(September 10, 2016 at 11:31 am)Mudhammam Wrote: The follow-up question is this: Is it better to live as if the fundamental concepts of religion are true or false, irrespective of whether they actually are true or false?
That depends entirely on what you think are the fundamental concepts of religion. Certainly, no off the shelf moral code provided by a religion is needed. We can do without that, thank you. Nothing from religion is required for maintaining some mystery in life either. There are plenty of mysteries without religion and its illegitimate category, 'the supernatural'. Often people will cite the benefits of expecting an afterlife, but I think the shortcomings of such a view point are more glaring. Too many people will give short shrift to the moment without some limit on time. As for the anxiety of fearing one's ultimate demise, some might actually find that a benefit. I do not.
But there are a few view points I share with theists without paying the toll in cognitive dissonance they do. Like theists, I believe there is more wisdom available than is at my disposal. But no external genie is needed for that. Look for it instead in the depths of who you are beyond your conscious mind. All manner of insight and inspiration can be found therein. So where they pray for a gift from without, I simply tap the source we all have on board. It is still a gift which can be revoked at any time, so some reverence for the source is warranted. So humility too is available without the contrast to an omni-anything being.
