Yi-Fu Tuan on fear

[dybmh]

All human beings are religious if religion is broadly

I think the important word in this statement is **broadly**.

I seem to remember that there was research about differences in human brain scans when comparing "religious" people with "non-religious" people. I heard about it because anti-religious people were trumpeting it as more evidence against religion.

Anyways... here's the first article I found; I haven't read it in detail.

Is an atheist's brain the same as a believer's? New research says religious and non-religious minds work differently

But the point is..

Not all human beings are religious...

These two quotes seem to resonate with one another and, among other things, help explain our penchant for dogmatism and xenophobia.

So if the premise that All humans are religious is false... then the statement above maybe needs to be adjusted?

"help explain our some religious people's penchant for dogmatism and xenophobia."

That's certainly true, I don't think anyone would argue with that. Do you literally think everyone is dogmatic and xenophobic? When you say "our" are you including me in that. Cause, I'm not dogmatic, and describing me as xenophobic is hi-tootin-larious.

 

[LuisDantas]

@dybmh , I think that in that particular study "religious" was being treated as roughly equivalent to "supernaturalist".

That is a valid reading, as long as proper care is taken not to mix it with others. The OP clearly takes a very different approach.

 

[dybmh]

@dybmh , I think that in that particular study "religious" was being treated as roughly equivalent to "supernaturalist".

That is a valid reading, as long as proper care is taken not to mix with with others. The OP clearly takes a very different approach.

Thank you.

 

[Revoltingest]

Objection... I have seen you dance. and you have a lovely singing voice.

You're confusing me with @columbus.

 

[dybmh]

You're confusing me with @columbus.

That makes sense.

 

[Revoltingest]

Quite fair. I will put that in the folder for "hints that ignosticism is a Good Thing, Worth Raising Awareness Of".

I'm reminded of a Christian I once knew.
She said that Christianity wasn't a religion....it was how life,
the universe, & everything (not in those words ) just are.

 

[Revoltingest]

That makes sense.

I like that (rare) accusation.

 

[ChristineM]

Quite true, but when it comes to "religion", that ship has sailed for a long time already.

There are many competing meanings, and some are very much at odds with each other. It is only fair to present a specific, well delimited understanding for consideration as part of an argument.

Which is why i chose to use dictionary definitions rather than those made up to massage egos

 

[sun rise]

In a sense, every human construction, whether mental or material, is a component in a landscape of fear

To me the limited human ego is the home of fear so I agree with that assertion with one word added "In a sense, every [limited] human construction..."

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

All human beings are religious if religion is broadly defined as the impulse for coherence and meaning.

I think it is counter-productive (assuming the "goal" to be some wider distribution of knowledge/revelation/ideas) to use the word "religion" like this.

As a really good example, here's an insightful quote of mine (which I just came up with on-the-spot):

All human beings are meat if meat is broadly defined as the fleshy tissues of muscle and fat.

Now this quote could be nice and "true" to some or another extent, but there are certainly going to be people who take issue with the word usage therein. Not myself, of course... but someone I am sure.

Or, another "gem" of wisdom (again come up with by yours-truly on-the-spot. I honestly don't know how I do it!):

All human beings are monkeys if monkey is broadly defined as any and all animals of the order primate.

I might just write a book.