These comments interest me greatly, Grim, as I’m researching in a related area. It’s entirely plausible for me that religions, indeed all mysticisms and metaphysics, as you mention, are reifications based on prediction (perhaps hypotheses is a better word) as much as wishful thinking. We have no direct access to the “noumenal” or the “real” or the “divine”—if these categories actually exist in any sense—outside their respective hypotheses (I allude of course to Kantian philosophy and Lacanian Psychoanalysis as well as theism). Each of these hypotheses is an elaboration of thought, an attempt to make sense of consciousness, life, the universe and everything. Humans are definitely into prediction and theories of everything (TOE: the holy grail of physics); and the plausible or “attractive” models, that “great” thinkers or divines invoke, attract followings that sometimes become “great” traditions, before they erode, fall away, or are superseded—Christianity today in its myriad forms bares little resemblance to the original. Secularism superseded theism, for some, and is now being superseded for others. Socialism superseded Capitalism for a moment etc. All this surely demonstrates human vulnerability to ideas—what Dawkins calls “memes”. What we humans really have, all we have, in my book, is our ignorance, and we should guard it like the precious thing it is. Who knows how vast our ignorance is—it comprehends all that we don’t know! I for one would rather be in awe of my ignorance, and the infinite possibilities it entails, than give it up for some faddish certainty.

Hi david f
I agree about education but it would have to be done in a non-biased format with the goal of allowing students to think for themselves, to toss around ideas and develop analytical skills. The only problem I can see with this is that some very highly intelligent people are also religious mainly (if the ones I know are indicative) due to their upbringing and belief that society is better off with religion.

The human brain is an interesting organ in the way it processes information such as in relation to illness, pain and general health. The notion of mind over matter. Religion perhaps, works in a similar way as a placebo effect. You only have to observe some congregational activities where people by virtue only of their belief believe they can be cured by an evangelical type character even if he/she the demeanour of a car salesman and overtly seeks 'donations'. Or witness those who really believe they are speaking in tongues.

It is testament to how vulnerable we are in terms of mass indoctrination and manipulation whether it be of a political, religious or commercial nature.

A week or so ago we learned that a meteorite the size of earth crashed into the planet Jupiter. If this happened to earth, we'd all be dust floating around in Space. Where does Religion/God fit in to this. It won't save us. Is this God a God of the Universe or just planet Earth? I have so many unanswerede questions that I find it difficult to have a place for Religion in my life.

There are a couple of answers to your question, Margie2, depending on your religious tendencies.

>>A week or so ago we learned that a meteorite the size of earth crashed into the planet Jupiter. If this happened to earth, we'd all be dust floating around in Space. Where does Religion/God fit in to this. It won't save us. Is this God a God of the Universe or just planet Earth?<<

If you are not religious, you would point out that one of Jupiter's characteristics in our solar system is to use its massive gravitational pull to attract space debris like this to itself, and to deflect it away from earth to a large extent.

So while we can expect a hit like this every few hundred million years or so, the odds of it happening while you are waiting for the bus are pretty tiny.

If you are religious, of course, you would point out that one of Jupiter's characteristics in our solar system is to use its massive gravitational pull to attract space debris like this to itself, and to deflect it away from earth to a large extent.

And that's God's plan.

Beautifully expressed, Pericles

Don't tell the religious that gas giants are being discovered elsewhere in the universe and we may well discover our type of solar system is not all that unique at all...

As for religion being forever, as we learn more, formal religion becomes increasingly meaningless. However, that inner feeling of the joy of life, the universe and everything will stay with us. Well, with most of us.

I find it amusing that people consistently look for explanations for religious belief, as if that gives them some right to clear them off with a wave of the hand. Religion is wishful thinking, or religion gives acceptance to people, etc etc etc. But almost all of these weak explanations commit serious logical fallacies. They inevitably commit the fallacy of attempting to explain the origins behind a person's belief, without realising that such explanations say nothing of the truth of the belief itself.

Such explanations can easily be turned back on the person making the claims. Serious religion is not meant to be a "comfort", and it also has it's disadvantages. Atheists, imagine for a second that there's a force far greater than you, to whom you will one day be held accountable for all of your actions. Not a very comforting thought, is it? So one could easily make the counter claim that the NON religious are avoiding such issues by choosing not to believe, and that they are giving themselves the ability to do whatever they want without any lasting consequence. This, of course, would be a poor explanation for the truth of their beliefs, just as their explanations that religious people want a "comforting blanket" are equally inept at explaining the truth of religious belief.