The Difference In Thinking: Theists Vs Atheists; Conservatives Vs Progressives

 Are you primarily a System 1 or System 2 Thinker?

There has been a great deal of analysis and speculation regarding why and how people are either theists or atheists. The following article sheds some light on the subject.

People who are more disposed to analytical thinking are less inclined to believe in a deity.

(Comment: a full reading of this blog supports the reality that there probably is not an interventionist deity.)

Now, let's extrapolate into the world of politics. It is well-known that conservatives are much more likely to take religion seriously. With that assumed, what are the differences between liberals and conservatives in their worldviews?

These key psychological differences can determine whether you're liberal or conservative:

* Being scared can make you more conservative. 
* On the other hand, feeling safe and endowed with strength might make you lean a little more liberal than you otherwise would.
* Liberals are less squeamish about looking at yucky stuff like vomit, feces, and blood.

* Conservatives tend to display more ordered thinking patterns, whereas liberals have more "aha" moments.

* Liberals tend to follow the wandering gaze of others more often, while conservative eyes stay more focused on the original subject they're looking at.

*  Holding conservative views seems to make people more resistant to change and help them explain inequality.

* Liberal and conservative tastes in music and art are different, too.

* Liberals are more likely to describe themselves as compassionate and optimistic, while conservatives are more likely to say they're people of honor and religion.

* Conservatives believe they have more self-control.

* Liberals and conservatives extend feelings of compassion to different people.

* Politically charged issues may not be as important as personality when it comes to who you vote for, though. Research on Trump supporters suggests they have more in common with Trump's personal and professional values than his political leanings.

* New research from the United Kingdom backs up the idea that our personalities play a big role in determining who we vote for. A study found that voters who were aggressive, angry kids were more likely to distrust the government and lean liberal as adults.

 - - -

After reading the links above, I hope you can see why:

Conservatives tend to be nationalists, Progressives tend to be globalists.

Conservatives care less about economic inequality, and the plight of the working poor and the homeless. (Link) 

Conservatives tend to support unregulated capitalism, Progressives tend to support more regulation of capitalism.

Conservatives tend to be magical thinkers and Progressives tend to be science-based thinkers.

The Republican party was hijacked by the fundamentalist religious (Link) and the xenophobic, racist alt-right. Ironically, the "Family Values" party is far from such. (Link)

A challenge if you disagree with the above: name one social movement in support of civil/human rights that was initiated and fought for by a conservative political faction anywhere in the modern world. Of course, as a progressive, I hold that the progress of civil/human rights over the centuries is a positive.

Atheist Morality 101

Theist Vs Atheist Morality

Many theists say, correctly, that morality or integrity is doing what is right when no one is watching.  However, many also say that is difficult to do what is right if one does not accept a deity watching. In my opinion, this counterfeits the argument, as "someone" IS watching.

Science-based thinkers understand that our morality or integrity comes not from a being outside of us but from evolution and socialization. These processes have given us empathy, and THAT is really why moral humans act the way they do, regardless of theological perspective. Research shows that theists do not act any more moral than atheists as groups (link). As a personal example, when I was religious I acted out of empathy and I continue to do so presently.  In other words, my feelings and my behavior in this regard have not changed.

 

The Atheist/Freethought "Movement"

Us atheists are being swept up in the disagreements within the so-called Atheist or Freethought "Movement."  Frankly, I see more heat than light being generated by many prominent "Members" of the "Movement."  Many are painting perceived disagreement in one or a few areas of controversy as total depravity of individuals.  This doesn't seem rational or fair and I personally reject it.  I am not part of a "Movement" any more than I am a member of any US political party.  I consider myself reasonable, a science-based thinker, and a humanist.

Following are some articles that illustrate what I am talking about:  link; link; link; link.

Yes, It IS Binary

Simple: you are either a magical or science-based thinker.

The former is ALWAYS morally wrong.

 

Is There Objective Morality?

