Why is Every Society Religious?

[@WhatifAltHist]

Step into the future with Boltzmann. Join our Telegram at t.me/Boltzmann_Net to experience the future of crypto and AI where privacy meets unlimited potential

[@Sergei-fg1ys]

Sounds like yet another crypto scam tbh

[@Atabanza]

This is the best thing about living in this time: It is the time with the most religious teachings

[@kd1405]

Reading the comments before watching the vid I observe that you have a disproportionate amount of religious folk in among your followers. Dont you think?

[@sleepyjoe8061]

Jesus Christ is God and Lord of all creation.

[@Edgelord-rn9he]

20th Centry Russia here in 13:00 was more like Russia switching from Christianity as it's Religion to Communism as it's Religion.

[@cro-magnoncarol4017]

I remember when I was little my dad told me, "If I didn't care about you I would let you do whatever you want..."

[@nickgarnero9843]

Your father was wise.

[@thechickenfriedredneck910]

Its so true, when parents don't care there never there. Call it freedom but it's abandonment.

[@DarkLight-sz1vp]

Based dad.

[@SocialistFinn1]

Absolutely. These atheists are so far up their own ass that they think it's good and lovely to not have any rules or requirements.

[@troyguenther7572]

This is absolutely true. I kinda knew this, but I love how you worded it. I am using this line from now on, ESPECIALLY if I ever have any kids

[@bigchungus1920]

Watching this on a train from Tokyo to kyoto. It is pretty insane how many temples and shrines are in this country. Even the churches seem to be more cared about by their small Christian population then by the large ones in Western Europe. This might be your best video ever made.

[@yux.tn.3641]

go to the fox shrine in Kyoto👍

[@tylerchapman9234]

I didn't know there was a Christian church in Japan

[@anotherbacklog]

Japan is creating new religions every day. There’s probably more people worshipping Goku than there are people in Japan

[@BoredInTheComments]

​@anotherbacklog who's out here worshipping Goku lol?

[@nxtvim2521]

​@@anotherbacklognah, japan is actually christianizing and Islamizing same with China (the trend had already started in korea) you're thinking of weeaboos who understand nothing of japanese culture besides Anime

[@bigchungus1920]

The Greeks and Roman’s were indeed stunning and brave

[@Goyfestival]

No

[@nickgarnero9843]

Such brave.

[@LucasFernandez-fk8se]

Almost as stunning as Caitlyn Jenner 🤩

[@Greekfreakonaleash]

And the Greeks invented one of the most delicious foods ever; Gyros.

[@therearenoshortcuts9868]

@@nickgarnero9843 much wow

[@daniellogan-scott5968]

I have literally studied religion at various levels for over forty years and last year I learned something that changed everything making me realise that I know nothing. The concept "religion" is an artificial construction created by Western academics about 300 years ago. The implications of this are incredible. Basically, Western culture is the only one that sees religion as something distinct from culture. This is most obvious in Japan where something like 6% of the population consider themselves religious but over 95% attend Shinto temple regularly. When people in the West attack religion they are unknowingly (or knowingly) attacking the culture. Religious wars are culture wars and culture wars are religious wars. Yes, "wokeism" is a religion. It is an attempt to create a new culture. Last example, critics of Islam will say that they are attacking the ideology an not the people, but the people, the culture, and the ideology are the same thing. I believe this explains why religious decline and cultural decline go hand in hand. It because they are the same thing.

[@pepijnvdl123]

I've had some classes in cultural studies and I gotta say I really agree with everything you said

[@darksu6947]

That pretty well sums it up.

[@newglof9558]

Nailed it. On the topic of religion in Japan, I recommend the book "The Invention of Religion in Japan" by Jacob Josephson-Storm. Literally goes over exactly what you described (judging by your comment you very likely already have read it)

[@daniellogan-scott5968]

@@newglof9558 I have not, but will look for it as a topic of interest. Thanks.

[@mellywood]

Heavy doubt you

[@bestintheworld4850]

I was raised Catholic and always was, but a few years ago I had a stroke, and I am very well now. I feel like it’s a miracle and I am very grateful with God, I ironically became Atheist and then Agnostic but a few months later I became truly Christian again, and Catholic again but this time for real, and I feel very grateful with God now. But as a Christian I don’t really blame those who don’t believe I just pray they will find God before long.

[@tanalincia6314]

Keep your prayers. We dont need your imaginary sky man.

[@drawster00]

​@tanalincia6314 nice troll attempt. Id say im agnostic, not atheist. I was raised in a christian family, but we didnt practice much, and in fact, practiced less as i aged. You dont have to believe in a sky man. Ive thought similar to what youve projected in your comment, in my past (Ie leave me alone/leave me out of it). I dont know what lies beyond our lives, i dont pretend to, and i dont like to believe in eternal life. I just dont want to piss anything off if there is something that exists 'above' or 'in the sky'. My wife is Luciferian. I basically understand her beliefs as 'if god gave me free will, im going to use it despite what punishment im met with if i meet him'. (I dont follow what she does, if im wrongly representing the religion, sue me idc) I dont necessarily agree with her beliefs either, although I do enjoy her outlook on her spirituality, and what that means for her daily values and goals. You dont have to be part of a group, you dont have to live on the 'good' side of the morality scale. but you should definitely devote time into finding out what gets you off from rejecting others religious beliefs.

[@tanalincia6314]

@drawster00 See what you're missing is the fact that religion is a poison on society. It's a cancer, and as long as it continues to exist, we will be forever trapped in these useless, senseless wars over which sky man is correct. Its a net negative on society. And then you have people like this videos chucklehead creator out here trying to convince people that religion is not only good, but necessary. It's actively detrimental to society, beyond just being deceitful. So no, I don't need to actually, thank you very much.

[@baonemogomotsi7138]

@@drawster00So basically you project Abrahamic belief on people because ''I just don't want to piss anything off if there is something that exists 'above' or 'in the sky''. Why not worship Shiva? Or Hanuman? You need to find time for yourself, and leave theists & non-theists to do their thing

[@kornelszecsi6512]

Bro, no one uses this nonsense objection to Christianity anymore, grow up!​@@tanalincia6314

[@SvintMvrcus]

In the book of Hopi they mention that each tribe that wanted freedom from God and government left to try to do their own thing and became the savages that lived like animals. They also talk about how they were instructed to settle in an area where life would be hard because it was the easy life that led to man’s many downfalls, which is why they chose the dry land in Oraibi. I think humanity has gone through multiple renewals and each time they were wiped out there was a trauma embedded in us as a collective that we still feel today, trying to warn us not to repeat the same mistakes. Love God, welcome adversity and respect our Mother Earth.

[@Sapanator]

I'm at the point in my life where I truly believe that society needs religion to hold itself together on a spiritual level.

[@kooolainebulger8117]

i'm in a town that is spiritually dead as one of the few Catholics it's almost self evident here that lots of things here just dont work, and stagnate

[@bickyboo7789]

​@kooolainebulger8117 agreed. I used to be an edgy reddit atheist when I was younger.

[@hismajesty6272]

Try partaking in it maybe. I’m a Christian, and religion has gotten through my deepest pits of nihilism. I honestly couldn’t imagine what mental state I’d be in without the peace that comes from belief and practice.

[@shelleyscloud3651]

No. We need Christianity specifically

[@tanimation7289]

@@bickyboo7789 What made you stop being a atheist?

[@fromeggman]

It really is damning that the modern western world thinks in its secular hubris that religion is for ethnic bumpkins. Every civilization before us would see us as morally and philosophically as insane for abandoning the spine and cranium of civilizations. Hell every major civ before ours could tell you what a woman is, nowadays in the "civilized west" half the population couldn't tell ya, and treats the term like an unseen god that is rather than what it is. Religion can tell you that with ease, we've gone mad on a civilizational/societal level. The light of the mind alone cannot banish all darkness.

[@dtphenom]

"Wow, imagine taking advice from Bronze Age Shepherds." Idk, we have wealth all of the ancient emperors would only dream of, and yet we are more miserable and atomized than ever. Maybe we can learn a thing or two from them.

[@kenwarner]

"The light of the mind alone cannot banish all darkness." Well it's the only thing we actually in reality have, so let's do our best with what we got.

[@def3ndr887]

“More and more civilization, what a damn mess we’re making of things.” -Arthur Morgan

[@christiangonzalez6945]

Yeah also they knew what caused sickness "Spirits and demons" Way to romanticize a period you never lived. Romans did know also how to enjoy little kids you know, sees that they enjoyed the gay thing a lot, with does say your Bible about gays? So progressive right.

