Lesa Perry
Recent Activity
Lesa Perry commented on Sam Harris on Happiness on March 2, 2008, 2:39 PM
Naturalist, on what basis do you presume that I have not yet engaged in critical thought of religious dogma and let go of all of it? I am a proud Atheist. I do find freedom, but I also recognize that religions have very effective tools for retaining and enticing new believers. I agree with Sam Harris' that happiness is fundamentally the absence of fear and anxiety. If you offer people easily accessible tools to keep fear and anxiety at bay, they will try to use them, even if it means sacrificing logic. I'm not sure there is a more powerful motivator than fear.
Lesa Perry commented on Sam Harris on Happiness on March 2, 2008, 3:19 AM
I think people are attracted to religion because it offers tools for removing fear and anxiety -- faith and fellowship. Unfortunately, religion carries a lot of unnecessary baggage the world would be better off without. Our challenge is to remove the baggage without leaving a painful gap where faith and fellowship once were.
Lesa Perry commented on Sam Harris on Happiness on March 1, 2008, 10:19 PM
I think people are attracted to religion because it offers tools for removing fear and anxiety -- faith and fellowship. Unfortunately, religion carries a lot of unnecessary baggage the world would be better off without. Our challenge is to remove the baggage without leaving a painful gap where faith and fellowship once were.
Lesa Perry commented on Sam Harris on Happiness on March 2, 2008, 7:39 PM
Naturalist, on what basis do you presume that I have not yet engaged in critical thought of religious dogma and let go of all of it? I am a proud Atheist. I do find freedom, but I also recognize that religions have very effective tools for retaining and enticing new believers. I agree with Sam Harris' that happiness is fundamentally the absence of fear and anxiety. If you offer people easily accessible tools to keep fear and anxiety at bay, they will try to use them, even if it means sacrificing logic. I'm not sure there is a more powerful motivator than fear.