Once you accept a religious 'truth' you imagine all contradictory religions have it wrong. I don't think religious people view themselves as equals in one big family as atheists might from the outside.
That's the seductive nature of the certainty that religions sell. Religions claim to have knowledge of the unknowable, stories to generate purpose and authority out of the unexplained. They must defend their narrative from the competing narratives or else they lose their legitimacy- there is no evidence to prove who is right.
I'm tempted to include some atheists/scientists in that religious family when they extrapolate too much.
Of course uncritical thinkers are everywhere, religions have no monopoly. Look at the outrage over demoting Pluto- people couldn't handle the uncertainty of a changing definition. They weren't able to distance themselves from their emotional attachment and consider critically the facts behind the decision.
The difference is that despite the uncritical thinkers surrounding, at its core science has evidence. If all knowledge is lost science will recreate itself as is because it reflects the nature of the universe.
Historically meditation is steeped in religion and this guy seems overly defensive about that in addition to being unconvincing in his arguments.
He didn't mention meditation.
I know didn't mention meditation in that video.. clearly he does in others. From his wikipedia page:
"Harris is a critic of religion and proponent of the liberty to criticize it.[4] However, he is deeply involved in secular meditation practices adopted from Buddhism (especially Vipassana), having devoted two years of his life to silent practice in India as well as learning from teachers like Joseph Goldstein[5]. He has also praised Advaita Vedanta and Dzogchen, as "they contain empirical insights about the nature of consciousness that do not depend upon faith."[6]"
Once you accept a religious 'truth' you imagine all contradictory religions have it wrong. I don't think religious people view themselves as equals in one big family as atheists might from the outside. I'm tempted to include some atheists/scientists in that religious family when they extrapolate too much. Historically meditation is steeped in religion and this guy seems overly defensive about that in addition to being unconvincing in his arguments.