Does being devoutly religious show a lack of critical thought, or does just show a stronger capacity for faith

Question

It's easy to pigeonhole people in general.

Full disclosure and honestly; Sometimes I am envious of those who have a faith in something other than this crappy culture we live in.

But I just can't help but shake my head at the fact that the United States will not even think of electing a President who wouldn't give mad props to the sky fairy.

So is religion a firm foundation, or is it just something that causes more strife than it is worth?

I vote the latter. What say you?

Answer 1

I think it can be either. To a sane competent person with a firm grasp or reality, and a healthy understanding of science, religion can bolster a person's life. it gives you a sense of community. Lets be honest here- there’s no way of knowing for certain what happens after we die, we can only put forth what we believe. Thats as true for the most devout catholic as it is for the most die hard atheist. There's no proof one way or the other, so we can only hold to what we believe, logical or not, and continue our lives. I admire greatly those few but wonderful Christians out there who hold their beliefs dear to them, but are able to do so without tearing down the beliefs of another.

On the converse side, we live in a greedy, and imperfect world. A world where if you are not right, you are wrong, and thus less of a person. We are a fearful lot. Many people feel threatened by the beliefs of others. This causes them to cling more tightly to their own faith, and lash out at others. To someone who's believed all their life there is NOTHING scarier than standing over the abyss of disbelief. Coming to the realization that what they hold isn’t fact but hypothesis. that they may in fact be alone, and even more terribly, that someday they will die, and just cease to be. That everything they've ever loved in essence means and is nothing. So they shy away from it. Fill their heads SO full of religious fervor that no doubt can creep in. This makes them terribly intolerant, and more than a little dangerous. We feel the need to fight for our beliefs whatever there may be. If there were absolute religious tolerance, what would we kill each other over?

Answer 2

That becomes a question on whether or not the person is more religious or spiritual.

Those that follow the forms of the religion but have no connection to whatever deity they claim to follow, are more religious. They are the ones who show some lack of critical thought and tend to follow the forms for what ever reason. They are also likely to be lacking a strong faith or a willingness to question it.

Those that have the strong connection to their deity, with or without the religious forms are the more spiritual. They are more likely to have thought long and hard over the tough questions of faith. They also are the best examples of faith. You could probably ban the forms of their religion, only to have them find ways to keep their faith and change the outward expressions to fit the new rules.

Answer 3

As a Christian who's going to spend his life as a missionary, it may seem that I show a lack of critical thought. But, I have studied the Bible scriptures intensely. I've taken classes that have tried to shoot every hole in the Scriptures they possibly can, but I can honestly say that the search for intellectual and logical explanations for the Scriptures has only enhanced my faith in GOD. Religion taken badly and used badly causes strife, but a true Christian will show true love to everybody, no matter what difference of beliefs they have with the person.

And, by the way, people who say that this nation is a Christian nation are wrong. The Founding Fathers were Deists, not Christians. I hate when people don't research these things.

If that helps, I'm glad. You can still have faith in GOD and be an intellectual person and deep thinker.

Answer 4

Even though there are many "crappy things" as there are about the culture we live in, there are just as many great things. I would say being devoutly religious shows both a lack of critical thought and common sense. Further more it is dangerous to human progress. Every advance in science has been met with nothing but hostility from religious types. You can have faith, and not be religious. You can have faith in numerous things, family, friends, love, ect.

Answer 5

Critical thought is a very useful tool but limited by what is known. It can speculate about the unknown but can't act on it with any certainty. This intellectual prudence can protect against unjustified ventures, but it can also hamper initiatives that are admirable but not completely thought through.

Faith, on the other hand, is not bound by the "pause of reason", which enables it to accomplish some amazing things. Of course, it can just as easily get into trouble because, either way, it doesn't actually know what it's talking about.

People like a "believer", largely because it shows they have a capacity to believe in things, to think outside their own narrow self-interest. You might say they attach an importance to believing in belief. (They may also feel better about their own a-rational belief systems knowing that their candidate shares the propensity.)

Faith (and not necessarily supernatural faith) motivates us beyond tolerating the status quo. Reason figures out how to accommodate, rein in, or direct the demands of faith. In public policy, a little of both approaches may be desireable.