[@daytonaofcv6856]

​@@def3ndr887I forgot about that line. The Old West was an attempt to run from the "civilization" of its time. To give birth to something new. They did for a time. The sadness they'd feel to see the West the way it is today. The literal epicenter of the world's madness.

[@kucanusa3750]

I'm an atheist, but I can acknowledge that my values come from Protestant, particularly Lutheran, Christianity. What bothers me when I talk to other atheists (Reddit) is they are nihilistic and hedonistic. Those who think the evidence against the existence of a deity is right, should horrified. Without a cosmic higher power to give you meaning and morals, you have to find it yourself. You have to choose it rather than it being a requirement from god. Life with out religion as someone who is living it, is harder, it's building without scaffolding.

[@Lord_Machiavelli]

Why are you an atheist then. It is irrational. How can the world create itself without God? Matter doesn't spontaneously create itself, and thus impossible for the universe to create itself. I suggest you look into Orthodox Christianity, and you shall find the truth.

[@LukeLongboneOfficial]

Life can be harder for some without religion, but not everyone. I get your point about the scaffolding. The thing is, some (probably many/most) people aren’t as thoughtful as you seem to be. They just don’t care or think about things like this… would never watch this channel, etc.

[@jhwilson00]

I am a believer but I think it’s natural to have doubts and question things. But I’m glad you have such an open mind about the good qualities of religion. I lived a nihilistic and hedonistic life up until my late 20s. Once i found faith, it change my view from wanting materialism (money, sex, accolades, degrees, etc) to the natural (relationship with God, people and nature itself). Keep your mind open and the truth with find its way to you.

[@LukeLongboneOfficial]

I also want to say that, while I mostly agree with Rudyard’s point made- that people reject religion because they don’t want to be accountable- that’s not the case for everyone. Some people just feel alienated from God, alone, uncertain about which religion is the right one, etc. It’s complicated. I wish you the best in your journey. Perhaps you should consider following Christ, as I do, while rejecting Judaism and Christianity as they exist as religions in the world today.

[@CarlosAdrianAguirre-hp9fv]

I can totally sympathize, I was raised catholic and most of my worldview is heavily shaped by catholicism, yet I once watched a video that convinced me of atheism, and I got to say, I don't like it, I don't like athiesm, I believe it's true but to me it is a bitter realization, that there is nothing after death, there is no god that helps the good and creates obstacles for the wicked, I'd much preffer if catholicism was true. I ate the apple, and now I'm cursed with knowledge.

[@jacquesbonhomme8198]

Solzhenitsyn called it: The primary cause of the wars of the 20th century was that man had forgotten about God. Our punishment is coming, be sure of that

[@Kaede-Sasaki]

@jacquesbonhomme8198 Major cause of wars in the past were religious too. Territory and grievances underlined them all past and present

[@danzolion8758]

Yeah tell that to the Muslims

[@bub6871]

​@@danzolion8758their book tells them clearly to make war against Christians and so for 1400 years Europe had to fight back a rabid enemy in the east that swallowed all Christian lands in the east. We surpassed them though because of Christ and science.

[@danzolion8758]

@@bub6871 I'd say we fuked them because we knew they weren't like us and we had better values. Not because of christ

[@throttlebuff]

bullshit! most wars were/are fought due to religion and we are about to go through another one in the middle east....again

[@JesusOrDestruction]

Always a treat when WhatIfAltHist uploads

[@killercuddles7051]

This dude has totally lost it. His biased of reality is disturbing. He is like a new age politician or lawyer. Here is an example of his radical thinking: @ 15:15 or so... "when I see people hate on religion, and I think there *are** criticisms you can make of religion, this is really the reason, they don't want to be held to moral standards." This is a sever example of programming. He is so deeply programmed, or is attempting to program others. There are an infinite number of criticisms anybody can make about anything, from an infinite number of perceptions, including criticisms about religions. Personally, it's easy for me to see through the nonsense that is "popular organized religion." No matter where it came from, it has become saturated with control mechanisms created by humans to control humans. This is my honest belief about religion, though we *all* may be wrong. So my point is that there are more than 2 ways of looking a single thing. Some people enjoy life close to god with spiritualism and focusing on positivity to bring happiness, instead of using fear-based and cult religions which claim to know things because the people before them claimed to know things.......... In a life or death situation, if you were playing "telephone" with 50 people sitting in the same room, you'd died 99.99999999%(the same number that made me pay child support). Now, lets talk about 50 generations of telephone. Religion is for scared and weak suckers, it has been manipulated to persuade humans to have predictable(easily manipulated) tendencies.

[@Smile4theKillCam456]

I’m sorry you think that way

[@GALA89]

​@@Smile4theKillCam456 i dont care if you disagree with him, you have to admit those videos are interesting, or at least food for thought

[@mpetrison3799]

Kissing people's asses is unethical...

[@Crownpanda]

​@@GALA89They're hit or miss with how they're sometimes poorly researched

[@BENOTAFRAID689]

We're biologically wired to be this way, whether by purely naturalistic coincidence or intelligent design. Resisting it in every capacity is like trying to suppress every conscious thought. When it doesn't express itself in traditional religiosity or just in addition, it finds outlets elsewhere, sometimes for good but often for cringe.

[@noxplay4906]

I used to be nihilistic and hedonistic and it was the most damaging thing ever for my life. Now that I have faith in a higher power in my own way I see the beauty and purpose in all things, and I live life for others and for God, and not for myself

[@miraak2213]

​@@noxplay4906☦️

[@M.g16300]

I have to disagree, I do not think religion is nessacary for one to be a morally upstanding and mentally stable person. Though it most certainly helps, it is like a guiding light in the darkness, or as another commenter said, scaffolding for a building. If followed correctly and wholeheartedly, it helps one to reach a happier, more morally upstanding and mentally stable point in life. But it is not impossible for one to reach such a point if they aren’t religious, but it is immensely more difficult to do so, especially in today’s day and age.

[@Lonovavir]

The 20th century proved the alternatives (typically Communism and Fascism) are worse than officially recognized religions.

[@phil3751]

The biggest thing for me is Near death experiences. Even from a purely material perspective the fact your brain chooses to flood you with religious iconography as your brain literally shuts down and it does this even for many atheists makes me think its ingrained in our psyche to a ridiculous extent

[@sethd.8381]

15:15 "When I see people hate on religion...this is really the reason. They don't want to be held to moral standards." As someone who used to do street apologetics, I can attest to this. Talk to anyone who has been trying to convert atheists/irreligious people for a long time and they will tell you this.

[@feliz2564]

Even in the Internet I've seen this in less time. I've also seen them be against religion for traumatic reasons. Like they'll have a negative experience in their youth with either one or multiple members of religion and then use it make a generalization of the entire religion being the bad.

[@sethd.8381]

@@feliz2564 you're right. I know people who had a bad time in a Baptist church and write off all Christians even though they wouldn't be able to tell you the difference between a Papist and a Calvinist.

[@christiangonzalez6945]

O yeah classic. We atheist we don't believe in god because if we start believing in it, I will start feeling sad for all those kids that I breakfast. Imagine if every night that I go outside to see what evil I can commit I had tondeal with God, what would happen if I had to deal with it when I go in my murderous nocturnal spree. 90% of people believe in god, what a paradise the world must be with all these people having all these high morals knowing exactly what not do do and doing it. I mean not doing it.

[@sethd.8381]

@@christiangonzalez6945never said that all atheists were evil, just that they don't want to be held to a standard other than their own. and i agree that people shouldn't stand on religious principles if they don't live by them.

[@axdillingham6658]

People don't respond well to street apologists because they don't like being bothered by random, loud strangers while going about their daily business....

[@amerigo88]

The Supreme Being(s) of each religion serve as a Supreme Judge/Parent/Fill in the Blank. Money was changed at temples so that the Supreme Being was a witness to every transaction. We still see this in societies where an oath of office, the currency, the social contracts, etc includes reference to the SB. I'm an Orthodox Christian, but have long understood the strength provided to a society by the level of belief in the SB.

[@LukeLongboneOfficial]

Freemasonry is kinda weird though, isn’t it?

[@alexthehopeless3778]

Operation Prophet of Profit 🤯

[@amerigo88]

I'm going to add that my best friend was at Stage 4 with an extremely rare cancer in early 2023 with his oncologist anticipating no more than perhaps two years to live. I have daily prayed the Akathist to the Pantanassa ("Queen of All") since learning of his cancer. A year later he was re-staged at M. D. Anderson in Houston (perhaps the best cancer treatment center in the world) at Stage 1 - a miraculous outcome. My faith was greatly deepened while serving in combat in the Middle East. God in his three persons truly makes life worth living.

