A popular defense for continued belief in religion is one of quiet despair. After you’ve pointed out the numerous inconsistencies in scripture, shown how moral precepts shift to follow cultural change, and explained away any evidence for the existence of the supernatural, believers will defend their faith by telling you religion is the best way to foster morality. The Washington Post recently published an ARTICLE that illustrates such a claim.
Would humanity be selfish, power hungry, and violent without the influences of religion? I dare say we won’t learn the answer to that question any time soon. I’ve already posted MY VIEWS on why our basic morality does not originate from any form of religion. Uncertainty about our existence is no longer enough to dissuade us from adhering to certain cooperative values that better our chances for survival.
But to argue that humanity would devolve into anarchy without religion is to grossly underestimate our potential. What we are dealing with is a brazen fear that comes from even contemplating a world without a supernatural presence, one which we have become dependent upon. I would like to address that fear.
It is true that people can find comfort and purpose from religion. It is true that people can be deterred from certain forms of immorality through religion, especially if they believe God is actively watching every move they make. These facts certainly do not prove that religion is true, nor do they provide us with sufficient reason to allow it to dominate human consciousness. Indeed, it is possible for religious people to do harm in the world (sometimes even in the name of their gods). It is also true that having your beliefs spoon fed to you limits your free will and involvement in your own life.
At their root, religious morals and values are IDEAS that have come from mankind’s interpretation of the world. They are by no means the only ideas ever to come up in our consciousness. We've realized the importance of knowing ourselves. We figured out the best way to understand reality is through empirical study. We created democracy to provide every person’s ideas equal chance at success (while still leaving them vulnerable to scrutiny and revision). This tells us that we have the potential to produce concepts grounded in reason, and follow them without guidance (or threat) from a divine being.
The claim that society would collapse into anarchy without religion is patently false. Atheists, for example, use empirical evidence to guide their lives, evidence that is grounded in physical and behavioral science. Their own DEFINITION contains values every man can agree on except that they exclude a need for divinity.
The real threat of a society without religion is that we would be forced to actually work toward peace of mind. Without god or gods, we would have only each other to look to, depend upon, and coexist with. Without religious interpretations of right/wrong or good/evil, we would have no choice but to figure those human dilemmas out based on evidence and rational debate. This is not a bad thing, though it frightens people immensely.
It is clear that human nature will include violence, jealousy, fear, and passion with or without religion. But in a society governed by reason, acting on those human qualities would be subjected to intellectual scrutiny and not faith in this or that. We see this working fairly well in nearly every democratic judicial system. Why shouldn’t each of us adopt this way of perceiving the world for ourselves?
Would humanity be selfish, power hungry, and violent without the influences of religion? I dare say we won’t learn the answer to that question any time soon. I’ve already posted MY VIEWS on why our basic morality does not originate from any form of religion. Uncertainty about our existence is no longer enough to dissuade us from adhering to certain cooperative values that better our chances for survival.
But to argue that humanity would devolve into anarchy without religion is to grossly underestimate our potential. What we are dealing with is a brazen fear that comes from even contemplating a world without a supernatural presence, one which we have become dependent upon. I would like to address that fear.
It is true that people can find comfort and purpose from religion. It is true that people can be deterred from certain forms of immorality through religion, especially if they believe God is actively watching every move they make. These facts certainly do not prove that religion is true, nor do they provide us with sufficient reason to allow it to dominate human consciousness. Indeed, it is possible for religious people to do harm in the world (sometimes even in the name of their gods). It is also true that having your beliefs spoon fed to you limits your free will and involvement in your own life.
At their root, religious morals and values are IDEAS that have come from mankind’s interpretation of the world. They are by no means the only ideas ever to come up in our consciousness. We've realized the importance of knowing ourselves. We figured out the best way to understand reality is through empirical study. We created democracy to provide every person’s ideas equal chance at success (while still leaving them vulnerable to scrutiny and revision). This tells us that we have the potential to produce concepts grounded in reason, and follow them without guidance (or threat) from a divine being.
The claim that society would collapse into anarchy without religion is patently false. Atheists, for example, use empirical evidence to guide their lives, evidence that is grounded in physical and behavioral science. Their own DEFINITION contains values every man can agree on except that they exclude a need for divinity.
The real threat of a society without religion is that we would be forced to actually work toward peace of mind. Without god or gods, we would have only each other to look to, depend upon, and coexist with. Without religious interpretations of right/wrong or good/evil, we would have no choice but to figure those human dilemmas out based on evidence and rational debate. This is not a bad thing, though it frightens people immensely.
It is clear that human nature will include violence, jealousy, fear, and passion with or without religion. But in a society governed by reason, acting on those human qualities would be subjected to intellectual scrutiny and not faith in this or that. We see this working fairly well in nearly every democratic judicial system. Why shouldn’t each of us adopt this way of perceiving the world for ourselves?
4 comments:
A world without God? Heaven to me...
As I work on my Ph.D. and struggle with the independent nature of these papers, I think about stance as an anti-theist. I live without a God having to tell me what to do because I adhere to my internal standards of positive and healthy living, a very independent worldview. Yet I struggle in my education to (1) know what my standards even are and (2) follow them. I wonder if religious people (not spiritual people per se) can't live without someone telling them what to do, i.e., God, or even have their own set of internal standards. You said "...people can be deterred from certain forms of immorality through religion, especially if they believe God is actively watching every move they make" and I think about this in relation to a self-directed endeavor. Maybe moving people away from religion involves building up their abilities to undertake independence in many things they do. Something to ponder...
But thank goodness I have just a dissertation to finish, not a life to design based upon ethics and my relationship to others. :)
Thank you for your insightful commentary my dear, as always. You are a perfect example of how humanity does NOT need religion to be morally upright. You are kind, polite, thoughtful, respectful of others around you, and all without divine incentive. You are good for goodness’ sake.
In regards to your observation on building up the abilities of others, I assume you would do this in ways that would avoid bringing religion into the equation. What secular methods do we have at our disposal to reach such a lofty goal? And further, would believers still bring their religiosity with them? After all, faith is built into perspective.
I’m almost finished with D. Dennett’s book. Please remind me to discuss a particular chapter with you. It may provide us with further insight on how to do exactly as you suggest, or at least how to energize our efforts so they appeal to the faithful. It has to do with, of all things, love.
You guys are too smart for me. I have to think about what each sentence means before I can move on to the next one LOL!
HAHA. Well hey, at least you responded! Most people who read my blog don't. Kudos to you my friend. :)
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