It seems to me that many religious folks take a great deal of pride in their faith. I often notice believers looking down on those who believe differently than they do, or not at all. A sense of superiority over others tends to go along with religious faith. Maybe you've noticed it too.
This creates a problem and presents a challenge.
The problem is that all of the major religions today have their roots in ancient times, when the tenets of their beliefs were not irrational and required little or no suspension of disbelief. That is, when today's religions were forming, the truth claims they make made sense based on what people knew and experienced. For example, in Medieval times, as frequent plagues devastated the population, in the grip of a fear of the unknown it was rational to interpret these things in terms of divine punishment or protection. It just made sense. No one knew or understood about viruses and bacteria. Religous tenets do not evolve among people who think they are silly or irrational--they come into being among people who believe they make sense.
So what do we do when many of the ancient religious claims ARE revealed to be silly and irrational, based on what we know of the world today? Well, it seems either we take on some level of pride that we continue to believe such things despite their silliness, or we stop believing them. That's the problem.
The challenge for the many who continue to claim to believe is that all of the major religions also teach humility. But it's hard to make a case that one is being humble while at the same time looking down one's nose at those who have abandoned what they see as superstitious nonsense. Isn't it? On the other hand, it's also clear that many religious folks have taken on an armor of superiority in reaction to the pain of being looked down on by those who see their faith as nonsense.
Perhaps it's time for those who continue to call themselves religious to revisit teachings on humility. What does this mean, and how can it be a tool one uses to help make the world a better place--something the major religions all claim as a priority. And for those who claim no faith at all, it might not be a bad idea to try on some humility too: it just makes sense.
"What credit is it to someone to cry 'Lord, Lord' and then treat her neighbor with disdain?"
No comments:
Post a Comment