posted on Mar, 21 2010 @ 11:08 AM
Often on ATS we hear a certain segment of the population insist that religious beliefs aren't true. "They aren't logical, there isn't evidence,
they can't possibly be the most true set of historical facts because. . ." This discussion continues ad nauseum with no progress whatsoever being
made to advance the position that whatever you have spiritual faith in, that thing is necessarily rediculous.
I think that maybe that discussion is missing the mark. Being agnostic or atheist is the most logical choice, if what you have set out to do in your
life as a human is to form a belief system which is as accurate - in the sense that it is in the most direct agreement with objective reality - as
possible. I think that this premis is erroneous.
Most don't set out just to aquire true beliefs. This is isn't what life is about. We as humans don't just go around making observations, and then
using them as premises in logical arguments which are then used to form beliefs. Of course, we do do some of this(and some of us more than others),
but it is not the end game, for most people. Most people - consciously or not - spend a tremendous amount of time forming a worldview(or system of
beliefs) which is tolerable to them. The most important beliefs in this worldview are one's beliefs about themselves, the world(meaning external
reality), and their relationship to it.
Beliefs about God, and religious beliefs in general, often form a very fundamental part of an agreeable worldview. Religious beliefs - whether or not
they are true - are a coping mechanism. They give people hope, happiness, and a sense of understanding in times when more realistic, logically
justifiable beliefs are lacking in these respects. These things are important to people; they make people feel better about themselves, the world, and
their relationship to it. I think that the need that most human beings have to hold a tolerable wordview trumps whatever commitment they may have to
the more abstract notion of logically justifiable beliefs.
The truth is that life often sucks, the world can be a very cruel and unfair place, and one which is very difficult to make sense of. Especially in
terms of the human aspects, which are more important to humans than the material scientific aspects. Given that we as humans are not just logic based
information gathering automatons, we cannot be expected to behave as though we are. We have to satisfy our human need for a tolerable belief system,
especially with respect to ourselves, to world, and our relationship to it. Religion provides an outline for such a worldview. It may include some
beliefs that are apparently in disagreement with reality, but those disagreements are not important enough - at least for many people - to abondon
this satisfactory/tolerable way of understanding their place in the universe. Science and logically justifiable beliefs cannot provide what religion
can, at least for many people.
The draw of religion is not that it is apparently the most accurate set of historical facts. There is a reason people use the word "faith" in
conjunction with religious beliefs. The religious worldview is not supported by a compelling body of evidence, but it doesn't need to be. The draw
of religion is that - whether or not the facts are right - it offers something that a scientifically rigorous belief system does not. In addition to
whatever sense of contentment religion brings to an individual, it alo provides premises for justifying a system of ethics on a societal level. Such
justification cannot be found when looking at a list of all the true facts.
Some of you may insist that if this is what is going on, then you want them to admit it. "Admit that you know your beliefs are necessarily
factual!" Nope. The point is that people believe these things - that is the satisfying/fulfilling part. They don't have to admit anything,
especially when they don't agree that the beliefs are unfounded. I'm not saying that people of faith secretly know that their beliefs are not as
easily justifiable given the evidence. I'm saying the such justification is not so important when it comes to these issues, and people don't need
hard science to come to hold beliefs that give them a sense of contentment.
Others of you will say that you would be okay with this state of affairs, so long as people didn't commit violence in the name of these beliefs which
you believe to be false. Since violence is being committed in the name of religion, it is somehow "important" for you to try to talk all religious
people out of their faith. It's not. That's missing the point. Violence in the name of anything should be discouraged. More people in this
country commit violence in the name of money than religion. Should you go try to talk people out of believing money is important? My point is that
you can and should discourage, try to prevent, and punish, violence in the name of anything. "Let" people believe whatever they want, just don't
let them hurt people over it.
Don't you see that all this nonsense about how religion is absurd and not supported by evidence is missing the point? You're barking up the wrong
tree. It's not about that. There's a reason you've never talked anyone out of their religious beliefs. Instead of banging your head against the
same wall over and over again doesn't it make sense to ask why your argument isn't working?
Of course there are people who derive a more pleasant worldview from science; these people will be agnostic or atheist for the most part. I am one of
these people. Most are not, and that's okay. We're not little science-doing robots, we're humans. We can be expected to act in a way that
fulfills our human needs.
[edit on 3/21/10 by OnceReturned]