I agree. They buy the crap because they're being told a good
story. People like a good story. They don't like the scam
busters stories. You like the scam busters stories. I like the
scam busters stories. They don't. So what do you do? Change the
narrative. Change the marketing. Bring people over more
convincingly. I'll give an idea I had but I'm to lazy to enact:
I've written up several religions in the past. For science
lovers. Totally accurate stuff. All the awe and wonder of the
Universe combined with the need for fellowship, singing,
learning activities and calisthenics. Songs for gravity, the
nematode, and zinc. A new science experiment every week. Lessons
on thinking better about yourself and humanity using the latest
in cognitive psychology. Hymnals will be up to date with the
latest research. And instead of the trinity, you've got the
furthest back we can go conclusively so far as to the creation
of the elements that make us up: The primal star, the large
molecular gas cloud which the primal star crashed into creating
the heavier than iron elements, and gravity, all working
together to make up everything we know around us. This can leave
the big bang-or-no-big-bang models alone, string theory can keep
doing its thing, as really... that stuff is kinda less important
than being grateful for the series of events that DIRECTLY
impact what makes all of this, here. Set something like that up,
build churches, get grants and funding, form communities and
litter the world with them. You engage the "religious centers"
of the brain [awe and wonder stuff], you do the gratitude thing
(which is good) and you're not worshipping but respecting and
grateful. So anyway, that's one of my weird ideas, which is
putting up viable alternatives. Oh same here. I don't have any
animosity towards reasonable religious practice, just towards
those taking advantage of it for financial/political gain. They
need to be exposed of course. But also, allow me to show a nice
side benefit of this religion: By leaving the object of respect
to the primal star and company and not going back any further in
time, it leaves the God-question entirely open and free. So with
that, you can gather atheist, agnostic, and believers of all
stripes to come in and join. This person over here wants a
standard Triune Godhead situation to be behind the primal star?
Go for it. This other person over there wants M-Branes briefly
touching sparking a big bang, inflation eventually leading to
the primal star? That's cool too. This other guy would rather a
mathematical Universe that has no discernible beginning point?
Or even an old-school Steady State belief? Fine! They can come
too. Everybody would be welcome. They can debate the heavy stuff
at coffee hour if they like, form subgroups and such and have
yearly tug-of-wars outside during the yearly church Festival of
the White Blood Cell.
