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>If you know you will not (or perhaps should not) blog to gain an audience, why should you do it? I'm an atheist, so (knowing there are no gods) should I perfo

>If you know you will not (or perhaps should not) blog to gain an audience, why should you do it? I'm an atheist, so (knowing there are no gods) should I perform a ritual? Is the ritual for the gods' benefit, or for mine? Is the ritual for its own sake, something we do because we have always done it?

shridharxp 2y ago
I think, in the end, it comes down to hope—how hopeful you are that your blogs will turn out to be beneficial one day.
throwup238 2y ago
Why not? As an atheist you are probably best positioned to notice the ostensible pointlessness of it all and come to the conclusion that rituals are and have always been about the people doing them. It’s always been for our sake. Just like funerals are for the living to get closure, since the dead body at the center of proceedings can’t possibly give a damn.
zoogeny 2y ago
I can't answer those questions, but I have some comments. My question, which you quoted, was intended to be rhetorical and perhaps your questions are as well. There is nothing exclusive about being atheist with regards to those questions. Belief in God (especially a deist or non-interventionist God) doesn't provide any clear answer. You may be thinking about a specific religion or spiritual dogma proposing answers to that question, but that would require some kind of revelation in the form of a prophet, inspired scripture, mystical/divine encounter, etc. Another idea that pops to mind is again related to the Vedas, the oldest spiritual texts that I am aware of. I couldn't find the exact percentage but most commentaries I have read indicate that a significantly large portion of those scriptures are dedicated to ritual observance. Things like weddings, births, funerals, etc. Some of the oldest archeological sites, like the notorious Göbekli Tepe, appear to be ritual sites. There is a lot of work to do there so I don't think our understanding is definitive at this point. But it does show how far back in our history that rituals appear to go (several thousands of years). It might even be worth pondering the question: what came first, ritual or a belief in god(s)? So it is not really surprising that the shadow of ritual appears even within the most secular and rationalist modern contexts. What that means and how it should effect your own decisions is something I believe is a personal matter.

shridharxp 2y ago

I think, in the end, it comes down to hope—how hopeful you are that your blogs will turn out to be beneficial one day.

throwup238 2y ago

Why not? As an atheist you are probably best positioned to notice the ostensible pointlessness of it all and come to the conclusion that rituals are and have always been about the people doing them. It’s always been for our sake. Just like funerals are for the living to get closure, since the dead body at the center of proceedings can’t possibly give a damn.

zoogeny 2y ago

I can't answer those questions, but I have some comments. My question, which you quoted, was intended to be rhetorical and perhaps your questions are as well. There is nothing exclusive about being atheist with regards to those questions. Belief in God (especially a deist or non-interventionist God) doesn't provide any clear answer. You may be thinking about a specific religion or spiritual dogma proposing answers to that question, but that would require some kind of revelation in the form of a prophet, inspired scripture, mystical/divine encounter, etc. Another idea that pops to mind is again related to the Vedas, the oldest spiritual texts that I am aware of. I couldn't find the exact percentage but most commentaries I have read indicate that a significantly large portion of those scriptures are dedicated to ritual observance. Things like weddings, births, funerals, etc. Some of the oldest archeological sites, like the notorious Göbekli Tepe, appear to be ritual sites. There is a lot of work to do there so I don't think our understanding is definitive at this point. But it does show how far back in our history that rituals appear to go (several thousands of years). It might even be worth pondering the question: what came first, ritual or a belief in god(s)? So it is not really surprising that the shadow of ritual appears even within the most secular and rationalist modern contexts. What that means and how it should effect your own decisions is something I believe is a personal matter.