[@Kaede-Sasaki]

SB sounds like an insult, like something you shout at someone cut you off in traffic 🤬

[@theuglykwan]

Would be funny to see currency exchanges being located in churches again!

[@marcmanolache2106]

18:51 I’m a Romanian. Vlad the Impaler is a national hero. The state does not run the Orthodox Church, this is pure ignorance. Orthodoxy believes in “Symphonia” of Church & State. That means Church & State cooperate together for the good of the realm without encroaching on each other’s roles. That’s why we have a double-headed eagle. One head symbolizes the State and the other the Church. That’s why St. Basil confronted Ivan the Terrible during Great Lent and threw meat at him (essentially saying he shouldn’t fast because he’s not Christian). Another time, St. Basil poured out the drinks Ivan offered him and said he was putting out a fire in Novgorod (thereby condemning Ivan’s massacre). There are many other examples of saints and patriarchs challenging emperors. But if you want to understand why Orthodox rulers appear to be brutal, you must understand their situation. They were stuck in the middle of the map, surrounded by powerful enemies, and with terrible defensive geography. Orthodox lands were constantly subjected to raids, conquests, and enslavement by foreign powers-whether it be the Mongols, Turks, Tatars, Poles, Lithuanians, Hungarians, Austrians, etc. EDIT: I would add that in Britain and Scandinavia, the king is literally the head of the Church. If you want to talk about a state-run Church, it’s that!

[@ImTitan16]

I feel like everyone sort of worships something. Alot of aithests tend to be obsessed with something else. Some worship celebes, money, poltics, etc

[@ThaFashionAssassin]

Every man serves something

[@dimensionninja4929]

this is so true, it's part of humanity to worship something, whether they realize it or not.

[@christiangonzalez6945]

Question what is the percentage of politicians in USA that believe in god? How many of these were in epstein Island? Yeah worshiping power is a truth only the atheist have right... Last time I check 90% of USA is Christian. Yeah all those people not worshiping celebs money and power must have made USA the paradise on earth it is today right.

[@willhurst]

They tend to worship ideologies, which is just another construct of belief and values.

[@yesyesyesyes1600]

Yeah, right we are all religious. Lemmings of some sort. Funny that I hear that argument all the time of religious people. So now here for you - just because I believe in me, myself, my family and my work that I do does NOT mean I am religious. Just because I can stare in awe at the night sky and admire all the stars does NOT mean I believe in a higher fairy tale being. When do you religious people finally understand that?

[@StudSupreme]

All cultures - even at the tribal level - seek a deeper understanding of Life and yearn to understand the meaning of it all & where they fit into the 'grand scheme.' It unifies them and helps give them purpose to push thru their travails. 'Modern' westerners flatter themselves that they are above and beyond religion. This is risible. Wokeism/progressivism/social marxism IS a religion, just as much as Fascism, Naziism and Communism have been. The primary differences between 'conventional' religions such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc...and the 'modern secular' faiths are: (1) Wokeists/Progressives/Social Marxists believe they can award themselves virtue without having to sacrifice anything - they just need to cling to Progressive scripture; and (2) Wokeists/Progressives/etc believe they are ABOVE the base considerations such as Sin or Rule of Law because their assumed intellectual and moral superiority elevates them above such 'petty' considerations, as everything they think, do and say must either be inherently good or is a thing that they have earned because of their superiority to 'mere mortals.' It is a subconscious assumption of the Godhead.

[@EdiTheDon]

Which is why even if they won, they would very quickly self-destruct as the human heart's capacity for evil would assert itself even stronger. They would be like sith who gain power only to use it to destroy themselves. The real problem is what happens afterward. Once they realize their wokeism is a lie, they will be empty and easily cajoled to true totalitarianism under a fascist world leader.

[@YB_1001]

The evolutionary explanation is that societies that did not develop religions got outcompeted/destroyed by ones that did.

[@harsha6937]

No I think he means in a way where the society itself was not good All societies were temporary back in the day Most of them were destroyed and replaced

[@panagioti6371]

Maybe, but is believing a lie for the greater good of society better than knowing the truth and descending to hedonism? Maybe

[@Fx_-]

@@harsha6937they are temporary now as well. And they get destroyed and transmuted as we speak. Nothing will be conserved as it once was.

[@harsha6937]

@@Fx_- yes I agree But that does not refute what the video and I are trying to say

[@Fx_-]

@@harsha6937 oh ok I just thought you thought societies are not temporary now.

[@calebbaeten3610]

It's ironic amongst the atheistic worldview that perceived self worth is primary, while failing to recognize that self worth comes from the Christian ideal that human life is inherently worthwhile due to our bearing the image of God.

[@christiangonzalez6945]

Why do you people think that god has a monopoly in "life value" I do not believe in god. I must be murderer that doesn't value life, every day, I must put a baby in a blender, just because I don't believe in god.... I can't with you. Really... it's sad to see what you believers believe of others.

[@threesixnine369six]

Are you limited to thinking from a Christian angle? Do you really think that human mandated self worth or divinely inspired self worth are concepts that did not exist before Christianity?

[@lcrowe2011]

There is no atheistic world view. Atheism isn't an institution. I am a loving breathing conscious person who doesn't want to be murdered or subjugated against my will. I reason that any other person would reason the same. That's it. That's my whole morality.

[@tanalincia6314]

Ah typical christians. Always trying to take credit for things they have no place in.

[@sofiabravo1994]

@@lcrowe2011where does your conscious come from?

[@carlyellison8498]

The First Holy Apostolic Church of Climate Alarmism.

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

And Latter-day Woke Nihilism

[@eetutiiro4808]

the two sequels to 'the chuch of communism'

[@IbnRushd-mv3fp]

You seem to the grand wizard of non-self aware neoliberalism

[@CrystaTiBoha]

Personal review: It is mind-blowing how supremely practical Buddhism and religious yoga is in today's world. Shake off addictions by learning to tolerate difficult feelings, eliminate anxieties by learning to control thinking and focusing on the other, crank up beauty of everything 10x and learn to feel (self-generated) love, always.

[@MsBhappy]

Yes however Buddhist texts include misogyny and the concept of rebirth is wacky. That's why I like New Thought concepts that combine elements of religions to be stoic and spiritual but not religious.

[@danielhaven]

You can’t expect discipline from the undisciplined. Birth rates plummet in irreligious societies because it’s tedious to go through the process of courtship and child birth. Having quick flings is more pleasurable. And while 20-30 year olds are at the height of their fertility, they’re also at the height of their passions. Corralling those passions towards the relatively sterile process of traditional courtship requires years of conditioning. Who provides that conditioning? Well, it’s certainly not secular humanist institutions.

[@outerlast]

not only tedious, it's also expensive to have children in those countries, whether religious or irreligious. it's one of the old memes, where smart and responsible people have lesser and lesser children, while stupid and irresponsible people have more and more children. thus our future is idiocracy :p

[@theuglykwan]

You might notice that there are religious societies that ceased to be as well as they didn't bother with procreation. Those just removed themselves from religions that still exist. However, a celibate religious minority of people still exist.

[@jeanniemaycrawford4466]

Have seen how expensive its to raise a child? Do you know how much of the population is in debt?

[@B-cl5oz]

This guy never misses. I’ve never thought about this but now that he brought the topic up I wondered and delivered. I love this dude.

[@emanekaf145]

Cool, never been this early to a Whatifalthist video before. Even got the 100th like! Rudyard is someone I'd love to talk to at some point. He's one of the people who, even when I disagree with him, I know why and how, and I value that way more than agreement. Being able to disagree honestly is as great as being able to agree honestly. His biases can cause him to reach sometimes, but even so, his ideas are interesting to consider. He's among the few people who can talk about almost anything and I'm inclined to listen and engage with it, no matter how mundane or eccentric.

[@beckettshort]

Yeah, same. I like this channel in part *because* it's a bit more on, say the right-wing side of thinking while I don't have the same background -- and it brings up interesting theories & frameworks without being self-conscious about being "correct" or too mundane/theoretical. To me, who is more in the left bucket in terms of my worldview and the content and media I consume, it's been really fun to explore ideas without them being sterilized or diluted or too self-conscious and performative at times (which over time just makes stuff less interesting or different or fun to engage with). You can also kind of tell his vibes are generally good and well-meaning, which helps someone feel challenged without feeling attacked. I think Rud does a good job at providing a, heh, "safe space" for this kind of stuff. There's an earnest curiosity, the right amount of topic-fearlessness (that stems from said curiosity), and a good tone overall that, because a lot of videos involve bigger things like belief systems and history rather than just hot takes about the "libs" or "trumpers" or w/e, frames people's political or cultural differences in a way that to me comes off as pretty respectful. I also truly believe understanding history and being curious about it helps you see people in more human, relatable ways. We're all shaped by this stuff.

