I wrote this a few years ago in response to a lady who tried to get me interested in her particular religion; Baha'i. I will throw it into the discussion and see what happens!
Random thoughts on Religion and the nature of belief
What do I believe? What does it mean when we use the word “believe”? (OED; feel sure of the truth, have faith) (Faith; complete trust, strong belief). So to believe is not the same as to “know” (be absolutely sure of something). We choose to “believe” in ideas that appeal to us, to ideas or things that our previous experience has made us receptive or comfortable with. We concur with ideas that are in harmony with pre-existing ideas. We could say that “belief” is closer in meaning to “choice” than knowledge.
The pressure to make a choice
From an early age we are taught that it is encumbrant on us to accept the “truth” of whatever religion our family, school or society adopts. As we become more aware of the richness of choice, the wide variety of beliefs, we may decide to give more credence to a different set of beliefs. We may eventually come to the conclusion that they all appeal in different ways, and all are sublimely seductive in language and “spirit”. If we are to take advantage of our natural rights, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, then we may eventually realise that we don’t have to make a choice at all. The notions of “good” “bad” implicit with the dogmas confuse and contaminate reasoning until we realise that they too can be abandoned in favour of caring and responsible behaviour.
Natural Moral values
Good manners are born out of convenience. We choose to protect each other from harm. The alternative would be catastrophic. We choose to eat with our mouths closed (most of us) and our elbows tucked in for the sake of our fellow diners. We choose to honour our parents as we would wish to be honoured. All of this is a convenient way of behaving for the safe, comfortable and harmonious propagation of our species.
Artificial or invented values
A man sits under a tree or meditates in a cave for a long time. He then announces to his friends that he has found an ideal way of behaving or thinking which will lead to fulfilment. He teaches his friends. They teach theirs and so on. Despite the sense or otherwise of his teachings, over a long period of time, interpretation and distortion play their part in producing a set of rigid and elaborate regulations and rituals. The original idea has become a huge structure of thought. A hierarchy has evolved, together with temples, uniforms, rituals and grand titles. The organisation splits into various factions, which eventually vie with each other in the belief that they each have the real truth. This leads to a desire for power and control.
Selling the idea
The above represents to me, the general trends of religious ideologies and philosophical thought. I find in all religions attractive ideas pertaining to the nature of God, why we are here and where we are going. It’s easy to be carried along with a series of theories which seem to be logically progressive but are reliant on an initial platform of supposed truth. For example, biblical writings are inspired by God or that the Pope is infallible because he has a direct line to Jesus. In the end we should acknowledge that we don’t really know anything which is outside of our tactile experience.
An alternative?
Educating people to think of themselves as simply members of the human race, not divided into groups of Christians, Muslims, Jews or any other sect. The more strongly one associates oneself with a specific group, the more real the imaginary wall surrounding that group appears, and the more one group feels alienated or threatened by those outside of the wall. By concentrating on natural moral behaviour, the caring, generous and respectful attitude towards each other, we could then gradually abandon the rituals and dogmas that lead us to believe we are segregated from each other.
My own “beliefs”
As it happens, I do think there could be some supreme being or entity at the heart of the universe. I can’t explain or justify why, and to my knowledge no one can prove or disprove this. It may well be that this “God” is what we and the universe is made up of, rather than an outside entity. It is because we are incapable of proof that I don’t take man-made and organised religions seriously. Without proof they are all conjecture and supposition, some more attractive and believable than others.
Footnote
The fact that astronomies change while the stars abide is a true analogy of every realm of human life and thought, religion not least of all. No existent theology can be a final formulation of a spiritual truth.
HARRY EMERSON FOSDICK
I have only a small flickering light to guide me in the darkness of a thick forest. Up comes a theologian and blows it out.
DENIS DIDEROT
Believe nothing, O monks, merely because you have been told it ...or because it is traditional, or because you yourselves have imagined it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings鈥晅hat doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.
THE BUDDHA
24 Nov '15 02:03
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