Is religion logical

[Muffled]

I am starting out on a general basis. Certainly one may argue about certain elements as to how logical they are but I am looking for whether it makes any sense for any kind of religious activity to exist.

My beginning argument for it being logical is that religion is like tradition. A person fiinds something that works so it becomes something worth repeating.

Fod instance the chant of "om" is believed to work as a way to enter into meditation.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

If you're asking whether engaging in religion makes sense, then it certainly does for a great many people, for a wide variety of reasons which make sense to them. I don't think that "logical" is the applicable word here though, other than in a very rough, informal usage.

 

[Quintessence]

Are you sure "logical" is the word you were looking for? Logic is a system of thought that has very strict parameters for measuring validity. Logic in that sense applies to only a very narrow range of human endeavors, and it certainly applies poorly to arts like religions.

 

[Augustus]

My beginning argument for it being logical is that religion is like tradition. A person fiinds something that works so it becomes something worth repeating.

They certainly must have practical benefits otherwise they wouldn't have survived so long.

 

[Guy Threepwood]

I take your point, but 'beginning' with 'tradition' seems a bit of an oxymoron!

I think it's the traditions of religion that seem illogical to many, because we lose sight of the logical beginnings that gave rise to them.

On the most general basis, I'd say the root of religion is a logical skepticism- of the belief that everything 'just is' for no particular reason- creation without creativity.

Most of us eventually deduce that some sort of creative intelligence must lie behind it, and most of the rest of religion stems logically from this does it not?

 

[Muffled]

If you're asking whether engaging in religion makes sense, then it certainly does for a great many people, for a wide variety of reasons which make sense to them. I don't think that "logical" is the applicable word here though, other than in a very rough, informal usage.

I suppose one might engage in an illogical religion like the spaghetti monster for fun but I can't imagine anyone taking it seriously.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I suppose one might engage in an illogical religion like the spaghetti monster for fun but I can't imagine anyone taking it seriously.

That's because it's not an actual religion. It's not a matter of it being logical or illogical. It's merely an illustrative device to highlight elements of religion via analogy.

 

[Muffled]

Are you sure "logical" is the word you were looking for? Logic is a system of thought that has very strict parameters for measuring validity. Logic in that sense applies to only a very narrow range of human endeavors, and it certainly applies poorly to arts like religions.

I believe art can be quite logical although the way some people practice it, it is random.

 

[Muffled]

That's because it's not an actual religion. It's not a matter of it being logical or illogical. It's merely an illustrative device to highlight elements of religion via analogy.

I believe I never realized that. I suppose it was just too easy for me to dismiss it entirely.

PS: For those who are new the spaghetti monster has made an appearance in previous debates.

 

[columbus]

I am looking for whether it makes any sense for any kind of religious activity to exist.

I would start by making a clear distinction between religious beliefs and religious practices.
Tom

 

[Muffled]

They certainly must have practical benefits otherwise they wouldn't have survived so long.

I am not sure that is entirely true. People sometimes practice things just because it makes them feel better. I like to have music on while I drive because I feel that it helps my driving. I am not sure there is any reason why it would but it does make me feel better about my driving.

 

[Quintessence]

I believe art can be quite logical although the way some people practice it, it is random.

...

Okay, you're going to have to explain to us how you are using the word "logical," because at this point I'm totally confused unless you're talking about creating art using a computer program that automatically generates an image based on math equations (like fractals).

 

[Twilight Hue]

I am starting out on a general basis. Certainly one may argue about certain elements as to how logical they are but I am looking for whether it makes any sense for any kind of religious activity to exist.

My beginning argument for it being logical is that religion is like tradition. A person fiinds something that works so it becomes something worth repeating.

Fod instance the chant of "om" is believed to work as a way to enter into meditation.

I can read through Harry Potter logically.

Isn't it more a question of rationale rather than logic?

 

[Muffled]

I would start by making a clear distinction between religious beliefs and religious practices.
Tom

I believe that makes sense. There are people who practice religion because it is a tradition for them not because they believe in the practice or understand the meaning behind it.

 

[Muffled]

I can read through Harry Potter logically.

Isn't it more a question of rationale rather than logic?

I believe anything may be viewed logically but the element of magic may be illogical.

I would hope that a rationale is based on logic. It may simply be based on feelings.

 

[columbus]

I believe that makes sense. There are people who practice religion because it is a tradition for them not because they believe in the practice or understand the meaning behind it.

I reasons I think that this distinction is critical are many.
For one, the main one, what people believe doesn't matter much. It's what they say and do that impacts the human situation.
For another, people are not particularly rational or logical. If we were more so, the world would be a better place.
For another, people often confuse their cultural beliefs for religious beliefs. Their practices as well.
Another, people might behave in a way that rationally follows from an irrational belief.

So, the fundamental problem, IMHO, is that once someone has divorced their world view from evidence and reason they might wind up believing and doing almost anything. So we wind up with everything from Oxfam to ISIS.
TOM

 

[ratiocinator]

On the most general basis, I'd say the root of religion is a logical skepticism- of the belief that everything 'just is' for no particular reason- creation without creativity.

Most of us eventually deduce that some sort of creative intelligence must lie behind it, and most of the rest of religion stems logically from this does it not?

I quite literally laughed out loud at this!

You seem to neglect that the 'creative intelligence' that you think is necessary to avoid everything just being, for no particular reason, must itself just be, for no particular reason....

 

[Augustus]

People sometimes practice things just because it makes them feel better.

Psychological well being is very much a practical benefit.

 

[Muffled]

I quite literally laughed out loud at this!

You seem to neglect that the 'creative intelligence' that you think is necessary to avoid everything just being, for no particular reason, must itself just be, for no particular reason....

I believe it makes a lot more sense to believe an intelligence exists than to believe a whole logical system of nature exists. The intelligence behind nature makes more sense than it just existing.

 

[columbus]

Psychological well being is very much a practical benefit.

Sometimes yes, but sometimes no.
Spending millions of dollars and man hours on an anti-gay smear campaign in California doubtless made a bunch of Mormons feel better about themselves.
Tom