[@ArchitectStrange]

Tumbling further and further down the rabbit hole with Rudyard and friends. lol

[@WhatifAltHist]

New name of the show lol

[@ArchitectStrange]

​@@WhatifAltHistYou and Think Before You Sleep have taught me so much over the years.

[@WhatifAltHist]

@@ArchitectStrangeawww.:: thanks 😊

[@Abs0luteCha0s]

@@WhatifAltHistcan’t wait to see the leftoids try to tear you down for this video.

[@Trench216]

Your analysis is incomplete, those societies were all primitive by our standards. Modernity isn't something you can just ignore, it affects everything about our psychology. 200 years ago we had not even discovered the Periodic Table of Elements, now we MAKE elements in nuclear reactors. Nobody believes that diseases are divine curses anymore, they're caused by bacteria and stuff and you go see a doctor. Don't get lost dealing with the extremists on both sides on the internet, they don't represent the Silent Majority who just want to be left alone. Moderns simply will not buy into religion in any great numbers, and any attempt to impose it on them by force will be met with incredulity at first (we didn't think they were really going to do that we just wanted the leftoids gone) and then rebellion when they realize you're serious about this and you're not going to stop. Modernity is a state change, like ice melting into water. What worked to hold together primitive societies will NOT hold together a machine civilization with a scientific world view. Nietzsche called this the Death of God, and the only way through it is to become transvaluers of all values. To celebrate the exaltation of life rather than the exaltation of suffering, and to accept every instinct or lust as organic and therefore valid, therefore beyond the scope of moral condemnation. Which is what Moderns do anyway. Trying to bring back religion now is like trying to bring back the horse and buggy, it's a fool's errand and it just ain't happening. Become instead a bridge to the Overman. Celebrate vital existence instead of stagnation and death as the Last Men and Undermen do. kzbin.info/www/bejne/epLTf32FjaeraK8si=jrnFKx4Hey3oU5UW@@WhatifAltHist

[@Mcfunface]

Mormons full well know the value of religion in their society, building strong communities with high social trust and larger families while maintaining protestant work ethic.

[@bickyboo7789]

Need me a Mormon wifey fr fr

[@jpeg-n3e]

And incest

[@enoughothis]

​@@jpeg-n3e, No

[@Hans_Peterson]

⁠@@jpeg-n3eMormons don’t do incest

[@tonkashouse]

I was born and raised in a multi-generational mormon family. I left Mormonism 30 years ago. Now I'm watching it focus on tax shelters (empty temples) and legal means of gaining profits, while at the same time being surprised that their congregations are shrinking.

[@mikea.6121]

When I was a kid I had the simple thought, “If religion is at all important, it is all-important.” If God exists, that HAS TO BE the biggest thing in your life. Decades later, that still seems inescapably true.

[@viktorvaughn1079]

Definitely. God exists or not should be the most important question to us.

[@loganleatherman7647]

“If religion is at all important, it is all-important.” This is a non sequitur. And on top of that, would you say the same about all the religions you just so happen to not believe in? There are a lot more religions that have existed throughout human history than the relatively small handful that pedestalize an ancient desert god

[@EclecticCircleOfMagic]

@@viktorvaughn1079 Why the christian deity?

[@viktorvaughn1079]

@@EclecticCircleOfMagic it doesn't have to be. Iam not a Christian but I do believe in a god I think all religions are inspired by God and are different paths to form a relationship with God.

[@bug______]

Congratulations you've been brainwashed

[@coopernoble6139]

I have been an athiest since I was about 13, but now that I am 25 and the world is the way it is, I am seriously considering going back to church. Maybe Christ can help me find my way in this confusing world. At the very least, I’ll have a better sense of community by surrounding myself with loving and hopeful people.

[@colinbielat8558]

If I might make a suggestion, before going to church, you should spend some time in an adoration chapel. It will be beneficial as the peace and quiet in an adoration chapel is liberating, you can feel something about that simple room and hopefully you can feel peace in it being able to shut off your mind and feel the presence of God with no judgement from others. I know that is how I returned back to my relationship with the church as it was at my lowest I went into an adoration chapel and just sat there and I felt an intense calm come over me and I felt as if everything will be okay, so I started going more and actually praying and I felt better than I ever did, and it eventually lead me back to the church. I think it will help make it not just a passing thing but a permanent change in your life.

[@saracen8441]

I did the same thing a few years ago. I was also an atheist since middle school and was reached out to by campus ministry students and slowly became integrated with them. It won't be easy, especially making the initial step of walking in the doors, but I promise you that just going in the door will be one of the best decisions you make in your life. If you decide to stay and to follow God it will give you purpose to work towards, standards to live by, and a community actively willing to help you and stand by you in the hardest times. And if that doesn't convince you, most of them have live music every week.

[@KevvoLightswift]

Despite what the church may have done to you in the past (which they must own up to, and will be held accountable for), it is a beautiful thing to be part of those whose focus is other-centered.

[@coopernoble6139]

@@colinbielat8558 Thank you! I will deeply consider doing that. I welcome all your suggestions and ideas, and thank the other people who have blessed me with their comments and by taking time out of their day to lend some insight or kindness!

[@madmanvarietyshow9605]

​@coopernoble6139 sending you all the love I can brother! Just remember this: if you seek God he'll find you ❤

[@willieboip]

Accepting that Christ is King is a choice of salvation, not of fact. The natural urge to seek out that truth is built into human existence

[@monkeyladder]

Now these are the type of videos you should be making. Important, interesting concepts. Keep up the good work. I've been following since the alt history days when you had less than a hundred thousand subs. I'm thrilled at how much you've grown.

[@cameroonkendrick6312]

It’s sad to see the modern countries going gray as culture and religion disappears, thanks for bringing spotlight.

[@georgeangelopoulos8139]

"Everything beautiful stems from being a mirror to the soul of the world" This is amazing mate!

[@madmanvarietyshow9605]

I rededicated my life to Christ and got baptized this past year and I can't tell you how incredible it's been. My love for God and my faith continues to grow on a daily basis. The horrid person I was a year ago was a darkened, shriveled, worthless man and now I walk boldly in the light. Thanks to Rudyard here, my wife, and our Pastor I'm once again on the path God has set for me. If I could give to all of you here in these comments just a fraction of the joy and love I feel it would change your lives as it has mine. God be with you all I love you all. Especially you reading this ❤ and Christ does too!

[@loganleatherman7647]

“The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality of happiness, and by no means a necessity of life.” - George Bernard Shaw, Androcles and the Lion

[@noxplay4906]

@@loganleatherman7647 ​ If it made him a more disciplined and ethical person who gives a flying fuck lol. We're all fucking guessing when it comes to life. If the guess leads to more self-discipline and higher standards for love and compassion and decency, again, who the fuck cares? We're all gonna die someday and your intellectual snobbery won't mean shit. You'll end up as worm food like the rest of us

[@ZK01123]

Hope you enjoy worshipping a being who commands the violent murder of babies, the death of pregnant women, and the rape of women and young girls. You may be happy but honestly you are simply living a delusion. But at least it shows you can't be trusted with any serious intellectual matters or anything of consequence.

[@Erik_Ochoa013]

⁠​⁠@@loganleatherman7647You’re quite the life of the party man.

[@unbuggable5943]

When this all goes Mad Max, I hope you're my Warlord's magister.

[@danshakuimo]

The Pope when Western Rome fell be like: "Look at me, I am the warlord now!" And founds the Papal States

[@faty679]

Man I hope people realise how good religion is instead of turning it away in todays society

[@saladin3273]

Usually after a traumatic event when the wealth is taken away.

[@avroarchitect1793]

@@saladin3273 Its why I fully expect a war between east and west in the next century, the strange thing this time is that both sides are falling to atheism and nhilism, Russia and China have higher rates of atheism and nhilism than the US, but are close to Europe in that measure. Both sides are slowly gearing up for the fight of the century. I hope its the West that is victorious due to the Christian moral codes and values, and the better human rights record. However both sides are going to burn away their treasure troves in it. God Help Us All.

[@avroarchitect1793]

@@sub.sa.3058 not sure if it will be a "World" war but its going to be big. Its a matter of when not if.

[@saladin3273]

@@avroarchitect1793 " the West better human rights code". The jokes practically write themselves at this point.

[@saladin3273]

@@avroarchitect1793 that's funny. History disagrees with your assumption about Western moral superiority. The crimes of the West are so heinous that I can't write them without being censored by KZbin.