Atheists and other secular people are accused of not having objective morality because they reject the God who promulgates morality.  Many responses to this challenge have been less than satisfactory to both theists and non-theists.  This article does a good job is delving into the subject.

• "Broadly speaking, morality appears to serve these related purposes: it creates stability, provides security, ameliorates harmful conditions, fosters trust, and facilitates cooperation in achieving shared and complementary goals. In other words, morality enables us to live together and, while doing so, to improve the conditions under which we live."

(Brett Milam)

Two Attributes Correlated With Societal Happiness

Note the political system under which the happiest countries operate. Not said in the article, but true: they are the least religious.

Want to be happy, move to one of these Top Ten countries.

THE Challenge For Atheism

Religion has been a part of the great majority of humanity throughout its history.  Yes, us science-based thinkers know that the claims of all religions have been falsified by science.  However, essentially, the beat goes on.  Why? In my opinion, it is the social support it fosters.  THE challenge for us atheists is to provide a valid replacement for such.  Yes, there are many atheist and humanistic groups organizing and also doing some great social work.  However, frankly, I see THAT needle barely moving in the society at large. 

Understand, I have no answers other than what I have already said on this blog: those with more influence and money than me * MUST step up or we are whistling in the dark.

* How about an anti-Rupert Murdock/Roger Ailes to found an anti-Fox News? Or an anti-Pat Robertson to found an anti-700 Club?

A Google Search for "Religion's Value is the Social Interaction"

Meaning

Many religious claim that, without a belief in a god, life has no meaning.

I was raised in a deeply religious Catholic environment. That included over 15 uncles and aunts on both my mother and father's side. Oh, I have about 50 first cousins as well.  Think about that. Imagine the social influence in support of Catholicism. That said, my mother's favorite brother, Paul, was an atheist, as was his wife.  I never had deep discussions with them regarding their lack of faith, but my aunt Alice (wife of Paul) told me that when we are gone, she believed that we only live on in the minds of those who have experienced us.

Now, think about how many of our family BEFORE our parents who have departed are still in our memories.  Ya, some of us do have recollections of grandparents.  However, what about THEIR parents and grandparents?  My point?  Simple: life is short and in a few generations EVERY person we have impacted and have impacted us in the world is gone.  However, living a life promoting science-based thinking and humanistic values WILL live on in some degree, whether we can see it now or not.  THAT is MY meaning in life, in addition to loving and helping my family and others.

Peace.

It's Not The Religion, It Is the Socialization

"The majority of social science research on religiosity and associated variables has tended to focus on putative beneficial aspects, implying that the absence of religious belief is accompanied by liabilities. However, a closer examination of the literature reveals that the mechanisms of most beneficial associations with religiosity are attributable to factors other than beliefs, chiefly, social engagement and embeddeness in supportive groups. Often, those with the lowest levels of well-being and prosociality are uncommitted or indifferent religious believers, not socially engaged nonbelievers.Therefore, defining individuals who are not committed or engaged in socially supportive groups solely in terms of their lack of religious belief virtually guarantees that atheists and agnostics will appear inferior on a variety of outcome variables. However, nonbelief and secular worldviews can also be practiced in social groups such as atheist, humanist, and freethought organizations. Contrary to prevalent stereotypes, organized nonbelief is also associated with well-being and prosociality equivalent to that seen with organized religious belief. Notable areas of relative advantage for nonbelievers are in the domains of outgroup tolerance and moral universalism.
 

Read more at http://researcherslinks.com/current-issues/Atheism-Wellbeing-and-the-Wager-Why-Not-Believing-in-God-With-Others-is-Good-for-You/9/16/120/html#eqf0pDB1BIxcWBPl.99

Great, Now Be Politically Active

"A new study by the Public Religion Research Institute and Religion News Service finds that the largest faith category in the United States now is people who say their religion is “none.” Apparently, this marks the first time in U.S. history for the churchless to reach top status."

