Motivation doesn’t come mainly from fear of eternal damnation, or even from meeting with people that have a common cause (although that is closer to the truth). I think the main reason people are religious is because they have a desire to live in integrity, rather than caving in to the insticts of the reptilian and paleomammalian parts of our brain, instincts which are usually conter-productive in our current social environment. Of course, religious people don’t talk like this. They call it “sinning” instead. But it means the same thing. People are especially concerned that their children join a group that encourages the avoidance of counter-productive reptilian and paleomammalian behavior (a.k.a. sin). In almost any church, there’s always a significant number of new members who have children that have just reached Sunday School age. Prior to that, they were unchurched since graduating from High School.
How can rationality help people achieve their desire to live with more integrity, and have their children live with more integrity? That’s the question we need to be asking. Reading blogs and books isn’t going to do it. Integrity is not a solo sport. It takes strong support from other human beings to overcome our sinful instincts.
Motivation doesn’t come mainly from fear of eternal damnation, or even from meeting with people that have a common cause (although that is closer to the truth). I think the main reason people are religious is because they have a desire to live in integrity, rather than caving in to the insticts of the reptilian and paleomammalian parts of our brain, instincts which are usually conter-productive in our current social environment. Of course, religious people don’t talk like this. They call it “sinning” instead. But it means the same thing. People are especially concerned that their children join a group that encourages the avoidance of counter-productive reptilian and paleomammalian behavior (a.k.a. sin). In almost any church, there’s always a significant number of new members who have children that have just reached Sunday School age. Prior to that, they were unchurched since graduating from High School.
How can rationality help people achieve their desire to live with more integrity, and have their children live with more integrity? That’s the question we need to be asking. Reading blogs and books isn’t going to do it. Integrity is not a solo sport. It takes strong support from other human beings to overcome our sinful instincts.