[@xtr.7662]

Its simple actually just uniting people under a single idea or a group of them for better harmony

[@metronome8471]

Harmony indeed

[@darky1595]

10:10 Everything you said is wrong here. From what you said about the Mu’tazila to what you said about homosexuality and female empowerment during that era. How many female actually ruled in the Muslim World during that time?!

[@charongold6532]

I trully dig your channel my main man. You just dare to actually talk about history and reallities that effects us.. I find myself disaggreeing with alot of your points but do agree on many more... your videos are fantastic to actually start healthy debates and to get people to think about society and our role in it... about true big pictures at play here. Keep up the good work and God Bless. 🙂

[@Pabloignacioalvarez]

Christ is King ✝️

[@MajorJakas]

Amen

[@Grittlebone]

Amen

[@anshupandit4490]

Spam

[@saladin3273]

​@@Grittleboneantisemite.

[@lechad8686]

Mexican spam LOL. Go do some work, Pablo.

[@LukeLongboneOfficial]

Watching @WhatifAltHist mature as a person and increase his knowledge (especially after dropping college) over the last 4-5 years has been a blessing.

[@Johnnyynf]

When you mentioned Confucianism as a religion it kinda weird me out. I'm Taiwanese gen Z, and we are taught some Confucius stuff in class (although I'm not particularly good at it). In my mind, it's always a very secular code of conduct and philosophy type of thing. Of courses the Confucius are heavy on rituals and ceremonies which is probably a good hint but still. For those wondering, the part we get in touch with Confucius stuff is our "Chinese" lessons. In which we have to read and learn classic chinese text like some Confucius and from others.

[@LukeLongboneOfficial]

I’ve never been to your country. But if you look at what is acceptable as normal, good behavior throughout your society then you’ll find some insight into how Confucius stuff has shaped the preconceived notion of good and evil, sacred and profane, etc in your society. It might be below the surface level, but it’s there. Good luck in your studies.

[@NickHeathcliff]

God bless Taiwan

[@KaiHung-wv3ul]

@@LukeLongboneOfficial I'm also Taiwanese, and when you look at it from a certain perspective, it's indeed a religion. People say that Chinese religions were able to coexist despite being different religions, and while that's true to some extent, Taoism and Confuscianism, while providing different moral codes for society, their spiritual aspects are based on the same traditional Chinese folk beliefs. The only exception is Buddhism, but it was also heavily altered and molded to "fit in" with the rest of Chinese religion. So very different from Abrahamic religions and might be why it's kind of hard to explain Chinese religion using a western lens, or at least that's my two cents on the subject.

[@Glawackus-1600]

@@KaiHung-wv3ul Different religions are built based on different societal standards and unique beliefs and interpretations.

[@KaiHung-wv3ul]

@@Glawackus-1600 Yep.

[@phil3751]

The biggest thing for me is Near death experiences. Even from a purely material perspective the fact your brain chooses to flood you with religious iconography as your brain literally shuts down and it does this even for many atheists makes me think its ingrained in our psyche to a ridiculous extent

[@Bashbekersjiw]

Is called fear

[@phil3751]

@@Bashbekersjiw people tend to have nightmares corresponding with stuff like Cancer, and other life threatening ailments before they are even discovered. It's you're body warning you that things aren't right. The body wants to build fear when you are in danger. The fact this isn't the case for NDEs is quite strange Also we know people have religious visions when they don't even realize they are dying, there is literally zero fear but their body chooses to give them these visions

[@phil3751]

@@Bashbekersjiw it's not even fear, since we know people have near death experiences of afterlife's and spriits when they don't even know their dying. So like dreams when you have undiagnosed cancer, it could be scripted by your body to have these religious visions. Which is weird because their is no evolutionary reason for that. When you're dead you're dead, there's pretty much zero chance of living to procreate afterwards, so just like Salmon turning into zombies after mating, there is no evolutionary script anymore

[@Bashbekersjiw]

@@phil3751 that are not.correlated tò zombie.god

[@nanoverb]

Wow! Maybe the best video I have ever watched on KZbin. I have been thinking about many of the same concepts. But Rudyard frames it in a way that I can now explore and research each of the concepts separately. That’s a great teacher who can inspire you to go learn on your own.

[@tomhancock8184]

Wonderful! Often people fail to see the value of a faith due to the obscuring details of religious practice. I'm an atheist that recognizes the positive role faith plays in a healthy society. Thank you for the fine video.

[@silentnight3192]

In Ancient Greece if you were homosexual, you had a duty to make a family before you engaged freely in your homosexuality. I think that applied to both men and women.

[@javindhillon6294]

kinda based ngl

[@HuWhiteDeath]

I think distinguishing religiosity and religion is important. Religiosity is certain human behaviors, a mindset, that drives humans to be life-affirming, and these traits are universal biological and psychological traits than can be harnessed under the guise of any religion, or even without a religion if you know what they are. Merely just a religion is something you can profess to adhere to but can follow without being religious, which is why so many people claim they follow a RELIGION but aren't really RELIGIOUS. As for what constitutes religiosity I think is: - Belief in eternity or infinity. - Wanting to continue the unbroken family tree into infinity, that also stretches back into infinity. - Appreciating and wanting to create beauty for beauty's sake. - That making sacrifices in any way is in and of itself a good. - That things often are as simple as divided dualistically, i.e. "uncomplicated" morality, such as good vs. bad, ugly vs. beautiful, good vs. evil, superior vs. inferior, light vs. dark, masculine vs. feminine etc. - That things will ultimately be fine/OK.

[@dthendrick1]

Go on Tim Pools podcast. You were mentioned by his producer a few weeks ago, and they entertained having you on.

[@daniellogan-scott5968]

When Voltaire wrote, "If God did not exists we would have to invent Him" his meaning in context is that humans need to acknowledge a power greater than ourselves or we will succumb to hubris and suffer the destruction that follows.

[@Mr3DLC]

Humans need their gods

[@Pattern_Noticer]

Something about pride coming before the fall. Like humans have been warned since time immemorial. Forgive those who are only now realizing, I'm sure most of us didn't start out on the dissident right.

[@daniellogan-scott5968]

@@Pattern_Noticer It's framed as a prophecy but can be seen as an observation on the collapse of civilization. This is from Hesiod's book "Works and Days" (c.700 BC). (ll. 170-201) Thereafter, would that I were not among the men of the fifth generation, but either had died before or been born afterwards. For now truly is a race of iron, and men never rest from labour and sorrow by day, and from perishing by night; and the gods shall lay sore trouble upon them. But, notwithstanding, even these shall have some good mingled with their evils. And Zeus will destroy this race of mortal men also when they come to have grey hair on the temples at their birth. The father will not agree with his children, nor the children with their father, nor guest with his host, nor comrade with comrade; nor will brother be dear to brother as aforetime. Men will dishonour their parents as they grow quickly old, and will carp at them, chiding them with bitter words, hard-hearted they, not knowing the fear of the gods. They will not repay their aged parents the cost their nurture, for might shall be their right: and one man will sack another's city. There will be no favour for the man who keeps his oath or for the just or for the good; but rather men will praise the evil-doer and his violent dealing. Strength will be right and reverence will cease to be; and the wicked will hurt the worthy man, speaking false words against him, and will swear an oath upon them. Envy, foul-mouthed, delighting in evil, with scowling face, will go along with wretched men one and all. And then Aidos and Nemesis, with their sweet forms wrapped in white robes, will go from the wide-pathed earth and forsake mankind to join the company of the deathless gods: and bitter sorrows will be left for mortal men, and there will be no help against evil. For me, the key is Aidos and Nemesis. Aidos is the goddess of shame, modesty, respect, and humility. Nemesis is the goddesss of Divine Retribution who punishes hubris. It seems that Hesiod is saying that Aidos, shame, or the self-regulation of behaviour, will be gone from society and without Nemesis there will be no consequences for evil. It seems to fit our shameless and arrogant age where people long for justice against the arrogant.

[@noxplay4906]

@@Mr3DLC That includes you. I hope your God is a good one, and not a foul one. People choose to believe in lots of foul deities nowadays, like fame and social media clout

[@augustuss2927]

16:00 You can't compare time periods which have 10x difference in human population size and claim that one or the other is more bloodthirsty. If you wanna do this accurately you gotta check the relative death / population ratio to make a fair comparison. However, I'd argue also that religion or not religion is never the root cause really, but just symptomatic of our underlying nature and the principle of entropy of systems establishing order only to fall apart again. Energy comes in waves, just as you on a daily basis go from tired to awake and concentrated back to falling asleep so do empires and civilizations.

[@bismanaufa5618]

This spoke the unspoken out of my mind. What I was thinking, that humanity needs religion to be propelled, to grow, to develop. That religion is the only thing that kept the most of humanity to be kind, and have a good morality.