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article108891567.html#storylink=cpy"

A milestone for people with no religion

Criticizing Islam While Defending Muslims

"Yes, Islam is wrong. Yes, Christianity is wrong. Yes, Judaism is wrong. I believe that like I believe I breathe. I don’t doubt that ever. But right now, Muslims, those who believe in Islam, really need our help. There’s refugees who are suffering in a way that history will not be kind to us for ignoring that. We must love them. We just embrace them. We must help them. Even if they believe things that we know are wrong."

Penn Jillette Denounces “Islamophobia” While Defending Fair Criticism of Islam

Seriously, Religious Apologists, Stuff Like This Makes You Look Ignorant And Desperate

"He’s yet another Christian apologist who concludes that atheists don’t exist and are actually theists. They aren’t atheists because there’s no god; rather, they know that God exists but suppress or reject that knowledge for psychological reasons."

Oh, BTW, I had a great family as I grew up and loved my father as much as any son can.

Are Atheists Just in Need of a Father Figure?

A Look At Atheism From An Atheist In the USA's South

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtAZb-ZE-OU

Viewing The World As It Is Is Fulfilling

"Imagining away the bad parts of life without evidence is something atheists won’t do, and our lives are as fulfilled as Christians’ are. We take pleasure in a child’s laugh or a beautiful sunset just like anyone else. Because we accept that this life is all we have reasonable evidence for, we know that every day is precious. If instead you imagine that you’re en route to heaven, and life on earth is just a brief and insignificant stopover, you may treat life differently."

The Atheist Worldview: Is Life Without God Bleak?

E. O. Wilson: I’m Not An Atheist But Religion Should Be Eliminated

"This transcendent searching has been hijacked by the tribal religions. So I would say that for the sake of human progress, the best thing we could possibly do would be to diminish, to the point of eliminating, religious faiths. But certainly not eliminating the natural yearnings of our species or the asking of these great questions."

Note:  watch the two videos on "Meaning" at the end.

Link

The Wave Of Atheism Includes Muslims

"Maryam Namazie, founder of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, described a “tsunami of atheism” in Muslim communities and urged that more needs to be done to recognise the dangers often faced by those who choose to renounce their faith.

"Speaking ahead of the release of Exposure, an ITV documentary that explores the lives of ex-Muslims faced with abuse and discrimination, Ms Namazie told The Independent: 'There is a large group of people who are not seen and heard. Many young people living in Britain have left Islam and are facing huge ostracisation and isolation from their communities as a result.'"

Islamic communities contain 'tsunamis of atheism' that are being suppressed, says leading ex-Muslim

Memo To Religions: They Are Not Coming Back

"If religions are still asking what they can do to bring the religiously unaffiliated back, the better question might be this: what can religion do without them? Because all evidence points to this conclusion: they are not coming back, and given what they’re being presented, why should they?"

They’re Not Coming Back: The Religiously Unaffiliated and the Post-Religious Era

Why I Am An Outspoken Atheist

"Bigotry against atheists is not limited to theory and harsh language — anti-atheist bigotry can also lead to anti-atheist discrimination. After all, if bigots are convinced that atheists are immoral, untrustworthy, and perhaps even evil on some level, then it’s only to be expected that they will treat atheists unequally and as inferiors. Unfortunately, the reasons behind anti-atheist discrimination are no better than discrimination against Jews and racial minorities in the past."

How Are Atheists Discriminated Against? Expressions of  Anti-Atheist Bigotry

It Doesn't Do Any Good Unless You VOTE!!!

"But while these so-called “nones” outnumber any religious denomination, they are not voting as a bloc, and may have little collective influence on the upcoming presidential election."

"Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton may be pleased to learn that these numerous nones overwhelmingly favor her over her GOP rival Donald Trump — 62-21 percent in the poll, which was conducted in late July and early August."

And, voting 3rd Party is a wasted vote.