Why Religion Is For Big Infants (continued)

[Guest Glaswegian]

It is generally agreed by rational individuals that Religion is rooted in fear, ignorance and self-deception. But Religion has a further source which is less reprehensible than the three just mentioned: namely, a powerful metaphysical need. This metaphysical need is a consequence of simply being alive in the world. The need is tied to a momentous awareness which comes to all thinking creatures sooner or later concerning themselves and their situation, and it usually expresses itself in the form of a question - the most fundamental question: viz. Why is there such a thing as existence as opposed to complete nothingness? Why does the universe exist, along with myself, and all these other living things that I see around me? Instead of nothing, why is there anything at all?

 

Schopenhauer (1966, p.3) depicts this profound metaphysical awakening as follows:

 

'In endless space countless luminous spheres, round each of which some dozen smaller illuminated ones revolve, hot at the core and covered over with a hard cold crust; on this crust a mouldy film has produced living and knowing beings: this is empirical truth, the real, the world. Yet for a being who thinks, it is a precarious position to stand on one of those numberless spheres freely floating in boundless space, without knowing whence or whither, and to be only one of innumerable similar beings that throng, press, and toil, restlessly and rapidly arising and passing away in beginningless and endless time.'

 

Within every human being, then, there is an enduring need to obtain an answer to the mystery of existence. But what is tragic from the point of view of humanity is that throughout the ages Religion has hijacked and perverted this need by falsely claiming to know the answer to the metaphysical mystery. As Schopenhauer (1970, p.181) notes:

 

'The fundamental, secret and primal piece of astuteness of all priests, everywhere and at all times...is as follows. They have recognised and grasped the enormous strength and the ineradicability of the metaphysical need of man: then they pretend to possess the means of satisfying it, in that the solution to the great enigma has, by extraordinary channels, been directly communicated to them. Once they have persuaded men of the truth of this, they can lead and dominate them to their heart's content.'

 

Unfortunately, there are many individuals who find submission to Religion extremely seductive and they are only too ready to be dominated and mentally enslaved by it. One of the reasons why these individuals are happy to surrender control over their life and mind to Religion is because this allows them to escape the responsibility of having to think and act for themselves. It is evident that at some level within the religious believer the prospect of taking charge of his own life arouses a feeling of dread (angst). Thus, the believer's surrender of his self-autonomy to Religion is an attempt on his part to eliminate the occurrence of this unpleasant affect. However, making Religion (and God) the master and regulator of one's life has a detrimental effect on one's development as a human being for it results in psychological weakness and dependency. This becomes clear if we look at how religious mental enslavement works in general. Viz...

 

(Continued in a moment)

[Guest Glaswegian]

The type of religious attitude fostered by all authoritarian religions is characterised by submission to an external authority or power. Under the direction of monotheistic creeds like Christianity and Islam, the sense of power and value which individuals feel in themselves are projected onto a Deity. The more steadily individuals remove power and value from themselves and accord them to the Deity the more impoverished they become: so much so, that their centre of gravity shifts from within themselves and they cease to be the active propellant in their own life. Thus, the general effect of authoritarian religion is to remove any self-autonomy which an individual might possess and replace it with a state of dependency. In other words, authoritarian religion seeks to turn its adherents into Big Infants, or as its velvet-tongued spokesmen put it: 'little children of God'.

 

As was noted above, the hijacking and perversion of the metaphysical need by Religion has been tragic for humanity historically. For instead of this need being allowed to express itself naturally - that is, as the fundamental driving force behind every attempt to understand the universe and increase human knowledge - it was channelled by Religion into myriad worthless endeavours (e.g., endless pilgrimages), preposterous theological speculation (e.g., 'How many angels can stand on the head of a pin?'), and some of the vilest conflicts on record (e.g., the Crusades)...among other lunacies. And this tragedy continues in the present day under new forms (e.g., the rise of the Religious Right in America).

 

The sabotaging of the metaphysical need by Religion has been harmful not just for humanity but, paradoxically, for Religion itself. Thus, Sagan (1994, p.52) is correct when he writes:

 

'How is it that hardly any major religion has looked at science and concluded, "This is better than we thought! The Universe is much bigger than our prophets said, grander, more subtle, more elegant?" Instead they say, "No. no, no! My God is a little god, and I want him to stay that way." A religion, old or new, that stressed the magnificence of the Universe as revealed by modern science might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths.'