[@xXEGPXx]

Thoughts are not truths, I have many thoughts, that does not make them true. Perhaps have some humility and consider the same for yourself

[@bismanaufa5618]

​​@@xXEGPXx well I did say that it's only my opinion, my thought

[@marcusaustralius2416]

You know, this kinda fits with me At first when I had a "come to Jesus" moment, I went to church, prayed etc, but it was hard to keep up, hard to continue because the atheistic, rational part of me told me it was horseshit regardless of experience I tried justifying it all away, then became more right wing in response to mass immigration, the way that the gay community I was ambivalent towards began acting to those who said anything even slightly off the party line I started seeing religion as a fundamental part of how strong societies have always acted, be it in history or in fantasy, and realised that clearly there is something to religion, and came back after a few months Plus, the science backs it up, both in quantum physics and in the social sciences Societies fall apart without a backbone, no atheistic society has ever survived Plus, in quantum physics, we can prove that particles only exist if they're observed, who was observing the universe before life evolved?

[@Aquamayne100]

Quantum physics and religion is an interesting correlation

[@marcusaustralius2416]

@Aquamayne100 science is but a means for us to understand the nature of the universe the Lord made for us, while religion is the pursuit of fulfilment, meaning and a moral life in said universe They can and have coexisted, and the more I study the sciences, the more I am awestruck by the violence and beauty of our world

[@Aquamayne100]

@@marcusaustralius2416 well put, I agree.

[@darksu6947]

​@@Aquamayne100Nothing good will come from us understanding Quantum physics. Look at what happened when we figured out what an atom is, what it does, and how to harness it's energy. What do you think is going to happen when we start playing around with the very building blocks of matter. Nothing good, nothing good at all.

[@kena90]

Bro makes the driest videos, yet they’re more captivating than anything else out there.

[@MythwrightWorkshop]

that's what she said

[@TheSkyGuy77]

You're a fool

[@kobeh6185]

A JP quote comes to mind when he was asked if he believed if Jesus was really resurrected. He answered "I act as if I do" and that's a pretty good answer. I'm not religious nor do I believe in a literal god. You could describe me as an atheist. But i do believe that religion has a social utility. Acting as if there is a God even if you do not necessarily believe there is one is, in short, being principled. Our society is suffering from a lack of principles and the sense of cultural identity that comes from collectively adhering to and knowing those principles. One does not have to believe in a literal God to understand that there is something more intrinsic to how the world works that is beyond a materialistic worldview. Economics and possession only get us so far. Anyone who studies history would know. We may think that WW1 and 2 were because of material resources, or because of political interests, but really, something seep within human psychology has a LOT to do with those conflicts and the many before and after. I may not believe God exists, but the intrinsic patterns and motives that we are motivated by, are deep inside that brain of ours, and while I don't think it's a God, it may as well be. Our behavior, while individual, is predictable. Our lives, while individual, are predictable. Even our internal feelings we refuse to share with anyone else, are predictable. In short, materialism and the belief that human behavior is driven by material only, is absolutely catastrophic and yet a great many people operate under that fallacy.

[@godpilled9077]

He isn't saved then, to be saved you have to believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose again.

[@patrickcrain6390]

If you keep telling the truth, you’re going to be a target. Godspeed my friend.

[@MythwrightWorkshop]

"Books are more than mere books. They are the life of life. They explore and expose the very heart and core of ages past, the reasons why men worked and died, and they reveal the essence and quintessence of their lives." Marcus Tullius Cicero

[@wyattterrell]

fundamentally, even modern humans with all our newfound knowledge compared to our forefathers, today we understand science to be the reason how, God or a creator of some kind yet unknown to us is the reason WHY.

[@MyGamerforlife]

You don’t know how badly I needed this man. I’ve been struggling with thoughts of mortality and what lies beyond for weeks now to the point it’s been affecting my sleep. I needed you today man, and you delivered.

[@stillvillian]

I won't scare you; I just want to give you the truth found within myself. You don't need an afterlife to be content with existence. You genuinely don't know what happens regardless of what anyone tells you because it's impossible to understand; however, there is nothing to fear. You will live your life, and when it's done, you can rest. I don't believe in an afterlife. I would like there to be something, but if it's truly nothing, then that's okay because I can finally have peace. It sounds terrible, but nothing is nothing, not blackness just nothing so you won't have to worry about anything. Give yourself meaning while you can, and don't give it to anyone out of fear. Is it better to live your entire life looking for peace after death or live in peace while you can? Death doesn't matter because it's the only thing we don't have control over so only worry about what you can control and when it happens it happens but you'll live the life you wanted to live.

[@darksu6947]

​@@stillvillianGoing into the great black nothingness is absolutely terrifying. The closest thing I've heard to compare it to is what it was like before we were born. It's coming for us and there's no stopping it but that just makes it all the more terrifying for me.

[@tuber420]

@@stillvillian You're nihilist you're just coping my guy

[@stillvillian]

@@tuber420 Then you don't know the detention of nihilists.

[@psychologymajorptsd62]

We’ve always needed God. The only difference is how much we need Him.

[@telejoymusic]

I've been following your thought-provoking content on philosophical ideas for quite some time now and have found your insights truly inspiring. Your ability to delve into complex topics with clarity and depth is truly commendable. I wanted to reach out to you to suggest a topic that I believe would be of great interest to your audience - Luminialism. It's a philosophical concept that explores the nature of enlightenment, reason, and skepticism, offering a fresh perspective on these timeless questions. I believe your unique approach to discussing philosophical ideas would lend itself well to exploring Luminialism in one of your videos. Your ability to break down complex concepts and make them accessible to a wide audience would undoubtedly spark meaningful discussions and encourage viewers to think critically about the world around them. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic and whether you'd be interested in exploring it further in one of your upcoming videos. Keep up the fantastic work, and I look forward to seeing more thought-provoking content from you in the future

[@Bacon_Is_Medicine]

That is indeed why people hate on religion. They don't want to be held to moral standards. They want to be their own god.

[@BouncingHen8756]

Clicked on this only a few seconds after getting the notification!

[@redwolf915]

Get a job

[@BouncingHen8756]

Bro, I don't work. In college and had already worked on homework

[@pgbrofficialyoutube349]

@@redwolf915 Not everyone is working age yet Mr alpha grindset

[@redwolf915]

@@pgbrofficialyoutube349 kids shouldn't be on social media

[@pgbrofficialyoutube349]

@@redwolf915 In a perfect world

[@joryiansmith]

"The Jews spawned on one of the worst spawn points on the map period." - Rudyard "To grow you must suffer. To succeed you must fail." - David Goggins

[@wrath908]

I always love a good Goggins quote.

[@laststand6420]

They didn't start there, God led them there. God's power is demonstrated in that Israel has existed for 3000 years on a strip of land that seems to change ownership every other decade.

[@edjeon]

23:35 Very true. As an urban dwelling second language English speaker, I'd say I am quite comfortable in communicating and expressing abstract ideas in English. The other day, though, I decided to read the Lord of the Rings and was surprised at how difficult it was for me to visualize the vast descriptions of the landscape and nature. I had heard about valleys, banks - words related to natural formations, and there were also other words that I had never known where topographic like dell, ford, etc. The thing is, I had never seen all those things in real life - the words were mere abstract concepts for me.

[@andrewvazquez9557]

Christ is King!! Thanks for your video man, it's always a boost for my week when you release one.

[@noxplay4906]

I don't really believe in one religion fully but I believe in God and the idea of something higher with all my heart, and I think religion gets a really bad rap in modern society. Religion has been carrying society's moral standards for thousands of years, and whoopty-doo, now that we're forcibly getting rid of it, now we start to see adverse effects on society. What do you know?

[@TheGreenKnight500]

I understand where you're coming from. Spirituality feels vital to you, but you're not really sure if any particular religion is a good fit for you. I've been there before. My advice is to start a daily practice of meditation and/or prayer. Meanwhile, start researching different religious practices and concepts. You might eventually find a path that really calls to you. Or, you might have a personal experience that really enriches your life.

[@aquila4228]

It’s not religion exactly that moves society and gives it deeper meaning, but the sense that there is something higher that the materialist logic. Comparing Christianity and totalitarianism just to justify that Christianity is better because it killed less millions is not exactly what we should hold as a good example. I do admit that the great good that came from abrahamic religions is the sense of self and the importance of the individual in opposition to the tribal and collective mindset that came before. But we should strive for a deeper propose in society that is, at the same time, a drive for deeper meaning and collective worth and is also not destructive and repressing against parts or the entirety of that society.

