The main problem is viewing this warm fuzziness as a “mystery.” This warm fuzziness, as an experience, is a reality. It’s part of that set of things that doesn’t go away no matter what you say or think about them.
I’m not sure I agree with this. How you feel about religion is very strongly driven by what you think about it. If you think it is the truth then religion is awesome and profound, if you think its a constructed mythology then probably not so much. I’d suggest even the very fact that it is a “mysterious truth”, adds to the enjoyment of believing it.
Sure I agree that the human potential for warm fuzzy experiences exists independently of religion, but in the end the fact may remain that religious stories are better at generating them than any formulation of the truth is.
If we’re going to be rational, we have to accept this possibility is open, and being rational may be a trade-off in terms of what you might feel throughout your life. On the other hand it’s possible through future psychological and brain science discoveries we may find its possible to get more warm fuzzies than religion might give us without resorting to false beliefs, but I don’t think we know that yet.
but in the end the fact may remain that religious stories are better at generating them than any formulation of the truth is
This is exactly right. The question isn’t whether or not it’s chemically possible for people to get their fuzzies from places other than religion—this is obviously true. The question is whether or not us getting them to do so is politically feasible. I think not, and seeing how there are many believers who live decent lives I’d rather spend my time cultivating the more cosmopolitan varietals.
I’m not sure I agree with this. How you feel about religion is very strongly driven by what you think about it. If you think it is the truth then religion is awesome and profound, if you think its a constructed mythology then probably not so much. I’d suggest even the very fact that it is a “mysterious truth”, adds to the enjoyment of believing it.
Sure I agree that the human potential for warm fuzzy experiences exists independently of religion, but in the end the fact may remain that religious stories are better at generating them than any formulation of the truth is.
If we’re going to be rational, we have to accept this possibility is open, and being rational may be a trade-off in terms of what you might feel throughout your life. On the other hand it’s possible through future psychological and brain science discoveries we may find its possible to get more warm fuzzies than religion might give us without resorting to false beliefs, but I don’t think we know that yet.
but in the end the fact may remain that religious stories are better at generating them than any formulation of the truth is
This is exactly right. The question isn’t whether or not it’s chemically possible for people to get their fuzzies from places other than religion—this is obviously true. The question is whether or not us getting them to do so is politically feasible. I think not, and seeing how there are many believers who live decent lives I’d rather spend my time cultivating the more cosmopolitan varietals.