Your Place of Birth Determines Your Religion

[jamesparson]

Let's see. Mom and Dad were Catholic. They tried to raise me to be a Catholic. Who could have guessed.

[ihkeseteeietos]

As someone who was born and raised in Thailand, when ppl learn that I’m an atheist a lot of them ask me when/how I became one. I have to explain to them that I’ve never believed in god at any point in my life. It was a fiction for me as a kid and its a just concept for me now.

[smiklosovic]

This isn't what made me an atheist, but it's one of the main things that started my deconstruction.

[Aethid]

I can still remember sitting in the back of a history class in (a Christian) primary school at 8 years old, idly looking at a display of religious symbols from different ancient civilisations that the previous class had put up on the wall... and realising how absurd it is for me to assume I am lucky enough to be born in the right time and place to be taught the right religion. In that moment, I discarded that assumption.

[JM-usfr]

Most Christians have a response to this, but they don’t want to say it because it is profoundly bigoted. Specifically, they believe that some places, like the US and the West, are just blessed by God. So instead of admitting this, they often argue around this point and say “Oh God works in mysterious ways, ” or some nonsense. I know because this is exactly how me and my family would dismiss this geographic problem.

[khangnam]

“Not only does God throw dice, he throws them where you can't see them."

[ladywesker]

What's even more interesting and this is especially true with Abrahamic religions is depending on who raised you you're getting a different rendition and different rules from the same source.

[gxulien]

Calvinists solve it by declaring fate has already determined who is saved.

[jamesfleming]

You’re making too much logical sense here man.

[MrPhilsterable]

This is actually one of the main facts that made me question why it was I believed what I believed about religion and started my mind towards dismantling my beliefs in earnest.

[mklein]

I think this is one of the most underrated arguments against theism.

[Horus-Lupercal]

These debates are your best stuff bro, keep 'em coming.

[ShirleyTimple]

Been saying this for years. Your religion is determined(for the most part) by where and when you are born. So many people damned because they weren't "righteous" enough to be born in the right time and place.

[GuitarDog_atx]

"god has a lot to answer for" -Alex

Yes he does. His followers been trying to do that on his behalf for 2000 years and failing.

[darylbenson]

A common understanding but I've never heard it put to words so well!

[tobyk-b]

To me the best part of this argument that Alex mentions elsewhere but not in this clip is that Thailand is incredibly religious, but just follow a religion that is athiest or atleast doesn't definitely believe in a god (im simplifying but yanno) which a lot of western people dont realise, it just shows how much stronger of an argument this is

[raymondtendau]

A child is not a Christian child, not a Muslim child, but a child of Christian parents or a child of Muslim parents. This latter nomenclature, by the way, would be an excellent piece of consciousness-raising for the children themselves. A child who is told she is a 'child of Muslim parents' will immediately realize that religion is something for her to choose -or reject- when she becomes old enough to do so.
-Richard Dawkins

[destindarksoul]

Thanks, Alex, for articulating an idea I've harboured and never known how to express. 🧠🙂

[WhosPloxity]

I deconstructed my Christian roots through this lense. I now am a Buddhist with a sprinkle of Taoism. My religious path has been a favorite for my story arch!

[Reewnat]

That is why in Islam (and I'm sure other religions) God has stated that He will not hold those never exposed to the message (and not a distorted version i.e. news versions) and will judge them by their own standards or the standards of their religion/philosophy. There is wisdom in how all things are laid out in the world.