Can I get some honest thoughts on this quotation - without people getting defensive?

Question

"Without cultural sanction, most or all our religious beliefs and rituals would fall into the domain of mental disturbance."
— John F. Schumaker

Ross: why?

Ross: I'm good at multi-tasking

Answer 1

well I am sure that many who see other cultural practises , think of them as a little mad or strange
I am sure they feel the same about ours ( whatever they are )
so yes I agree

Answer 2

I agree, if you think about it from the point of view of other people.
I'm learning Wicca. If I went up to say, a Christian (I mean nothing against them, mind you) and explained certain aspects of Wicca, they may start saying things like "Everything comes from either God or Satan." Personally, I find that nothing is ever as black and white as this point of view is presented, just like nothing is ever entirely good or entirely bad. If I believed in Satan, I would probably also believe that God and Satan balance eachother. You can't have one without the other.

Say I was from some non-existent hypothetical religion that taught that every air particle was a sentient being with something to say. I would be walking around doing things to try and talk to the air particles and would probably eventually be believing that they were talking back (no matter why I think they're talking to me). I don't know about you, but if I saw someone walking down the street talking to all of the little air particles, I would probably consider the possibility that they are mentally disturbed. But, as a believer in that religion, I would think myself completely sane, maybe even perhaps believe that anybody who follows a religion other than mine is insane.

It's all depends on ones point of view and how egocentric they are.

Answer 3

This is a tautology.

Any action without cultural sanction at least runs the risk of falling into the domain of mental disturbance.

I think the trick is not to widen the domain of mental disturbance, but to find techniques to make the widest possible variety of actions have cultural sanction.

Answer 4

I disagree. Not all dogmas are negative. For example, many people do not kill their enemies more out of fear of God's punishment than the legal system's punishment. Also, many religious gathering places are also social gathering places. One goes there to be amongst one's own kind, many of whom will look after each other in times of sickness or other times of trouble. People helping people.... hmmm.

That's not to say that no dogma is silly or bigoted. I just don't agree with Schumaker that it is all bad and a sign of mental disturbance.

Answer 5

To those without faith, it makes perfect sense. If you analyze the irrationality of many religious believers' mental tendencies in different instances you can see how it makes sense. Since many people are sheep the cultural sanction isn't hard to come by.

Answer 6

Because they are so beyond belief. As human beings we are generally very closed minded. We fear anything new or different. Do you recall when a human had seizures they were said to be "possessed by the devil". It was not until years later we learned the truth. We fear what we don't understand!! We make quick assumptions to ease our own mind.

Answer 7

I do not know anything about Mr Schumaker but this statement can only come from an atheist. All atheist rhetoric sounds the same.

Answer 8

If a stranger walked up to you and began to tell you that he or she had heard a voice, seen a vision, etc., and that in that state, he/she had been told that he/she was being sent to guide the people from their life problems and all they had to do was to do exactly what he /she was being told to do in his/her vision or what the voice "inside his/her head" was saying, how would you re-act to that person?

Remember, this person would have no physical proof. You would not be able to see who they were speaking to, nor experience their vision.

Take into account that the message he/she begins to deliver is telling most person to abandon, or surrender one's personal ego, material goods and all of one's past habits and familiar traditions and understandings for something as yet "unknown".

If you resided in a place, country or society that readily accepted that persons might be in touch with a "higher power" then you might listen. After listening , you might even decide to follow.

As you reside in the "modern" world, a world where the French philosopher Rene Descarte taught us to doubt so as to ascertain truth (His original statement was ,"Dubito ergo sum", not "Cogito ergo sum".), you might either try to find this obviously deluded individual some psychological help or simply "run away" (to quote from Monty Python).

Most person seem to live in a rather jaded state unwilling to believe anything or anyone. After having been lied to by religioius leaders, politicians, our parents, teachers, lawyers, judges, the media, and on and on, why should one believe willingly? (Recall the old Russian maxim, "Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me!") For most persons, the blisters have not healed yet.

Even the Buddha told his followers to never take even what he told them as true until they had personally explored it so as to see if it worked for them in their individual life.

This is my honest opinion and thoughts on that quote.

Thanks, by the way, as I am always looking for a good quote and that is a good one.

May it all be well with you.

Answer 9

I would disagree. I'm going to assume, and forgive me if I'm incorrect in my assumption, that you don't believe in the Bible. But bear with me for a minute...

Before there was anything like culture, as we know it today, there were Cain and Abel. Both are described as making sacrifices to their creator. Were they mentally disturbed?

Man is born with an inate spiritual need which is why you will find religion or spiritualism in every corner of the globe.

Answer 10

Revelation 12:9 says "satan has the entire religious world deceived, that old red dragon the devil, the serpent, the accuser of the brethern" the whole world is looking through the eyes of decption! very dangerous!!! Liek we cant see nuclear war coming, or that everuthing will be just fine iof we shoot off just a few of the nukes!!! Whats wrong with us!!! R we blind!!!

Answer 11

Why is it that people don't understand that Christianity is not a religion but a testimony, and the only way of worship. truth and salvation.

It has been the scholarly which is actually a product of the beast, that has classified and created religions in its acceptance and definition of everything that is not true, nor justice.