midniterider Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Can someone believe in two unrelated religions at the same time? Why or why not? Why is it necessary that a certain amount of time go by before someone gains credibility as to their conversion? Is this an unwritten rule? Why could I not switch religions every week and still retain credibility that I truly believe in each of them? If I used to have a certain set of beliefs but now claim a different set was I lying about actual belief in the first set? Why aren't I lying about this new set? what makes this new set of beliefs more true? Just 1 am thinking here. Zzzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miekko Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Can someone believe in two unrelated religions at the same time? Why or why not? Why is it necessary that a certain amount of time go by before someone gains credibility as to their conversion? Is this an unwritten rule? Why could I not switch religions every week and still retain credibility that I truly believe in each of them? If I used to have a certain set of beliefs but now claim a different set was I lying about actual belief in the first set? Why aren't I lying about this new set? what makes this new set of beliefs more true? Just 1 am thinking here. Zzzz Re: unrelated religions - it entirely depends on the religions involved. If the two religions make mutually exclusive claims, then it's probably not easy without a huge lot of cognitive dissonance. Not all religions are like the Abrahamic ones in making exlusive claims - and even Judaism, to some extent, permits some kind of overlap (i.e., several medieval rabbis ruled that it is entirely ok to participate in sufism!) Many religions have significantly less theology than Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism or Hinduism. It is quite conceivable that some ancient native American religion and some ancient African religion, for instance, had their entire structure so different that they wouldn't step on each other's toes if you tried adhering to both. As for the time it takes for a conversion to gain credibility - this depends on the community you're involved with. In the town I grew up nearby, pentecostals saw every conversion as credible and god-given within five minutes. On the other hand, if you want to convert to judaism, you have to attend classes, participate in the liturgical life (i.e. go to the synagogue) for at least a year, have a small surgical thing done to you (if you're male) and then you're Jewish - with the religious paperwork to back it up. Some religions don't even accept converts. If you switch religions every week, it's quite obvious why people wouldn't take you seriously: you'd obviously seem indecisive, and that's not just coming from a religious perspective, that's what *everyone* would think of you. As for the last question, no, you were not lying. However, you were wrong - lying consists of knowingly making untrue claims, which you wouldn't have done in those cases. Nothing about your conversion makes the newer set of beliefs more true, the only truth-values that have changed are those of claims _regarding your belief_. If Y is the actual truth about the world, X is a mistaken belief about it, and you convert from X to Y, what makes Y true is that it corresponds with facts, not that you believe in it. Meanwhile, if you convert from Y to X, this doesn't make Y any less true, since Y is what corresponds with the facts of the world. However, it is quite obvious that the "meta-statements" 'you believe in X' and 'you believe in Y' have changed their truth values through your conversion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted October 16, 2013 Super Moderator Share Posted October 16, 2013 Catholic Voodoo comes to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voice Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Can someone believe in two unrelated religions at the same time? Why or why not? Why is it necessary that a certain amount of time go by before someone gains credibility as to their conversion? Is this an unwritten rule? Why could I not switch religions every week and still retain credibility that I truly believe in each of them? If I used to have a certain set of beliefs but now claim a different set was I lying about actual belief in the first set? Why aren't I lying about this new set? what makes this new set of beliefs more true? Just 1 am thinking here. Zzzz You can do this, you can be a doctor of theology. As theologian you can present this argument successfully among various religious perspectives and be received a bit more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted October 17, 2013 Author Share Posted October 17, 2013 Catholic Voodoo comes to mind. There seems to be Zen or Buddhist Christians too. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted October 17, 2013 Author Share Posted October 17, 2013 In the town I grew up nearby, pentecostals saw every conversion as credible and god-given within five minutes. I'm sure you would be cheered on and God would be praised if you converted in 5 minutes. Then 10 years later when you deconverted the same people would say, "You NEVER WERE an Xian." :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voice Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 After coffee this morning I drew this on the eraser board; it's squiggly and probably not too clear. It's a model of what happens with christianity elevated to highest position relative to everything else, then what happens when you move christianity from on high to its proper place with everything else. It all lands quite nicely when the one religion is assigned its proper place. The x, y, z, t axis just shows math/science and its relative place in the model. The cloud is supposed to be filled with all other religions besides the one on top. This is the basic model which helped me overcome all of the fears