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Religions of the world

MonkeyFire

Well-Known Member
Faith in life can be lived in any way as long as it is ethical, but faith in the truth is only one way.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
I stand by what I said. Indoctrination can happen in many ways. Example is much more powerful than lecturing.

Being given more rather than less choices would hardly be regarded as indoctrination though. And is where those who seemingly impose their religious beliefs on their children fail in my view, even if they have the best intentions.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Being given more rather than less choices would hardly be regarded as indoctrination though. And is where those who seemingly impose their religious beliefs on their children fail in my view, even if they have the best intentions.
In real life it doesn't work out that you are given "more choices." The message is that being secular is the best path, as that in Hindu homes being Hindu is the best path or in Buddhist homes being Buddhist is the best path.
 

Samantha Rinne

Resident Genderfluid Writer/Artist
As the saying goes, “they can’t all be true, but they can all be false”

They can't all be false, actually. Because some religions (particularly branches of Buddhism) are effectively atheist.

So because they can actually contradict each other, they most definitely can't all be false.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
In real life it doesn't work out that you are given "more choices." The message is that being secular is the best path, as that in Hindu homes being Hindu is the best path or in Buddhist homes being Buddhist is the best path.

This is only so if you tend to believe that a religious belief is somehow the default when in actual fact no belief is the default. All else is imposing one's own religious beliefs on a child.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
They can't all be false, actually. Because some religions (particularly branches of Buddhism) are effectively atheist.

So because they can actually contradict each other, they most definitely can't all be false.

All religions can be false. Buddhism that is essentially a philosophy is rather different - not being a religious belief. As is atheism - not being a religious belief.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
This is only so if you tend to believe that a religious belief is somehow the default when in actual fact no belief is the default. All else is imposing one's own religious beliefs on a child.
I do in fact believe that religious belief is the default. Down through time, and around the world, all cultures have had religions. I know of only one exception. Exactly one. In this respect religion is like language. We are hardwired for it. But if it is not taught, we don't learn it.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
I do in fact believe that religious belief is the default. Down through time, and around the world, all cultures have had religions. I know of only one exception. Exactly one. In this respect religion is like language. We are hardwired for it. But if it is not taught, we don't learn it.

If it was the default, we might all be on the same page, but we aren't. The predisposition to such - striving for meaning but being in error - however might be within us. As I said, and one can't actually prove either way (for our ancestors), we are not born with some divine notion (babies are not), but it is the easier answer for many (to accept such). :oops:
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
If it was the default, we might all be on the same page, but we aren't. The predisposition to such - striving for meaning but being in error - however might be within us. As I said, and one can't actually prove either way (for our ancestors), we are not born with some divine notion (babies are not), but it is the easier answer for many (to accept such). :oops:
In the learning of language, scientists have proven we are absolutely hardwire for the learning of speech. Yet if we are not exposed to speech as small children, the ability to learn language dies in us. In as much as it is hardwired, it must also be culturally passed on to us.

The same is true of religion. Our species is hardwired for belief in the supernatural. Yet it must be culturally passed on. Unfortunately today we don't get that support. Many parents do not pass on a religion. On top of that, TV creates the impression that most people do not have religion. In so many subtle ways, our culture is now giving the impression that religion is simply a nice option. So kids are getting a mixed message at best, at worst they get the message that religion is irrelevant. It is no wonder that many simply opt out, despite the hard wiring.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
In the learning of language, scientists have proven we are absolutely hardwire for the learning of speech. Yet if we are not exposed to speech as small children, the ability to learn language dies in us. In as much as it is hardwired, it must also be culturally passed on to us.

No doubt - I have read some of Chomsky's work. But much the same applies to affection and love from another (being the mother as first example), such that we have many influences that tend to warp or weave our lives.

The same is true of religion. Our species is hardwired for belief in the supernatural. Yet it must be culturally passed on. Unfortunately today we don't get that support. Many parents do not pass on a religion. On top of that, TV creates the impression that most people do not have religion. In so many subtle ways, our culture is now giving the impression that religion is simply a nice option. So kids are getting a mixed message at best, at worst they get the message that religion is irrelevant. It is no wonder that many simply opt out, despite the hard wiring.

Not so sure about religion however, and I don't think it has been proved that we are hard-wired to believe in the supernatural, just that we tend to have certain explanations for some events or occurrences - which may or may not be correct. We often believe the least likely if it conforms with our world view.

I doubt your anxiety about religious belief not being passed on is accurate since few countries have restrictions on such and many more have cultures or laws that ensure just this happens - a possible failure of tolerance where freedom is concerned by the countries that seem most free in actual fact - when indoctrination is often what happens. And here, of course, I am referring to the indoctrination of children.
 
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