 

Regards

 

James

 

References:

 

Sagan, C. (1994) Pale Blue Dot, New York: Random House

 

Schopenhauer, A. (1966) The World As Will And Representaion (vol.2), New York: Dover

 

Schopenhauer, A. (1970) Essays and Aphorisms, Harmondsworth: Penguin Classics

[thomas]

 

 

Within every human being, then, there is an enduring need to obtain an answer to the mystery of existence. But what is tragic from the point of view of humanity is that throughout the ages Religion has hijacked and perverted this need by falsely claiming to know the answer to the metaphysical mystery.

 

 

I agree, although I guess your description best fits the theistic religions (Judaism, Christinity and Islam). And therefore, it is pointless to discuss the detailed content of such religions. It is much more interesting to discuss how such religions are performed.

 

It is interesting, that there is a holy book, but it is not interesting what actually is in it. It is interesting that there a holy men representing god. But it is not interesting, what the detailed requirements are to become a holy man

 

etc. etc.

 

And by the way, welcome to this board, Glaswegian.

[white_raven23]

Nice first two posts Glaswegian! Welcome!

[jrmarlin]

I haven't even read this tread yet, but I love the title. Nothing could be more accurate.

 

People in religious extremities are just infants looking for some kind of pacifer. God/Jesus is the ultimate Xian Pacifer. They don't wonder where the pacifer came from - or if it's right or intelligent, they cling to this pacifer like a child clings to his favorite blankie. They are afraid. They let fear run their lives.

 

They live a life based in fear. Fear and Love are the two major emotions. Everything else is derivitive of these two. Even hate is based in fear.

 

Hence, children. Infants. In the world but not completely comprehending the world around them!

 

What a pathetic existence?

[Kryten]

Great post(s) Glas!

 

Welcome!!

[jrmarlin]

Unfortunately, there are many individuals who find submission to Religion extremely seductive and they are only too ready to be dominated and mentally enslaved by it.

Hence why several artists --- from painters to musicians to writers -- have all claimed in their works that there is happiness in slavery.

 

To be a slave is to skirt any accountability for wrong doing because there is always a master or devil to place blame on any behavior that comes forth.

 

Interesting that some people feel this burning desire to serve while other people have burning desire for truth and self-accountability.

 

As your title states, Infantile humans are more prone to slavery -- whether it be to God (which is not what most of christianity is really about) or to some entity/idealism -- they feel this pull, this quest to liberate masses through personal sacrifice. All of which serves no one but to placate the "ego" of the follower - not the mass on the whole.

 

If you were to talk to a christian regarding the aspects of S&M as I have, you will find that while the premise is intriguing and very luring to them, they don't want to actually realize this pleasure/pain continum. They willl fight that this 'perverse' act is unholy and blasphemy of the act of procreation. The smirk and discount the persons involved in such "fetish" as being sick and unclean.

 

However, christians practice this very concept every day of every week of every month of every year. The only difference being their "master" is an entity unseen, untouched and perhaps unreal. At least with a typical master/slave relationship in S&M, there is "time off" whereas with christianity, there is no vacation from this m/s relationship!

 

Ironic, isn't it?

[Ex-COG]

Hi Glaswegian! Good article.

 

I was doing a lot of websurfing today, and ran across a blog that compared religious believers to children. Scared, Whining Children

 

jrmarlin: I've also thought that Christianity has S&M overtones. All that submissive terminology which is used in the Bible and Christian writings just encourages people to be weak and helpless. There is a long history of self-punishment in the religion. And look how some of the Christians were so into "The Passion of the Christ", bloody floggings and all? I sometimes wonder what if these people weren't Christians, what form would their S&M leanings take?

[Ziggy]

Hey Glaswegian I was drawn to this post partly because of the title and partly because your glaswegian - like myself

 

Very good post I concur completely In interest - do you have a call on the answers to this natural metaphysical need that is in each of us? You explained the reasons for it .. and accurately asked the questions that create the need. But what about an answer? is it science alone or do you have another view?

 

Welcome btw great web site