Biggest Problem Facing Humanity

[Dispatcher]

My view is the view held in all sciences that deal with humanity. I don't really understand how does an ancient temple say it's not correct. The fact that in this case a temple was probably made before a settlement does not say that the concept of religion was brought to people who were totally unaware of superstitious behaviour. It just says that in this case their belief was way too important for them.

I was talking about the periods when Homo sapiens was still in southern regions of Africa. The begginings of the human thought.

Göbekli Tepe was built long after that.

I clarified my post above a little. One wonders how such a people as built Gobekli Tepe got their engineering and artistic skills, since the prevailing notion before that discovery was that culture and civilization preceded (advanced) religious development. Oh, I'm not claiming to know how that happened either. Its an open question for science now.

[lajoswinkler]

Religion has not been an issue in more than 100 years in the west or other advanced countries, probably 150. Yes it has some impact in some areas however other political agendas has far larger effects.

Compare the anti nuclear campaign and the religious right in the US, who has had most impact?

Islamists is an security threat nothing more. Easy to knock back if massing.

Of course it's an issue. The fact religion and state have been separated by law doesn't mean they've separated effectively, and today, with modern democracy, religion affects people who then vote for their leaders.

Things have changed, but not profoundly. I simply can't understand how can someone say religion is not an issue anymore when so much discrimination is fueled by it.

As for the islamists, specifically, ask Germany and France. Not only their idea of careless import of foreigners is now turning the country away from the dream of total secularization, but they also have a boost in neonazism as a filthy answer to the initial problem.

Don't worry, we'll have plenty of problems with radical islamists and neonazis in the future. It ain't over until the fat lady sings.

I clarified my post above a little. One wonders how such a people as built Gobekli Tepe got their engineering and artistic skills, since the prevailing notion before that discovery was that culture and civilization preceded (advanced) religious development. Oh, I'm not claiming to know how that happened either. Its an open question for science now.

I don't think my views are extreme. They're rational. Religion is a fuel for hatred because it boils down to "holier than thou". One group claims it's better because it supposedly has better access to the supernatural than the other group.

BTW atheists are written with a small a. Atheism is not a religion. It's a stance.

Edited October 8, 2013 by lajoswinkler

[Dispatcher]

I don't think my views are extreme. They're rational. Religion is a fuel for hatred because it boils down to "holier than thou". One group claims it's better because it supposedly has better access to the supernatural than the other group.

BTW atheists are written with a small a. Atheism is not a religion. It's a stance.

Reread what I wrote. I didn't indicate that your views are extreme (whatever they are). The examples you cited are (and yes real). Thanks for that info about capitalization of atheism. I also think that any group holding to a "holier than thou" position may be in violation of its own tenants. No, atheism is not a religion, but some might view it as a dogma (dogmatic) rather than a mere stance or position. But that's just nitpicking I suppose.

Edited October 8, 2013 by Dispatcher
Detail.

[AngelLestat]

When people really start to think about it, I guess everyone will be agree that the worst problem is overpopulation.

All the problems are caused by US. So many of US is mean more problems. And the grow of the population is exponential. See the graphs.

We have limit resources.

Each one of us consumes in average 1000 times more energy that any other animal.

If all the nations do not joint soon to see how to mitigate this problem we will go all to misery, we will instint many species in the progress and a mortal virus probably will cut the population in a 90%, after that, try to rise again will be really hard.

The best weapon against this is education. But is not easy receive good education in the countries more populated and poor.

[PakledHostage]

Interesting. Yet your examples are certainly extreme ones, as were Hitler's attempts at burying a religious (and ethnic) group.

Did we just witness yet more evidence of the validity of Godwin's law?

[m4v]

Did we just witness yet more evidence of the validity of Godwin's law?

I didn't know that its validity was in question.

[Drunken Hobo]

BTW I'm surprised to see religion in the first place.

I am too, although I suppose this is the internet.

Thing is, if people see religion as the world's biggest problem, how do you solve it? Killing all religious people would work... but that's a bit mean-spirited. Generally religion's biggest opponent has been education, so I'm surprised to see education getting so few votes compared to others.

Although lack of education can also be traced back to the poverty/distribution of wealth option.

[Dispatcher]

Did we just witness yet more evidence of the validity of Godwin's law?

Cool! You know about that too?

Note: I didn't really know about Godwin's Law.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Dispatcher
Ah had 2 tell the truth.

[m4v]

Religion isn't a problem, the problem is people not accepting other people's beliefs, and go to the extreme of censoring or suppressing those who think different, which isn't something tied to religion but to human nature.

Edited October 9, 2013 by m4v

[lajoswinkler]

I am too, although I suppose this is the internet.

Thing is, if people see religion as the world's biggest problem, how do you solve it? Killing all religious people would work... but that's a bit mean-spirited. Generally religion's biggest opponent has been education, so I'm surprised to see education getting so few votes compared to others.

Although lack of education can also be traced back to the poverty/distribution of wealth option.

No, it would not work. It would only throw the humanity into a global dystopia and a world war. Religion will cease to exist when education reaches a certain high level. Personal beliefs, on the other hand, will probably never vanish.

Religion isn't a problem, the problem is people not accepting other people's beliefs, and go to the extreme of censoring or suppressing those who think different, which isn't something tied to religion but to human nature.

Have you ever read the Bible and Quran? Try to do it and you'll never ever say religion is not a problem. Not one horror movie ever came close to the disgusting stuff written in those books.

Religion and beliefs aren't the same thing. Religions are systems. Organized, codified beliefs into dogmas. They're exactly the problem because they don't offer the freedom of mind, like philosophy. They offer instant solutions, and all you need to do is to turn off your reason and accept the stuff which is coincidentally quite disgusting because it's written thousands of years ago by savage people.

