(August 28, 2021 at 2:30 pm)Spongebob Wrote: My position is quite similar. To each his own. But due to the pervasiveness of religions and its tendency toward domination and control, I really can't stand it. So I realize its a personal right but I don't approve or recommend it.
I don't think the question of happiness has much to do with religion. It had nothing to do with my rejection of certain Christian beliefs or my eventual movement toward atheism. Much like my preference for the Lambda tuning method versus Zeigler-Nichols. Lambda just makes more sense and works better. Has nothing to do with happiness.
I do think religion can serve a role in making a sad person happy. This is argued for by William James in Varieties of Religious Experience. I found his argument convincing. Mind you, he doesn't argue that religion is necessary for happiness. But he does argue that the contingent world gives some people the shaft... or that there are rarified depressive states. In these instances, belief can be instrumental in carrying one from unhappiness to happiness. He is careful to point out that there ARE other ways... he just argues that belief is one tool in that toolbox.
I'm also curious if you have any opinions about nontheistic religions (such as Taoism). Just curious what your perspective is there.... as an aside...
