was impressed when a skeptic source (sorry no cite) admitted that most people who read astrology columns do it for entertainment rather than for guidance in how to live their lives.
I don’t know why some people and groups damp out most or all of the ill effects of their arbitrary beliefs, while others follow arbitrary beliefs to the point of serious damage or destruction. I don’t think I’ve seen this discussed anywhere.
That seems like a pretty good reason to be concerned with it.
It sounds like the line of reasoning of someone who is a horrible, horrible thinker and who should stop speaking forever and maybe avoid procreation. (ETA: the aforementioned “should” shouldn’t be taken too literally)
The next sentence is
Skeptics will tell you that yes, it did. Belief that the Sun needs human sacrifices to rise in the morning killed their beloved big brother, and they’ve had a terrible hatred of it ever since. And they must slay all of its allies, everything that keeps people from noticing that Newton’s laws have murder-free sunrise covered. Even belief in the Easter bunny, because the mistakes you make to believe in it are the same. That seems like a pretty good reason to be concerned with it.
Indeed. In fact there’s a website: What’s the Harm? that explains what damage these beliefs cause.
Victims of Moon Landing Denial
Marvellous.
That actually seems to be a victim of belief in moon landing by people who have landed on the moon.
I was impressed when a skeptic source (sorry no cite) admitted that most people who read astrology columns do it for entertainment rather than for guidance in how to live their lives.
I don’t know why some people and groups damp out most or all of the ill effects of their arbitrary beliefs, while others follow arbitrary beliefs to the point of serious damage or destruction. I don’t think I’ve seen this discussed anywhere.
It sounds like the line of reasoning of someone who is a horrible, horrible thinker and who should stop speaking forever and maybe avoid procreation. (ETA: the aforementioned “should” shouldn’t be taken too literally)