There's a thin line between preaching "holier than thou" and "let's kill the infidels", and it's being breached all the time.

I've yet have to meet a religious person with intact reason and a general respect for a human being.

Edited October 9, 2013 by lajoswinkler

[PakledHostage]

Religion isn't a problem, the problem is people not accepting other people's beliefs

The trouble is that religious differences have been one of the top justifications for people killing each other throughout history. Only with today's weapons, we do it so much more effectively. Also religion gets in the way of things that are important to the future of our species, such as education (i.e.intelligent design being taught in American school science classes) and contraception.

[Brotoro]

My long-time answer has been: overpopulation.

All our problems would be reduced proportionally if there were fewer people.

[lajoswinkler]

Education, birth control, abortion, the right to divorce yourself from your husband and not get stoned to death, the right to walk outside without a ninja hazmat suit and not get stoned to death, the right for a man to be in a relationship with another man without getting publicly hanged, the right not to experience genital mutilation "because god wants our penises/vaginas without certain parts" (talking about a divine plan, eh?).....

There are more examples, with the most brutal ones in the islamic world.

[Joshington]

My thoughts on fossil fuels running out

While it is possible that the oil drums will run dry in our lifetimes, it's also possible they won't. If they don't, we will most likely have found a more efficient and renewable way of generating energy. Solar energy for example. I heard that the germans invented a solar panel that can harness 50% of the energy of the sun. We're advancing faster than we give ourselves credit for. And if we do begin running out of oil (for real), we'll see it coming, and transition before it really happens.

[lajoswinkler]

My thoughts on fossil fuels running out

While it is possible that the oil drums will run dry in our lifetimes, it's also possible they won't. If they don't, we will most likely have found a more efficient and renewable way of generating energy. Solar energy for example. I heard that the germans invented a solar panel that can harness 50% of the energy of the sun. We're advancing faster than we give ourselves credit for. And if we do begin running out of oil (for real), we'll see it coming, and transition before it really happens.

Solar panels, even if their efficiency climbs close to 100% will never be a solution because there are things like clouds, Earth's tilt and night. Solar electrical energy density is very low even on the equator.

It will be a backup source, but will never be a primary one.

We already use lots of solar power. We use its heat and light. Agriculture and hydroelectric power are derived from it. Every time you put out a pair of wet socks to dry in the sun, you use solar power. People take it for granted.

[Omicron314]

My two cents on religion: while the books may have been written a long time ago and by less-than-civilized people, religious leaders know that they cannot preach such barbarism: societiecal norms prevent that. The problem is people use their religion as a way to reject science. Religion is static, unchanging. The Catholic Church just apologized to Galileo, after all. So when you give people this view of the universe that conflicts with everything they were brought up to believe, they'll reject it. And their kids reject it. That is the problem.

And then sometimes they use it as a "Get out of morality free!" Card, by forcing their beliefs into their legislation and upon their employees. To me, it's absurd how forcing your employees to not have an abortion is practicing your religious freedom.

It's not the fault of the philosophy: it's the fault of the people.

[-Velocity-]

Oh snap. I'm xenophobic and didn't even realize it till I read this.

I hope our ancestors can still cry, because this post was beautiful. The phrase "Good Riddance" can never be used to describe humanities extinction so long as people like you live.

Wow, thanks.

None of the ideas are really mine though, the struggle against racism and xenophobia is a central theme in a very large percentage of sci-fi literature.

Anyway, xenophobia isn't really a problem yet, so don't worry. However, giving proper respect to the rights and welfare of the most intelligent of the non-human animals on this planet is a problem we still need to properly address, IMO.

[Apotheosist]

I don't think overpopulation is a problem. The problem is we don't have a way of moving vast amounts of people into space

[fatfluffycat]

How is Religion first? Seriously, Overpopulation is probably first.

[brooksy125]

Overpopulation is the worst as it then causes other listed problems such as energy, global warming, supplies etc..

[nettcod]

Humans.

10char

[Joshington]

Solar panels, even if their efficiency climbs close to 100% will never be a solution because there are things like clouds, Earth's tilt and night.

Dyson sphere?

[3_bit]

The biggest problem is how gullible and dumb most people are today. over 2,000 people signed a petition to ban dihydrogen monoxide--an additive in fatty foods, a component of acid rain, helps cancer live, and is in all of us. What is it? Water. To see that people would actually do that means that we have a problem. Because there's way more than 2k people who will make a decision that bad. What we need is a proper education system that is religion-neutral and politically neutral that tells all the stories (could hypothetically be integrated with english) and in general, ensures that we all know what's happened and why, so we can solve real problems and not just complain how bad life is and that those guys running the show are doing it all wrong.

[lajoswinkler]

Dyson sphere?

I don't understand. I know what that is, but I don't see how that's a solution.

The biggest problem is how gullible and dumb most people are today. over 2,000 people signed a petition to ban dihydrogen monoxide--an additive in fatty foods, a component of acid rain, helps cancer live, and is in all of us. What is it? Water. To see that people would actually do that means that we have a problem. Because there's way more than 2k people who will make a decision that bad. What we need is a proper education system that is religion-neutral and politically neutral that tells all the stories (could hypothetically be integrated with english) and in general, ensures that we all know what's happened and why, so we can solve real problems and not just complain how bad life is and that those guys running the show are doing it all wrong.

The fact is that USA is one country on Earth. Solving its problems will not solve Earth population problems. Just look at India and China. Both have exceeded 1 billion residents, each, and their social development is way below the average even though they have the capability to reach orbit.

[Joshington]

I don't understand. I know what that is, but I don't see how that's a solution.

You were talking about the problems with solar panels: Clouds, night time, etc. A dyson sphere wouldn't need to deal with those problems.