# Religion vs. Non Religion: Take 2 **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 10, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000 "2014-02-10T20:11:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/21 "2014-02-11T18:26:35Z")
The OP isn’t even correct. Not all religions teach that there is an immortal soul, an afterlife, or reincarnation. What makes a religion a religion and not a philosophy is a belief without evidence in a supernatural influence on our world, or a supernatural plane of existence. In this case, supernatural meaning something that ignores the laws of the natural, physical world, or exists wholly outside of it. That’s my main point, but to save on double-posting, I’ll opine that the reason I take issue with religion is precisely because there is no evidence that leads only to the conclusion that there is anything at all that is supernatural, and certainly nothing that can be concluded about such a thing without belief, which is nothing more than a guess. Much of human history and intellect has been wasted on the futile exercise which is guessing and disagreeing with other people’s guesses about something that has no observable effect on the world other than what people do with their opinions about it. If there is an invisible magic box in the sky containing a slip of paper with a number on it, and it can never be observed or found because it is beyond the physical plane of existence, then it is for all intents and purposes imaginary, and all guesses which claim to know the precise number which is written on that paper are not only very likely to be wrong, but also totally impractical and useless, and there is not one single shred of a thing to be gained by arguing about what number is written on that imaginary piece of paper. Yet for thousands of years, humans have devoted time, money, armies, and committed atrocities based on their little, insignificant and likely wrong opinion about what number is contained on that imaginary piece of paper, and have in a fit of delusion guided themselves and others to ruin because they believe erroneously that the invisible magic box is speaking only to them and has told them the correct number. There is no grander waste of human life than the pointless bottomless hole which is the argument about the supernatural. A more rational species would have quit wasting so much precious life on such futility. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/22 "2014-02-11T18:38:58Z")
> [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > A more rational species would have quit wasting so much precious life on such futility. Like cats, for example. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/23 "2014-02-11T19:08:58Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Like cats, for example. 🙂 Perhaps that’s the reason the ancient Egyptians worshipped cats as gods? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/24 "2014-02-11T19:24:40Z")
During one of the many rebellions in the Congo young and believing rebels were given medallions which were said to make them indestructible. Unfortunately no one told the bullets this. Oops. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/25 "2014-02-11T19:31:57Z")
> [@jmliny](#): > > My last thread was closed because I didn’t give enough detail. > > Indestructibility vs. Destructibility > > I think religious people think they’re indestructible, whereas non religious people think they are destructible. > > Thank You For Your Time I believe that what he is trying to get across is that Jesus would be evenly matched in a battle with Batman, but that Superman could kick both their asses. Or it could be that he is comparing a cold cut sandwich on ciabatta bread to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on Wonder Bread. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/26 "2014-02-11T19:37:45Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I believe that what he is trying to get across is that Jesus would be evenly matched in a battle with Batman, but that Superman could kick both their asses. > Or it could be that he is comparing a cold cut sandwich on ciabatta bread to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on Wonder Bread. Wrong! On the third day, Jesus became indestructible. His ass could no longer be kicked by anyone. And Wonder Bread sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/27 "2014-02-11T19:45:58Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Like cats, for example. 🙂 At least with cats, you have something to discuss. I believe cats have fur, says someone. Well, here’s a picture of a hairless cat. So some cats don’t have fur. But most of them do, another observes. Some say cats are great pets, others say they are the greatest pets. Way more productive use of our time, and no one has to die. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/28 "2014-02-11T19:46:15Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > Wrong! On the third day, Jesus became indestructible. Only on a planet with a yellow sun. Also, don’t feed him after midnight. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/29 "2014-02-11T19:48:29Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Only on a planet with a yellow sun. > Also, don’t feed him after midnight. Did DC Comics retcon the New Testament again? I’m all confused. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/30 "2014-02-11T19:51:33Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > Did DC Comics retcon the New Testament again? I’m all confused. Be thankful-Imagine what would have happened if Disney had won _that_ bidding war? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/31 "2014-02-11T19:57:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I believe that what he is trying to get across is that Jesus would be evenly matched in a battle with Batman, but that Superman could kick both their asses. That is, until Jesus performed the Miracle of Loaves and [del]Fishes[/del]Kryptonite. Or turned the water in Superman’s blood into wine… ---
**Author:** ![trabajabamos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/47e85d/32.png) [@trabajabamos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trabajabamos)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/32 "2014-02-11T23:41:02Z")
Ripped shroud Jesus vs. Batman (prepared) OK THX BAI ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000/33 "2014-02-12T00:48:08Z")
Enough. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-vs-non-religion-take-2/681000.md?page=1)