THAT’S the most interesting part! I love examining this, yeah it’s using cultural stories and kind of grey psychology to cause specific behaviors.
Ironically this is also where I think faith can be somewhat redeemed. If you start looking past the dogma to the specific intentions, yes a lot if it is shitty and it’s all manipulative but also on some level it’s trying to get people to act in pro-social ways. Specifically ones who normally could not be fucked to act pro-socially without some kind of supernatural threat aimed at them.
I got into Hebrew discourse lately because they’re kind of cognizant of that and so their religion is a constant conversation with their history. They’re constantly reinterpreting what it means to be Jewish in this moment of time and have a perspective that has to stand on the idea that there’s a highly likely chance that it’s all made up.
Religion was most useful to us when it was used to reign in kings who feared nothing except the wrath of God. It was, in fact, quite effective at that and I think we’re largely better off for it. That use case has outlived its usefulness by now though.
I’m actually starting to question that. Rich people would fund school and hospitals because they figured being nice would get them into heaven. As much as I dislike Christianity, I’d say they current 1% could do with a little fear of divine punishment.
THAT’S the most interesting part! I love examining this, yeah it’s using cultural stories and kind of grey psychology to cause specific behaviors.
Ironically this is also where I think faith can be somewhat redeemed. If you start looking past the dogma to the specific intentions, yes a lot if it is shitty and it’s all manipulative but also on some level it’s trying to get people to act in pro-social ways. Specifically ones who normally could not be fucked to act pro-socially without some kind of supernatural threat aimed at them.
I got into Hebrew discourse lately because they’re kind of cognizant of that and so their religion is a constant conversation with their history. They’re constantly reinterpreting what it means to be Jewish in this moment of time and have a perspective that has to stand on the idea that there’s a highly likely chance that it’s all made up.
Religion was most useful to us when it was used to reign in kings who feared nothing except the wrath of God. It was, in fact, quite effective at that and I think we’re largely better off for it. That use case has outlived its usefulness by now though.
I’m actually starting to question that. Rich people would fund school and hospitals because they figured being nice would get them into heaven. As much as I dislike Christianity, I’d say they current 1% could do with a little fear of divine punishment.
Ooh excellent point! 👆👆👆👆