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by rofl1234 4152 days ago
> I think there is considerable evidence that the inclusion of the belief in the existence of God and other similar aspects of religion that are distinct from (but part of the justification for) the behavioral elements you call "the good parts" are an important part of the memetic glue that holds the whole structure together.

The whole structure of what? Europe is largely godless yet the society holds together just fine. There's really no need to confound "treat others as you want to be treated yourself" with anything supernatural.
2 comments
dreen 4152 days ago
> Europe is largely godless yet the society holds together just fine

Completely false and uninformed statement. Some EU countries are very religious and show no decline in active participation. There are unrests, but they have little to do with religion or its lack.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_atheism#Europe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Europe#Irreligion

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discardorama 4152 days ago
>> Europe is largely godless ..

> Completely false and uninformed statement.

Not necessarily. I know people from Europe who call themselves Christian, and yet when asked when was the last time they went to church, they basically just went for weddings and funerals.

So, sure, in a census or some government form they may self-identify as Christian, but for all practical purposes they are "godless"; IOW, "god" plays minimal to no role in their daily lives.

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dragonwriter 4152 days ago
> I know people from Europe who call themselves Christian, and yet when asked when was the last time they went to church, they basically just went for weddings and funerals.

Degree of participation in religious ritual and degree of belief in God are not necessarily related. There's certainly some correlation, but its quite possible to believe that God exists, and that he isn't overly concerned with whether you show up at a particular building on a weekly basis.

> So, sure, in a census or some government form they may self-identify as Christian, but for all practical purposes they are "godless"; IOW, "god" plays minimal to no role in their daily lives.

You seemed to have conflated "God" with "formal religious ritual".

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dragonwriter 4152 days ago
> The whole structure of what?

The structure of the system of practices which includes the things described as the "the good parts", insofar as it makes sense to "branch" a religion and separate the belief in God from "the good parts" and continue as an organized system.

> Europe is largely godless yet the society holds together just fine.

I don't disagree with that, but I also don't think that's an example of what k-mcgrady was suggesting with branching Christianity and keeping "the good parts".

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