and bullshit associated with christianity (and other religions) which would otherwise try to dominate and confuse everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhim Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Can someone believe in two unrelated religions at the same time? Why or why not? Why is it necessary that a certain amount of time go by before someone gains credibility as to their conversion? Is this an unwritten rule? Why could I not switch religions every week and still retain credibility that I truly believe in each of them? If I used to have a certain set of beliefs but now claim a different set was I lying about actual belief in the first set? Why aren't I lying about this new set? what makes this new set of beliefs more true? Just 1 am thinking here. Zzzz I'm all for religion, as long as it's not Christianity (preferably not Islam either). And really, the remaining major religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism do allow for enough flexibility that one could believe in multiple religions. I'd personally recommend against it though. My approach to religion is not based on the Christian notion of "what's true?" Let's face it, there's no hard evidence that any religion is true. I prefer to ask "what works?" i.e., what will improve your quality of life? I don't see combined and confused religious traditions as doing this. As for the question of why someone gains credibility in their conversion by remaining with a religion for a given time, I think this is an issue of mental stability and can be seen in other facets of life. For example, when somebody spends six years in college haplessly switching majors every semester, most people will label him a loser. In general, indecisiveness is seen as a negative trait and indicative of a lack of confidence. Why should religion be viewed any differently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 "Can someone believe in two unrelated religions at the same time? Why or why not?" Since no religions make any sense to my knowledge, you can believe as many as you want, regardless of relatedness or inconsistencies. bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deva Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 It could happen, but for a thinking person, I believe it would be difficult. Certain forms of Christianity are compatible with Buddhism, but it depends on the type of Christianity and the type of Buddhism. Buddhism is very complex and it could be very confusing if you try to combine it with something else, unrelated though it may be. The problem is that the whole framework of understanding of life is different in Buddha Dharma and so you might think you understand the Dharma, but seeing it through a Christian background, you really have the wrong idea. There are certain propositions in Christianity, such as the existence of a creator God, that are denied in Buddhism. Its a clear contradiction. This leads to cognitive dissonance and isn't conducive to a peaceful life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burt_Lemur Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 A former landlord of mine, who is a highly respected philosophy professor, once told me that he's a "Christian Atheist." I tried really hard to figure that one out, but it just made my brain hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawn Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 A former landlord of mine, who is a highly respected philosophy professor, once told me that he's a "Christian Atheist." I tried really hard to figure that one out, but it just made my brain hurt. Some people don't believe in God, but are still culturally Christian and may even admire and emulate Jesus. A "Christian atheist" so to speak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted October 20, 2013 Super Moderator Share Posted October 20, 2013 I don't know if this is helpful or not, but my son currently believes in both the Western Santa Claus and the Russian Father Frost. I don't see why it would be different with any other fairy tale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted October 20, 2013 Super Moderator Share Posted October 20, 2013 People believe all sorts of contradictory nonsense all the time. If you want to adopt religious beliefs based on what "works for you" and don't care about objective reality, why not mix it up a little? Enjoy the spooky thrill of making a Voodoo curse and then light a candle at Mass for your victim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duderonomy Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Check for tithing requirements first. This could end up costing you quite a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voice Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 What everyone has said about trying to believe (claiming to be of) two or more religions is right on, and well said everyone. If you want to pick and choose better aspects and perspectives of various religions you have to do it from outside the ring of religions. Think of it as a pie divided up per religions. From this vantage point no one religion will recognize you as belonging to it (unless you want them to think it and you behave as though you do). Rather they will feel you are someone who might join their religion, or just that you're outside of their religion. The vantage outside of religions takes a center place. I don't want to say it's looking from above, it's looking from center. Most religions share commonalities at center. Those commonalities are the things to pay attention to, those are how you can connect with everyone in the religions. There are ways to express "centered" beliefs to them which don't alienate, confuse or create dissent; if you're good, maybe that can inspire some of them to think outside of their box. Have you read Joseph Campbell? Joseph Campbell views religions this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts