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> So many people just want to belong to a group, or were raised in it and know nothing better. They don’t practice what they preach. And it's not necessarily a
by bitshiftfaced 6y ago
> So many people just want to belong to a group, or were raised in it and know nothing better. They don’t practice what they preach.
And it's not necessarily a bad thing when you frame it as a cultural institution. For many people, they grew up with the church and its traditions. Their families and friends share the same traditions, and it's part of their identity. They may not believe in the supernatural stuff or even feel aligned with the moral system, but it's still part of their culture.
You could say that's hypocritical, but we expect a an attitude of humility in regards to many cultures who have even more "backwards" practices than this. I think we ought to apply the same attitude here.
- whalesalad 6y agoIt becomes a problem though when you don’t subscribe or even understand the core tenets of your faith - and yet it is your identity. So you vote with your friends and family even if you don’t know what you’re voting for. And when you feel your tribe being threatened, you get defensive and defend your tribe - even when you don’t know what you are defending. That is why the US has become so divided recently. That is why the blind devotion to a cause should be questioned by every believer. “Wait a sec, do I really believe this? Do I really want this to be my identity?” You can be a good person without being a Catholic or a Muslim.
- bitshiftfaced 6y agoSure, there are some people out there like that, and it's true for every culture, and it's true that people ought to think for themselves. I think we can agree that religion and goodness can run orthogonally, but let's not be so paternalistic to assume that people are unable to participate within a community's cultural traditions without sacrificing their ability to think for themselves.