Do you believe in a religion because it provides you with “Truth”? If so, questioning it objectively should not be scary at all.
I shared this link on Facebook, and it led to some interesting discussions. Curious what you think about it:
Do you believe in a religion because it provides you with “Truth”? If so, questioning it objectively should not be scary at all.
I shared this link on Facebook, and it led to some interesting discussions. Curious what you think about it:
You could also argue that the theory of evolution is a religion, because there is no proof for it, and therefore is a myth.
Have you seen the videos on http://statedclearly.com/ like this one?
I hadn't seen this channel before but I've already subscribed. So good!
If you think that 99% of what you do everyday isn't based on a belief that you have rather than logic, you are either deluding yourself or don't accomplish much.
The most dangerous belief system facing us right now is that socialism will become the predominant government system in the USA and it will take over the world turning us all into slaves in a dystopian future. The more religion-bashing you do, the more you make it possible that socialist BELIEFS (mythology) will reign.
Of course all action is a result of belief. Same thing with inaction. I don't jump off a cliff because I believe gravity is real and I'd get hurt or die. I eat and exercise because I believe that makes my body healthy.
The thing I'm talking about is avoiding beliefs without evidence or without a reasonable, logical flow that others can comprehend as well. Assuming the opposite of religious belief is a belief in socialism is quite silly, IMO. In many ways, a belief that socialism "will work this time" when many historical examples show the opposite is quite similar to pretending to know things we don't know (which is how some describe "faith").
I was under the impression that most religious people knew their fables were stories with a message, and the important part was guidance from the message, not the story itself.
I'm sure most religious people don't actually believe there is a big invisible guy in the sky who listens to everything and controls everything, and it's more a case of 'how would you act if there was someone watching and listening to everything'.
Honestly, the fact you bring this up makes me question my own beliefs... do people really not understand what stories are?
Sadly, many religious fundamentalists do actually believe the stories are 100% real and factual. Read the tenants of faith of any major church in the US and you'll see what I mean.
Wow, okay. I didn't know that was a thing.
Well thanks for opening my eyes on this one Luke.
OK, but ONLY!! if you consider the correct terminology of Mythology.
Do we consider that "Little Boy Blue" was an actual person?
Do we think of Aesop's fables as false because we can't find the real person?
Further, what if "science" is completely wrong?
What if the Bible's story of how the world was created is 1000x more accurate than the "Big Bang theory" or the "Prehistoric Dinosaur theory"?
(Because those two theories have holes the size you can drive planets through. And there is a lot of things that completely disprove them)
And how would we demonstrate that? Using what methodology or epistemological framework?
Please share some links. My hunch is, they would not be peer-reviewed because you don't believe in the scientific method. Therefore... how are we supposed to come to an understanding of justified belief?
I think we've had these conversations before and they've really ended up going nowhere.
I'm open to science not being the most effective way to understand reality, but I've yet to see a better way.
You also need to consider the possibility that science is mythology. Science is the product of proof like saying that 1+1 equals 2. But in a quantum universe 1+1 could equal anything. The most probable answer could be 2. The computer believes it must be 2! Well, religion is the product of belief.
Then again what is "Truth"? Is it a product of science or a product of religion? World truth is a momentary belief either in science or in religion that constantly evolves. The ultimate truth is a concept that surpasses the human mind and that could be conceived only by a state of consciousness that controls it. And this could be called God.
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I really like your answer here @laviq. Everyone treats "truth" as a specific destination... everything in this circle is true, and everything outside of it is not-true... when really truth is really just a particular spot on a spectrum or a maze, and is so incredibly open to perception and bias.
I wonder if we'd all be better off at not even worrying about what is true and what isn't... and just talk about our thoughts instead. "This is what I think at this particular time" instead of "this is the truth".
Everyone treats "truth" indeed, but not always as a destination• sometimes as a means for their purpose. While imo truth, light and beauty should always be a destination for everyone.
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I agree there is no real big "T" Truth in the absolute sense many fundamentalists use, as I posted about here.
Science is currently the best option we have for understanding our reality. If our reality is different, is it our reality?
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I believe in the science to come and in the religion that has come. Reality is a matter of perception but we should always seek a higher truth so to be able to perceive a wider part of reality.
