Religion is regarded by the ignorant as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful. - Seneca. Do you agree?
by 
steelhamster@aol.com
ANSWERS: 48
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Completely actually.
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It seems weird. I constantly hear people mindlessly spouting ignorant anti-religion rhetoric all the time. It gives actual intelligent athiests a bad name.
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I agree completely. Because of where i live i have the opportunity to experience this in practice/-
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The definition of ignorant is: uneducated in general; lacking knowledge or sphistication. There are many religious devout people I'm aware of that are doctors, scientists, lawyers, paramedics, engineers etc. And there are many who have trade skills. And there are many who have common jobs. All these people have been educated and educated far beyond what is considered 'in general.' I would consider many of those people to be wise. I do not agree with Seneca's statement, not completely. It is trying to generalize a very complex issue.
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Jewels Vern "Ignorant" is the gerund form of "ignore". It means the act of ignoring available knowledge. It has no connection to education or sophistication. Lots of highly educated and sophisticated people are woefully ignorant in some subjects.
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I tend to generally agree, but there are a lot of wise and intelligent people who are religious.
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Yes but I would change ignorant to gullible or impressionable.
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I don't really agree to this. If you are religious, and you stick by what you believe in...you aren't ignorant, you are just going by what you believe in.
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Nope... Religion is regarded by those who believe in it as true and those who don't as false... Simple as that. A person's intelligence or wisdom has NOTHING to do with it.
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Wholeheartedly
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Well, I guess you consider people like Sir Isaac Newton and Gregor Mendel as ignorant people. Some of the greatest minds in the history of the world believed that God exists.
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It is a cynical statement, and while having some truth in it, it is JUST enough truth to make it inaccurate as well. Ignorant people may be religious, but there are lots of ignorant people who are not. Conversely, as someone with a number of degrees, diplomas and certificates, and married to another person with even more, and friends with many people who have masters or doctorates plus and who ARE "religious", there are many who are NOT ignorant who are "religious", and who, though wise, see "religion" (at least the Christian form of it) as true. Yes, many rulers have used religion for their own reasons- that is true.
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I don't feel like it is. You can think of it as every other lifestyle...and what makes this so different. Those who choose to be believe that there is a high power have the right to do so. There are ignorant people who do not believe a god exist, and ignorant people that believe a god exist. I feel the statement is one-sided (it has it's points but it's only half-right), but in the end, everyone has the right to believe in what they want (as long as it doesn't hurt anyone).
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Spot on, if you ask me.
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I do agree.
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I would say divisive Religion. Yes.
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100%!
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I agree....and the part about "useful" by the rulers hits it in the head. Throughout History we have had all kinds of Governments using religion as a sledgehammer: You either believe in what we are preaching, what we are doing, or you are an infidel, a heretic, an atheist, a blasphemous, a demon, etc, etc;, so we have the right grab you, torture and execute you...in the name of our loving God....
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Yes, i do agree.
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I agree. Of course, there are exceptions, but really... Not many...
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Not really.
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Not only agree, but admire the terseness! ;-)
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There is an element of truth to that, but it fails to take into account those who are wise yet believe, those who are ignorant but innocent, and those who rule as they think God would have them rule.
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Nope, I know ignorant people who believe in nothing. Wise is a scapegoat for lack of better word and the rulers will use anything to help their agenda.
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it would make more sense if they said... regarded by the attentive, falsified by the wise, and useful by those who seek profit.
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No, and yes. Seneca (c. 4 BCE – 65 CE) was tutor and later advisor to the Roman emperor Nero. He was an relatively old man when Nero began persecuting the Christians in Rome and probably never really learned what Christianity was all about. In context, the religion that Seneca was talking about was that of the Greeks and Romans which probably was "regarded by the ignorant as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." So I answer "no" about Christianity and "yes" about the ancient Roman and Greek religions. With love in Christ.
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Just disregard religion; do good ,be kind,love others as much as you love yourself because that's nice. There are no Gods!!!!!
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One third of it. It's iffy to make claims on believers intelligence, but it's hard to argue with the last part.
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Yes. Wow I had never heard that one before how very true. Of course, Religion is the opiate of the masses is a fave also.
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I mostly believe. My only disagreement is that many intelligent people are also religious. I think this is mostly because they haven't aimed their intellect at religion.
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Absolutely NOT! I regard bigots to think this way. I believe in Almighty God. My believe OR disbelieve is not a measure of my intelligence.
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Now their's something worth framing and putting on a wall. agree
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beautiful, beautiful.. someone with a brain... the majority of americans are in the lower or middel bracket they fall on hard time weekely and need something unexplainable to believe in but i dont think you should calle them ignorant because i think that when they fall on hard times they feel too ashamed to ask the government for help or others sooo just let them ask god...
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False idolhood definately. And yeah these organised religions most definately are mind control, but the kind of rulers who use and allow these are what i call bastards, they are not true leaders and never shall be.
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I agree that some rulers regard religion as useful-for sure. However, I don't agree that religion is a measure of intelligence.
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Ita vero.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjZ-lSn0A3M&sdig=1 Pat explains this very very good!
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Yup.
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In the Bible's words (paraphrased): Because in mans wisdom Jesus was rejected - so God has chosen the foolish sounding things that you hear preached to be the means by which saving faith comes for salvation. The Bible states that the wisdom of this world will be worthless when the truth is revealed.
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Seeing as there are more religious people than non-religious people, they're more likely to have smarter people. Simple logic, Seneca the Younger was lacking of this.
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Incorrect. Barack Obama (Christian) is neither ignorant nor a user of religion to control others.
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People make up plenty of baloney, but in fact most people don't even know what the word 'religion' means. The bible says it is something made up by men telling each other what to do. Nothing spiritual about it. So the ignorant don't know what they are talking about, and the wise (in their own eyes) don't know what they are talking about, and the rulers wisely don't talk about it.
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Yes, that is correct.
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From a man who thought smoking tobacco was healthy the answer is plain.
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Yes, I tend to agree with all of that.
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sounds right
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Well Seneca is no Plato. Plato would say Seneca was stupid for lumping all religions together https://people.wku.edu/jan.garrett/pgodscht.htm
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Religion is regarded by the wise as true, by the ignorant as false, and by some rulers as useful. - Archie Bunker
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Elfie and others do not ask themselves the obvious queston : Is this being posted because poster considers himself wise? And what greater proof that he isn't and that he lacks the moral fiber to come up with his own answer. Rather he needs the doggie-pat of many anonymous faceless answerers.
Roaring 
MrJosh 
Anoname 
TBO 
pearllederman 
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