Originally Posted by numbskull
Well actually.....yes.
You grasp only part of it......the bit about religion being a means of connection to something greater, which clearly humans long for whether you call it God, and Creator, Love, or Common Humanity (in the case of secularists).
The part that I "grasp" was my point and to which I referred when I said different religions work in different ways. Of course, my main point was how secular "religions" work, such as progressivism and its slight of hand, flim-flam, interpretation of the Constitution and the transformation of our government.
The trouble is that organized religion codifies that connection. This makes it easier for its members to find the connection, but it also serves to separate them from the remaining majority of humanity. History is full of examples of the inhumanity that results, and certainly Christianity is right up there with the worst offenders.
This implies that there is other than "organized" religion. That would be religion working in a different way. Of course, some degree of organization is necessary when two or more people interact. Perhaps, your are concerned with the DEGREE of organization rather the existence of organization. I would agree that the greater the degree of codification is, the less degree their is of individual freedom. Some religions work through free will, others by a conglomerate of very strict, unbending codes. The same can be said of secular "religions" such as forms of government.
As for organized religions serving to separate themselves from the remaining majority of humanity, it may be true that a particular organized religion would do that, but most of humanity belongs to some form of organized religion, godly or secular. All the particuar ones are separate, as each of us as individuals are separate. We seek connection with others, and with God or Creator, because, ultimately, we are each alone. The history of inhumanity inflicted by organized religion, both secular and godly, attests to various religions working in different ways. There are religions (including forms of government) that are considered by many to be "noble" in intent and function. Some start that way and then are "hijacked" by flim-flammers who seek power over the true believers.
The means of codification entails creating a deterministic, anthropomorphic "God", who speaks to his priests and conveys his wishes to those who have created him. This empowers those who interpret God's wishes for the rest of us. When humans are empowered bad stuff results more often than good stuff. Flim-flammary at its worst, for sure.
What you speak of here is government through religion--theocracy. There are "religions" whose mask is godly, but whose face is secular. Man's rule over man is not a function of religions that seek to connect individuals to God or Creator. There are others, but for example, Christianity as originally started was not interested in secular government. Christ preached render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's. That this can be usurped by power seeker's is common to all religions or governments or groups of any kind. And power seekers tend to pit power versus power in order to gain more power. The many Christian sects are remnants of bastardized theocratic Christianity that have been reformed back toward original intentions. Though I don't belong to a particular religion and don't go to church, what I have found inspiring in religion is not the codes but the individual search and its often beautiful language and art. Old cathedrals, though entirely man made reach for something that touches the human spirit. No doubt, some powerful rulers were behind their construction, but it took a spiritual element and understanding to build them. Likewise, I have found the language of the Declaration of Independence beautiful and a call to human spirit, and the intent of the Constitution a simple inspiration to individual freedom, in contrast to our present form of overly codified and regulated, and uninspiring government.
Though I agree with most of what you say, I don't agree that, especially under the Constitutional form of government that our Founders created, "When humans are empowered bad stuff results more often than good stuff." I would agree that when tyrants and usurpers are empowered over humans bad stuff results more often than good stuff. I believe that the Founding of this country and its original institution of government empowered humans to cast off the tyrant and much more good stuff than bad stuff happened. We are, unfortunately, in the proces of reversing that and allowing tyrants and usurpers to be empowered over us. Which reminds me of a passage in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" in which Cassius is speaking to Brutus about Caesar attempting to become dictator--"Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars, but in ourselves that we are underlings." If we allow government to remove our unalienable rights and become empowered over us, making us underlings, the fault is in ourselves.
An excellent read for anyone interested in the process of organized religion is the "History of God". It is a fascinating recounting of the history behind the major religions and how religious dogma evolved to reflect the hand (and agenda) of man far more than the hand of God.
I don't know what God or Creator is, nor do I think that is knowable. So a hisory of what is unknowable does not interest me. History is man's account of man's doings. Obviously such a history would reflect the hand of man more than the hand of God.
This is not to bash religion. I go to church and get a lot out of it. Religion at its best is wonderful stuff, but religion at its most literal is not.
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