Do You Think That Religion Is Silly?

Whether we agree or not secular presuppositions have become more and more pervasive in our culture. To the point that some have claimed an undying devotion to secular values. They will say things like “We must avoid religious thought at all cost” or “Religious thought is obviously ridiculous, so don’t give any of it a second thought.”

Now, of course, if something is genuinely ridiculous, you ought not to overthink it. There are plenty of silly things to think about, and if you spent time thinking about each one. Well, you would never get down to doing anything at all. So, I have no issue with avoiding ridiculous thoughts and ideas. However, you have to know that the thing is indeed absurd before you give it no credence in your life. That is the tricky part. Especially in the case of religion.

Throughout all of known history, mankind has been religious. That fact alone does not do anything to show that religion is not ridiculous, but I do think that it grants religion the merit of a second look.

If you have never thought about the theological conclusion or maybe you have thought about it, and it’s been a while. And you find that regardless as to whether or not you have studied it you have mocked it, making it the butt of your jokes. What follows is meant for you. I recognize that most won’t fall into this category, and that is great. However, regardless if you’re a seasoned philosopher and theologian, with answers to everything under the sun. I still recommend you do this exercise.

Below, I have compiled a list of questions that I think would serve as a decent starting place for you to begin a second look at the religious conclusion.

Ten Questions To Help You Understand Your Beliefs

1. Can anything be known? If so, how can it be known; science, math, art, philosophy, or some other way?

2. Have you experienced anything transcendent? If so, how do you explain its occurrence?

3. Is there more to our existence than chemistry and biology? If so, what is the moreish quality?

4. What is your definition of good? How did you come to that definition?

5. Are morally right actions objective, meaning they are ethically suitable for all people at all times? If not, can an action ever be genuinely good?

6. Do all beliefs require proof to be true? If yes, what kind of evidence do you use to back your beliefs?

7. Do extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence? If so, what makes a claim extraordinary and likewise, what makes evidence extraordinary?

8. If death is inevitable for all living things, what validates life, what makes it worth living?

9. Do all people have equal value regardless of their actions, or is a person’s value based on their actions?If not, where does their value come from?

10. Does God exist?

If you made it through my gauntlet of questions, congratulations!

If you wrote your answers down, review them, and try to asses whether they are the best possible answer that you could provide. Just after finishing that, do you think that your answers necessarily rule out the religious perspective?

If you are honest with yourself, did you find that your answers were consistent? Do you think that your views on each of the topics worked together? Or did you find that you frequently contradicted your self?

Contrary to the famous saying, ” It is the mark of an intelligent individual to be able to hold two contradictory thoughts at one time.” We all hold contradictory thoughts in our heads at all times. In fact, you could say that one of the marks of being human. If we did not contradict ourselves, I fear we would break under the consistency.

Nevertheless, to come to a better understanding of ourselves and the world around us, it pays to be consistent in thought. So, if while reading this, you didn’t have answers to some of the questions. Or maybe you had never thought about them, or perhaps you have, and you found your answers lacking.

The questions I’ve asked here will serve as a good starting point for your journey. I would encourage you to work on these questions and search out accurate answers. So that you might gain a deeper understanding of the religious perspective coming to respect it and maybe even accept it.