[@noxplay4906]

I agree but this does seem a bit idealistic. Also, isn't it theoretically impossible to create a religion that doesn't piss anyone off? You can't please everybody

[@noxplay4906]

I guess it wouldn't hurt to try to reform the current religions to fit what we know now in the modern world

[@aquila4228]

@@noxplay4906there is, as I believe, ample space in today’s society for a great spiritual awakening by the hands of a completely new set of spiritual ideas. We still do, to this day, work inside a very old and archaic set of religious structures that were set in antiquity and in medieval times. There is ample human knowledge that was never yet taken into account in formulating new religious structures. A new system that acknowledges a higher power, deeper truths, the importance of the individual and the inherently beauty of human consciousness and its boundless capabilities could potentially change everything

[@kylehart643]

Also not sure if killing is the correct metric, but who was being killed. If a religious state wars with a slave trading secular society, is that the same as a secular society incinerating the non-combative population? Not saying all deaths were x or y, just making the point the type of killing might be a major factor of comparison

[@Bronze-AgeSigma]

Where one finds a temple - one finds civilization. - Joseph deMaistre. From the Cahokian mounds tof Mississippi valley to Ziggurats in Eridu. This serves the human element of life - the emotional, psychological, and spiritual life of humans. This also goes hand in hand with cultural development until the civilizations dying phase when new alternatives develop which reject tradition and society and lead to “some other degenerate set of theories on existence.”

[@hardwing]

Another amazing video! I think we see every day around us, how the very definition of truth comes under attack without a foundation to base it on.

[@soroushal1921]

I have to say that one biiiig part of societies' decay is about inequality. As time goes on, people become richer, and inequality rises. People want to keep their quality of life so they actively choose to have fewer children. If a society doesn't find a way to distribute wealth in a way that the poorest would have a way to become rich, it is bound to become decadent. I keep looking at Norway and how, even though it is not a religious country and it is very rich, its population has been rising steadily from 1960s till now. It goes against all popular opinions. Go Norway!

[@Brosowski]

I have honestly been getting more and more harsh against Atheism partially due to how important Religion is to society, even if it isn't true. Now, I am not saying we should just believe something because it isn't true, but when something works/exists for all of human history, it probably isn't a bug, it's a feature.

[@MagicSpud]

Babe wake up, new Whatifalthist mindf*** just dropped!

[@alphafox400]

I agree with the basic thesis that there is a strong correlation between spirituality and civilization. I suggest, however, that the key is that people aspire to Godliness according to divine standards. Being religious is not enough. You argue that “agnostic” societies have been the worst, but many of the worst societies were evil, not merely irreligious or agnostic. The nazis comprised a nihilistic, gnostic cult that aspired to bring down a higher god to defeat the God of this world. They believed that this could be accomplished by murdering a sufficiently large number of people to liberate a critical mass of life force (souls). Similarly, many members of the contemporary power elite are attracted to pagan and satanic practices. A spiritual war has persisted for millennia. One can argue that once people lose their religious/moral compass, the ensuing spiritual void tends to be occupied by an evil inclination instead.

[@Tehz1359]

Religion is how humanity has made sense of reality through our entire history. Religion is deeply tied with the broader concept of culture. You can argue that you can't really separate or differentiate them at all. While I personally don't know if I literally believe any religion in it's entirety. Being a westerner I think there is a deep truth to Christianity. Plenty of self professed atheists are very Christian and don't realize it, albeit a bastardized version of it. I work with a muslim guy from algeria, and he even sees everyone here as being Christian in a way no matter what their professed belief is. While Europe and the broader west is considered the Christian world(or was), there are many other Christian countries everywhere. But their Christianity is different from the one that took hold in Europe. Everywhere Christianity went it was paganized to a certain degree. Which shows you that it's tied to culture, and thus fundamental to humanity in general.

[@anthonysabatino4317]

Science is when observers confirm a change in a subject. Spirituality is when many subjects experience a change. The difference between knowledge and understanding is experience. We can know all we want about the universe without ever understanding it. An illiterate can understand the universe without knowing how it works. This is mirrored in Jesus. God knew about sin, but did not understand it, the same way we know what a radio wave is, but don't have the organs to see it. By being flesh, God was tempted with hunger, thirst, and lust. Then he understood sin, and only with that understanding, could he forgive sinners. Such a change is necessary in our own thinking. Instead of being observers only, we must open ourselves to experience in order to understand life.

[@diemattekanzlei9124]

That feeling you get when WIAH uploads a new video and you like on the thumbnail before thinking.( This is a video I have wanted to see from him for a long time.)

[@theredknight9314]

Every time Whatifalthist posts, an angel gets its wings

[@adamfuller5640]

Atta boy Clarence!

[@SevenTrine]

I'm not a religious man, but I am a pragmatic one. We've seen the results of a society denying a higher power without sufficiently elevating itself to not require these things in order to behave appropriately. It's absolutely worth a small sleight of hand to ensure that values and correct actions have a much more sturdy foundation than any secular alternatives.

[@HandsomeSquidward-q7g]

This is painfully true, at least to a certain extent. Humans at this point in their evolution don't seem capable of maintaining decent moral behaviour that glues society together without having a Flying-Spaghetti-Monster-esque being hovering over them to help enforce goodness and decency with its invisible noodly appendages. Maybe religion is the lie humans need to scare/motivate them to be better. Secular foundations are indeed shaky at best, because they don't really play to our imagination and the emotions attached to them, being far too dry or "soulless" for our liking.

[@motorcycleboy_reigns]

This is the greatest tube channel, ever. Well done, sir.

[@Daibana]

God bless you for educating the masses, may he grant you many blessings for every person you guide to living a more morale and righteous life.

[@peterj9351]

Forgetting a bunch of Roman emperors who were truly excellent, and that Rome losing "muh democracy" resulted in 200+ more years of high quality of life for an average plebeian. Then it once again went to 💩 of course, because entropy always wins when not actively opposed.

[@duncanfletcher9194]

Always good stuff Rudyard!

[@samuellandry7968]

I used to be part of the new atheists, but in the past 5 years I’ve changed. Probably because of Jordan Peterson. Who else?

[@Perry.Okeefe]

You were possessed by an evil spirit, and a wiseman spoke magic words and saved you. Pretty freaking cool.

[@ADMusic1999]

I’ve changed because I saw how wicked the world got and I needed hope. A lot has happened in the past 5 years and I’m seeing more depravity, corruption, hatred, and just pure evil in the world. It’s amazing how God still loves us after all that we’ve done. I guess the darker the world gets, the better we can see His light.

[@anthonysmall4837]

The sin of new atheism was to condemn religion as always bad and not see its virtues. I am an agnostic, religion is a cultural meme that satisfies basic human needs but no one should believe in it dogmatically. There is no one correct religion and no one correct way to engage in religious practice, and our societies should be pluralistically tolerant and secular. THAT is what ‘new atheism’ should argue / and it should also ensure that religious figures and institutions don’t get a free pass from scrutiny or have an ability to use their special status to abuse their flock.

[@stevenpatzner6962]

Really Great "Thoughtstream" at the end! Loved the part about almost dying, & wanting to live life to the fullest! Great Podcast 👍

[@MelvinIsMerlin]

33:50 "Everything is a distraction to escape being" So this came to me 2 years ago and has destroyed my life and now I'm having a hard time finding purpose again

[@danielbagyula4394]

I do not remember where did I hear but it was a really eye opening idea: Cells in every living thing seem to "believe" in something bigger than themselves. In humans, for example, they work together to build the body, even though they cannot fully understand it. They work hard and sacrifice themselves, trusting that this greater purpose is essential for their own survival. Sometimes a cell stops "believing." It causes minor problems at first, but if this cell spreads its idea to others, we call this cancer. Cancer always ends in the death of these rebellious cells - sometimes taking the organism they built with them, sometimes only the tumor itself. There is no happy ending for cells that reject the bigger purpose.

[@off6848]

Atheists will say cells don’t believe anything they’re programmed to But then again no one can point to a program that doesn’t have a programmer And it is weird how living beings like cells with their own locus of self all work towards the sustaining of something bigger that thinks

[@loganleatherman7647]

Can you lot, for just one moment, not anthropomorphize things that have little relation to overall human behavior? Cells don’t “work hard and sacrifice themselves”, they have no will of their own to do so. They come about, exist, and die at the whims of biochemistry. Trying to frame it any other way is to delude yourself into thinking that meaning exists where it doesn’t

[@off6848]

@@loganleatherman7647 I don’t see anyone anthropomorphising anything It’s a basic fact that all species of living beings seek to continue their own survival and it’s just strange that a living being called a cells main purpose isn’t itself but something larger that it makes up

[@MsBhappy]

Lol what are your definitions of "belief" and "believing"?

