Unpopular Opinion
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I agree with you in the sense that reality should be faced, not supplanted by imagination. However, shaming and disrespecting is a spectacular way of antagonizing people. We know that religious belief naturally fades when people understand the mechanisms of the world. I think it's more impactful and sensible to invest time in science literacy than superstition shaming.
Fair enough. I should've been more accurate.
Here's a revised version: Through years of research done with the World Value Survey, we know that religious beliefs fade from everyday life when people have more money, education, and connectivity. A good source for this is Freedom Rising by Christian Welzel.
The number of physicists who believe in god would directly contradict that statement, yes.
Edit:
"Only 38 percent of natural scientists -- people in disciplines like physics, chemistry and biology -- said they do not believe in God. Only 31 percent of the social scientists do not believe."
https://www.livescience.com/379-scientists-belief-god-varies-starkly-discipline.html
I'm not arguing that people should go around treating people who have religious or superstitious beliefs like shit; I'm saying we shouldn't pretend their beliefs are acceptable and/or a matter of personal opinion or faith. They're wrong. Objectively wrong. So, if someone were to say, "I'll pray for you," I think the response should be something like, "I'd rather you get yourself some therapy, friend; prayer isn't real, God isn't real, and your faith in these false concepts is holding you back." As someone else ITT said: people deserve respect, but not necessarily their ideas.
Which simply shows how little you know about the things you despise. Prayer is just meditation by another name. Meditation has been shown to have healthy effects. Perhaps study before condemnation.
Find me the person who believes in the power of prayer who agrees with that statement.
And that is why meditation and prayer are not the same thing. Functionally, because prayer doesn't work, all it can provide at best are similar benefits to meditation, but if you've ever prayed and meditated, you should know they are definitely not the same thing in terms of what you're doing with your brain.
No one need to agree with it.
Feel free to prove your claim that prayer does not work. You can't so there is no need for us to wait for you to do so.
Both prayer and meditation bring peace to the mind. The rest of it is nothing but belief in the specifics of the method.
In christianity, there are recognized forms of prayer that are literally the same technique as focus-based meditation - only that the focus is not your breath, or a candle, but your inner connection to god as you experience it. This is called contemplation and has a centuries-long history in christian mysticism.
If you practice it, I confidently say you would gain quite the same benefits as you would with focus-based meditation.
Also I have tried both, and don't feel much of a difference in terms of "what I'm doing with my brain".
I'm sure you're talking about people going " Please god, give me the new car I've wanted for so long" rather than prayer as a spiritual practice to gain connection to the the "first reality before any thought arises", which is how modern christian mystics define god, so this likely isn't relevant to you and your beliefs and also isn't meant to be a rebuttal of your overall stance.
I just wanted to let you know that in this instance you are, indeed, factually wrong.
And some individual's belief is supposed to be identical to all others?
Why are you so hell bent on folks, whose belief you are attacking and not discussing, react defensively?
How does their belief in God harm your belief there is none?
And most importantly, why is it any of your business?
Perhaps look long at your own position before laughing at others.
Please do try to stay on subject. When you get confused looking back to the OP is the best option. Hint, the subject is not the weather.