Health Matters

This post really made me think. I am usually skeptical of religious people because in my experience many of them tend to be cemented in a somewhat fundamentalist/literalist attitude, polarized with ideas like "science is bad," "being gay is bad," with an image of a human-like God in their heads, a powerful person telling them what to do.

Yet their perception clearly goes against many of the virtues professed in their religion, not the least of which is that if a God were really like what they seem to be picturing, he would be far from a superior being, because I can think of many humans who are more virtuous than that.

But your post makes me think again about religion, as many of the ideals it /attempts/ (but clearly sometimes fails) to teach are actually rooted in good. Provided people can see the teachings as metaphorical, rather than literal, provided they can discern the obsolete ideas from true moral premises, provided they remain open to new ideas rather than judging things without thought or inquiry, and provided they can start seeing God not in the popular image of a humanoid, parent-like figure, with all the good and bad qualities of humans, and more of the essence of virtue...then perhaps religious people can be less frustratingly closed-minded and dogmatic.

I often wonder if the people who originally wrote religious texts knew that when times are tough, it's easier to have strict rules about what to do. Perhaps that's why many religions are structured around such rules, and it is a way to enforce a particular idea of society. But at the same time, as you point out, people can easily become blinded as "group-think" takes over.

In any case, thank you again for your post, as you have given me a somewhat more positive view of what religion /can/ be.

Intentional or otherwise, the reading of this post left a 'healing' impression on my psyche - a sense of relief. Many thanks.

I often think of religion in this way!

I often think of religion in this way!

Very nice article. You may want to change one thing. Lots wife has no name. Lot was the husband.

Civilizations will never pass away as they did in centuries past. The world is too connected via various communications media. The U.S.A. has rushed to the add of numerous countries where great catastrophes have occurred over the years and other countries help as they can. If the Mayans had been rescued and the Aztecs aided perhaps their cultures would still stand. Worldwide destruction would be another ballgame altogether. Another point is that rarely do we find the Bible cited in secular press without a marked degree of disdain for it. The metaphors and parables of scripture are meant to instruct and strengthen. Lessons we learn from it and other ancient literature speaks with the voice of past humanity and gives us warnings in order to avoid such repeated devastation and cues on how to deal with crisis when it comes.