[@victorangeles655]

Disagree on some of the listed points at 13:15 and how they hurt society 5. Renaissance Italy: Fell because the northern Italian city states were not able to unify or organize themselves and suffered through bunch of invasions from the Spanish, French, and Holy Roman Empires. These wars were called the Italian Wars The Papacy was not a moral institution with multiple corrupt practices such as the sale of indulgences kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpayYaOGp6ycbNEsi=-3JVseRmhHtw7vZH Also the Italian States lost a lot of importance because at first the Venetian Republic was able to take advantage of their point at the end of the silk-road by working with the Ottoman Empire, but the Portuguese were able to get to the Indian Ocean Trade Routes by getting around the Cape of Good Hope. The Spanish Empire was able to take advantage of the New World through exploitation also drawing economic importance away from the Italian City States leading to the end of The Renaissance. 9. The collapse of native religions in the New World: Native religions collapsed because they could clearly see that what they were doing was not working, if you're in the Aztec or Inca empires just living then some dude named Juan rolls up and kills everyone (they were able to do this because they had better weapons through metal work developed alongside the silk road, guns, gunpowder developed in china then made multiple developments in Europe, and horses, that came from the Americas but were domesticated somewhere in Eurasia, and old world diseases they had immunity from but the native americans sure didn't.) then you're going to stop believing in said gods. What I see in these two examples is that the societies fell into decline because they were not strong enough to defend themselves from being taken advantage of by enemies. Florence being kicked around by the Papacy, Spain, HRE, France. The Aztecs and Incas being dunked on and forced to become hispanicized by Spain The Religious focus imo feels very lazy because the individual is outsourcing their thinking to some divine entity and instead of getting information from the real world they pray to something that won't help them. I don't think that religion is horrible or terrible like I understand and appreciate some concepts like in Protestantism the concept of Divine Grace and individual virtue, but I think there's other facets of reality / philosophical viewpoints that can hit the nail on the head

[@mmyr8ado.360]

Yep, the Papacy wasn't a moral institution, don't mind those encyclicals, stories of the saints, scientific contributions, and the teachings of the Church that the Papcy has been associated with. Spanish conquistadors definitely didn't stop those Aztec priests from cutting out the hearts of sacrificial humans and let them continue their Flower Wars, which would annoy their neighboring fiefdoms very much. And they definitely know they brought illnesses into the New World decades before the invention of the microscope and know how diseases work, and nothing definitely happened between the Ottomans and the European states.

[@outerlast]

tend to agree with this. if something doesn't work, try another one. and it can be applied to other events including individuals becoming atheist, sexual revolution, communism etc. clearly there were something not working for those involved, so they tried the alternative. and the reason they still persist is the new things work for them, or at least for those in power.

[@panagenesis2695]

The Spiritual, Metaphysical, supercedes the material or physical. Man yearns for meaning and to know his Creator and Father.

[@wisconsinkraut3445]

The single greatest joy of my life came when I finally cast off the atheism forced on me in childhood and accepted the salvation of Jesus Christ. But the truly amazing thing about the joy of the Lord is that it is not static, it grows and you grow with it.

[@xenomorphtestifyingincourt7412]

Nice!

[@beltempest4448]

An interesting final word here. “Does consciousness shape reality?” Whether it is true or not it is better to assume that it is. On an individual level I am of the opinion that it is true. Your state of consciousness shapes your own experience of reality, therefore consciousness must indeed shape reality. Our collective consciousness shapes reality and here in the west it is currently fragmented and disharmonious. This can be said of the social state of the west as well as the consciousness state. Therefore the statement of “consciousness shapes reality” is objectively true.

[@linming5610]

I do believe in it based on my experience. My problem is this, I have a weak willpower, I can't find any motivation to do things. I tried a lot but nothing helps me. Believing in God change a lot of things. Through my belief in him, I can find motivation to do things I once can't and even go beyond what I can. Even though I'm still skeptical, I have no reason to not believe he doesn't exist. Hence I approve the statement I heard which I can't remember who said, "If God doesn't exist, it would be necessary to invent him."

[@beltempest4448]

@@linming5610 I believe that was Jordan Peterson who said that but I’m also fairly sure he was quoting someone else.

[@nothing-of5yc]

Another great video like always

[@ThereIsAlwaysaWay2]

As an atheism I approve 100% of the truths in this video. Without higher values, and higher beliefs, humans always revert to animals. Religion is like money, very flawed, but ESSENTIAL.

[@ДАРТАНЬЯН-з2щ]

Humanity must cope with harsh truth of the fact that they are mortal and their life doesn't have a true meaning, not to hide behind fake spiritual opium from this.

[@def3ndr887]

As are humans which makes it “real” if that makes any sense

[@ThereIsAlwaysaWay2]

@@ДАРТАНЬЯН-з2щ In theory YES ..... in practice this is absolutely impossible. It's like asking a fish to fly and breath air, some fish can (less then 1%) but most fish cannot. Maybe you're a fish that can breath air, but remember you fellow men cannot behave and be moral without religion..... even if maybe personally you can.

[@ДАРТАНЬЯН-з2щ]

@@def3ndr887 Even if some thing is believed by everyone, it doesn't make it true.

[@ДАРТАНЬЯН-з2щ]

@@ThereIsAlwaysaWay2 than damn the morals. Also, if the oceans fully dries out and 99% of fishes die because of this, this is their and only their problem, they must adapt to fly and breath air or die out ( all this sentence is only a metaphore of course ).

[@castirondude]

When I saw the atheists on the steps of the Supreme Court, pulling the head off a baby (doll) and making a red liquid scene, after the overturning of Roe v Wade, it forever changed how I saw our Atheist society

[@Sebman1113]

I myself am highly religious, I’m a Lutheran and I go to an ELCA church every Sunday I can. God is most important in my life and chances are I go on to be a Lutheran pastor. I also find Lutheran civilization is one of the greatest societies to exist in many ways, might be my bias but it’s how I see it.

[@AlphaSections]

Damn, he had a lot of great videos, but this is the best one he's made so far!

[@redbird3697]

“Technological progress has declined in the past 150 years” If I took a person from the 1850s to the modern day and asked my smart speaker to set an alarm of when to leave, then hopped in my car and had a phone call while driving to the airport and got on a 5 hour plane from New York to LA his mind would explode

[@venuspluto67]

Here I go banging my favorite drum again, but when I listen to what you're saying here and put the West's and China's response to Covid in that context, I can't help but conclude your words make a lot of basic, good sense. The earlier, more religious societies of the West would have patiently adapted to whatever mass-hardships were imposed by Covid while carrying on our traditional mode of life as best we could, and we would learn to live with the affliction until it peters out on its own (or not) or science finds a way of mitigating the affliction that doesn't do more harm than good (or not). The Black Death (an illness right out of a dystopian horror-movie if ever there was such a thing) and smallpox (which frequently disfigured when it didn't kill) tested this mode of dealing with pandemics to the furthest possible limits, yet we persevered with it. The way our irreligious society chose to deal with Covid, which was pretty much a nothing-burger compared to the afflictions I mentioned in the preceding paragraph, made us pretty much go mass-crazy and turn a medical treatment that is maiming and killing people into a sort of inverse religious fanaticism of a very destructive sort. Yes, there were ulterior economic motives to the Covid response, but this only goes to support your central thesis about the corruption of degeneracy in irreligious societies, I tend to think.

[@procopiusaugustus6231]

My dad always said “people need religion”.

[@killercuddles7051]

Did he also say, "if you question religion, you question morals?" That's basically what this guy is saying. It's disgusting. Some people need organized religion, just like some people need counseling, but some people do not need either. It's a tad annoying to be told by people all the time, how they "need" something, so you should "need" it too. . Anyways youtube. Have a wonderful time on this tiny rock. Enjoy it's beauty

[@abuqadr629]

​@@killercuddles7051nah people objectively need Religion. Society needs Religion.

[@procopiusaugustus6231]

@@killercuddles7051 He said it somewhat cynically. Basically that religion was necessary to maintain social stability by means of a shared belief system. My wife who has a philosophy degree with minors in political science and religious studies contends that ethics and morality cannot be valid without religion. For example, prior to Christianity there was no concept of redemption or forgiveness.

[@dtphenom]

​@@killercuddles7051 More like if there is no God, morality is an incoherent concept. Everything reduces to opinions and preferences, not duties and obligations.

[@killercuddles7051]

@@dtphenom That is your opinion. Organized religion in bad. God is everything(bad and good), and that's my opinion.

[@danieldietz811]

Yeah boy another Whatifalthist video! I love to feel thinky!

[@uvgde7384]

Amazing Video like always, eye opening and beatifully narrated! Greetings from Germany!