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Are you a quantum physicist? Lots of people that disagree with science love to talk about the woo woo of quantum physics, but (not to commit a genetic fallacy, just noticing a pattern) they often don't know the actual science of quantum physics. I have a friend that actually is a quantum physicist who certainly has me questioning my understanding of hard materialistic determinism (among other things I've researched), but to say that somehow disproves science or math is quite silly. It's just a different category of understanding and/or something we don't understand well (yet).
I did a whole post on my thoughts there, if interested: What If There Is No Big "T" Truth?
I agree with this, I just think some of the "god stories" many billions of people (and myself as well for most of my life) believe are, under close inspection, quite silly. Maybe we need better god stories like the simulation hypothesis. Here's a great video on that, if interested: The Simulation Hypothesis Documentary
No, I'm not a quantum physicist, I just like being silly talking about the woo woo of quantum physics. I also don't disagree with science, I just disagree with Kepler's or Newton's understanding of ancient texts. And I believe in the simulation hypothesis, it is something described even in ancient Babylonian texts and also in some non-canonical Bible texts.
I can also make some hypotheses. I am very certain that at some point the scientists will find out that they can transform matter to anti-matter with sound waves. Then we will find out that we are nothing more than frequencies in a vast cosmic harmony.
I am also an orthodox Christian. Christianity is not about getting a label, belonging somewhere or limiting your horizons. On the contrary it's about freeing your mind and soul thus being left alone to survive in a hostile world hoping only to God.
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I am sure that this link created some fun conversations, as I can see it doing for this post as well.
I think that your question is valid, but I have concerns. We are using words that have 'dictionary definitions' and connotations. Since everyone will not agree on the meaning of "religion" and "mythology", we start with bias even before we start answering the question.
I see how this has a specific application towards religion, but it may serve us better to say, " You need to consider the possibility your worldview is false."
Yeah, I like that. Many don't even know what "worldview" means so they don't get triggered when someone questions it. Many many not realize their religion is their worldview and impacts most major aspects of their lives in terms of how they view themselves, the world they live in, their purpose, morality, ethics, virtue, meaning, the future, what happens after they die, etc, etc.
I would definitely be the first to attempt that my faith has a major impact on my worldview, so I am not able to detach the two. Some people don't realize it. And still, others are zealous in defending their worldview even though it is not based on religion.
My time spent overseas (over 10 years) helped me take a step back to examine my worldview as I was interacting with people who had a very different one than mine. Some of my views changed. Some were strengthened.
Appreciate the conversations you are helping people have!
“But believing in something that isn’t real is the definition of insanity.”
There was a time when I would derive much pleasure from showing people who make such statements just how many unreal things they themselves believe. Fortunately, I have more important things to do with my time.
I'm glad people cared enough to spend their important time on me and help me along in my journey.
If we derive pleasure in being "right" and showing how other people are "wrong" then we may not have the best intentions which can certainly impact the outcome. If instead we work to help people become the best version of themselves which may include shedding some limiting beliefs, that could be a very good thing for everyone, including our existence on this planet.
I'm glad to know that you have had others there for you. It tends to make the journey of life less burdensome. Yes, being "right" is vain, and some of us have had to learn that through some humiliating circumstances. And yes, shedding limiting beliefs is definitely a plus. And while it is a virtue to help others become their best, there is a time when that work is to step aside, and let people reap what they have sown.
As expected you have triggered some funny discussion.
Primo, discussion is impossible.
Secundo, religions are not mythologies. Proof: Companies owned by Catholic Church have annual income larger than Apple and Google combined. Brick and mortar business ;)
I fail to see how mythologies can't be highly profitable? If people believe them (even if the things they claim do not map well to actual history or reality) and pay to participate, then that's certainly real, but still a myth.
I like listening to other opinions. Comparing religious opinions to scientific opinions always produces interesting results.
Lots of my family and friends are religious and for the most part it is harmless. It fulfills them. They only really do it an hour or so a week at church or temple and only bother me with it occasionally. If they step out of line or bother me too much, I may have to interrupt. Luckily that hasn't happened.
Watching the younger ones in my family deal with it most interesting. Is indoctrinating your own child is a right?
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Interesting question. Some would argue they are helpless and it's a minor act of child abuse to set them up believing things which cause shame, fear, guilt, or other more traumatic results. Still others think it's their duty to train their children up "in the ways of the Lord" and to not do so would be vile.
The rights of children is a really, really interesting topic which I think will get a lot more attention as our circle of empathy expands in the future.
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