However, devotion is another matter. It is one thing to apply oneself intensely and consistently to one's chosen approach to life. It is another to refuse to tolerate different approaches by others. When the method becomes more important than the problems it is trying to solve, one's perspective becomes distorted. Every issue must be transformed to fit the model rather than the model being adapted to fit the issue. This intolerance of pluralism is the source of strife. People need to allow a multiplicity of paths, chosing the path that suits them, engaging and challenging others on different paths, but not tying the personal worth of their own path to their ability to convert others. Some people just can't handle the idea that sane people can come to different conclusions, or the idea that compromise is possible or desireable. No matter the discipline, zealots accomplish the least good.

Answer 6

I think you CAN be both devoutly religious and a critical thinker, but I also think that often people choose not to apply their critical thinking skills to their religious texts and dogma. They will hold an article on the editorial page to the highest level of scrutiny, but pull something thoroughly irrational like a virgin birth from the Bible and it all goes out the window.

I actually do not have any jealousy for blind faith. I do believe in God, although I know there is no proof supporting that belief. As such, I feel I have been blessed with intellect. I think others have been blessed with faith. You can't even get a T-shirt that truly fits everyone... why should something as vast and complex as a religion? ;-)

Answer 7

Interesting question, and I take it in the spirit in which it is asked.

As far as the nature of religious devotion, it depends upon the devotee. One could say (not without a little cynicism) that faith reflects an absence of intellect, but that is hard to believe in one of the most educated nations on earth. Moreover, critical thinking (ie, reason) and faith are not often at odds. Consider, for instance, Rene Descartes, whose capacity for intellect (Cartesian Geometry, anyone?) and faith went hand in hand. He deduced by logic the importance of faith in an invisible yet omniscient and omnipresent God.

I don't think there is an innate "capacity" for faith in terms of a limit; I believe that all human beings are created for purposes of faith just as we are for purposes of love. Love is the source and goal of humanity, and faith is love transcendant to the realm of belief.

Perhaps more to the point, if I may conject, is that those who possess a stronger faith are those who are more willing to surrender to a higher power and to let go of personal satisfaction and personal need for the sake of a higher good. This is the essence of religious devotion (which qualifies one as "devoutly religious"), the ability to surrender, and therefore to pray, for without surrender there is not prayer, just talking.

You ask a separate question as to whether religion is a firm foundation, or a cause of strife. I will tell you that so-called "religious strife" can be separated between debate and social malaise. The former is a necessary part of the discerning of the intellect in spiritual matters, and should never be forgone. The latter, social malaise, has more to do with the inherent stubbornness of humanity than with its capacity to surrender to a higher power. Thus, while faith leads us to call ourselves "Christian" "Muslim" "Jew" "Baha'i" and so on, stubbornness leads us to fight about it.

By the same token, think of the potential for faith to PREVENT violence. The current war in Iraq and in Afghanistan has less to do with Christianity versus Islam than it does with perception of political power versus political powerlessness, the latter having taken up arms in the form of assymetric warfare (ie, terrorism) as a response.

Lastly, I understand that you hold disdain for religious belief, but it is important to recognize that, until atheists outnumber persons of faith (or at least, outvote persons of faith) it is almost certain that the elected leadership will reflect some aspect of the faiths of the population.

Answer 8

Devoutly practicing a chosen religion is just that, a choice to live in and enhance the faith one already has. But it sure seems to work for some, a lot of people.

Answer 9

A strong faith in a higher power is a very firm foundation. I try not to use the word "religion" becuase there are several different religions out there and there are some that believe they are the only ones going to Heaven. I believe there will be folks from every religion there, from every walk of life, every ethnicity, every social rung on the ladder. God is no respector of persons. As long as you believe Jesus is the risen son of the living God and that He died for your sins and ask Him to save your soul and forgive you, then live for Jesus I believe you'll make Heaven your home. I believe it takes a more thought and perserverance to be devoutly "religious" than not because if your not religious you simply live you don't "strive" to live right. Doesn't make someone a bad person mind you, but doesn't mean you'll make Heaven either. But your right it is easy to pigeonhole people and it's done every day.

Answer 10

But what exactly is "faith", if not the abandoning of reason and the giving in to some authority or some ancient text's explanation for things?
After many lenghty discussions with many a religious person it always boils down to, 'you just have to have faith' and thats it. Not any different than saying, "trust me".
Firm foundation? I think not.