• Patapon Enjoyer
    34•9 months ago

    It’s a little presumptuous to say that since there was no scientific method, which didn’t exist until 300 years ago and is constantly evolving, people made shit up. That’s ignoring the work of countless natural philosophers and other smart people.

      • @lowleveldata@programming.dev
        18•9 months ago

        Right, it’d be stupid to believe in theories proved wrong. Just want to point out that back in the days it was probably the best effort.

    • @theangryseal@lemmy.world
      8•9 months ago

      With religion it’s a little different though.

      I really find it hard to believe that the people who created those religions were just making up theories. They were doing the same damn thing that cult leaders are doing today. Want power? Tell folks that you know some hidden, secret truth about why they exist. Tell them they have some great purpose and you know what it is.

      The cult leader doesn’t have to worry about resources anymore, he doesn’t have to worry about reproducing anymore, and doesn’t have to worry about threats from outside as much anymore. The cult will feed him, breed with him, and protect him with their lives.

      I can remember a time when I was young that I could have easily been wrapped up in that shit. I was primed for it by my family’s extreme religiosity and dealing with serious trauma.

      I mean, I’m sure that some people in the realm of religion were just coming up with theories, but the winners were the big grifters with big promises.

      I agree with you on it not being stupid. It’s hard being a human, and when someone offers eternal peace and an afterlife spent with the people we love, it isn’t dumb to hear him out. It’s not dumb at all. It’s sad.

        • @theangryseal@lemmy.world
          1•9 months ago

          Oh yeah, absolutely. Good people can be found anywhere, but the big pushers are always grifters and they live like kings.

  • @some_guy
    6•9 months ago

    As David Cross said, [paraphrasing] “they didn’t have science then so everyone was even stupider than now.”

    • @activ8r@sh.itjust.works
      10•9 months ago

      One thing faith does get right is that while you should always strive for meaning and answers, you do need a way to find peace with what you will never know and what you will never have control over.

      That’s not what faith does though. It forces meaning where there is none. That’s not finding peace with it, that’s denial.