Comfort in religion - is it regarded as negative?

[sandandfoam]

It seems to me that people who do not identify as religious often see the comfort offered by religion as negative. Further, it seems that this comfort is regarded as constituting evidence against the authenticity of religious experience.

Am I mistaken?

 

[Gjallarhorn]

I have no problem with seeking religion for comfort. In fact I encourage it (at least, in person). I have a problem with people denying evidence in the pursuit of comfort, though.

You can pray to God, but that doesn't mean you should believe fossils are Satan's handcrafted lies.

 

[sandandfoam]

You can pray to God, but that doesn't mean you should believe fossils are Satan's handcrafted lies.

I really like this line - it gave me a belly laugh. I agree with you.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

“Prayer cannot mend a broken bridge, rebuild a ruined city or bring water to parched fields. Prayer can mend a broken heart, lift up a discouraged soul, and strengthen a weakened will.”
- Rabbi Ferdinand M. Isserman

 

[Gjallarhorn]

“Prayer cannot mend a broken bridge, rebuild a ruined city or bring water to parched fields. Prayer can mend a broken heart, lift up a discouraged soul, and strengthen a weakened will.”
- Rabbi Ferdinand M. Isserman

That's another good point. Not only denying evidence, but also denying action. Many people seem to think that prayer is enough.

 

[sandandfoam]

“Prayer cannot mend a broken bridge, rebuild a ruined city or bring water to parched fields. Prayer can mend a broken heart, lift up a discouraged soul, and strengthen a weakened will.”
- Rabbi Ferdinand M. Isserman

I do not think I could have expressed it as clearly - but I couldn't agree more with the Rabbi.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

It seems to me that people who do not identify as religious often see the comfort offered by religion as negative. Further, it seems that this comfort is regarded as constituting evidence against the authenticity of religious experience.

Am I mistaken?

I think that whether the comfort of religion is a good thing (to the extent that it's a thing at all - I think in many cases, it's not that religion itself is comforting, but more that it creates discomfort at the idea of leaving it) depends on whether it's true.

It's fine to be reassured by comforting knowledge, but if your comfort is based on something false or vacuous, then I think you're getting into "opiate of the masses" territory.

As for the question about evidence... I don't think it's really a matter of direct evidence that the belief is false; it's something else.

People do believe religious beliefs. Presumably, there's some reason for this. We can think of a list of all sorts of potential reasons for a belief including "they believe it because it's true."

Whatever our list of potential reasons, it's possible that we may eliminate all the others so that only "it's true" would be left so that even though it wasn't supported itself, it would still be the best tentative conclusion available.

However, if "they believe it because it's comforting" is still available, then there's no need to accept "they believe it because it's true" just because it's the only option available.

 

[1137]

It seems to me that people who do not identify as religious often see the comfort offered by religion as negative. Further, it seems that this comfort is regarded as constituting evidence against the authenticity of religious experience.

Am I mistaken?

Hmmm, that is hard. I do see it as negative but that is because I am bound to my ideas of what "should" be done. I completely understand belief as it is comforting, just as ignorance is bliss. I get it. But for me, it makes no sense that complex and intelligent beings should just sit back without question, it makes us stagnant. Also, comfort is a fallacy. Just because belief in God and acceptance bring peace (we've all heard this argument) means nothing at all.

 

[Quintessence]

It seems to me that people who do not identify as religious often see the comfort offered by religion as negative. Further, it seems that this comfort is regarded as constituting evidence against the authenticity of religious experience.

Am I mistaken?

Perhaps not, but it sure strikes me as illogical and cynical. It makes me think of children who grew up in broken homes that lacked the comfort of material/paternal love. They might be so jaded as to say anybody who experiences actual maternal/paternal love is mistaken and inauthentic. The cynical and jaded scrooge so completely believes motherly/fatherly love is a lie that they twist the very idea of it into a negative. Utter nonsense to anyone who has experienced maternal/paternal love.

 

[sandandfoam]

It's fine to be reassured by comforting knowledge, but if your comfort is based on something false or vacuous, then I think you're getting into "opiate of the masses" territory.

I think true and false are the product of my mind - "opiate of the masses" pertains to things other people believe to be true which I perceive to be false

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I get it. But for me, it makes no sense that complex and intelligent beings should just sit back without question, it makes us stagnant.

If you believe that all those who pray are intellectually stagnant fools who just sit back without question then you clearly do not get it - perhaps because you're too absorbed in judgment and ad hominem.

 

[sandandfoam]

.... it makes no sense that complex and intelligent beings should just sit back without question, it makes us stagnant.

Why would you think that belief requires one to sit back without question?

Also, comfort is a fallacy. Just because belief in God and acceptance bring peace (we've all heard this argument) means nothing at all.

That's not at all how I experience it - in times of stress I find my belief in God very comforting - that means a lot to me.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Perhaps not, but it sure strikes me as illogical and cynical. It makes me think of children who grew up in broken homes that lacked the comfort of material/paternal love. They might be so jaded as to say anybody who experiences actual maternal/paternal love is mistaken and inauthentic. The cynical and jaded scrooge so completely believes motherly/fatherly love is a lie that they twist the very idea of it into a negative. Utter nonsense to anyone who has experienced maternal/paternal love.

I see it differently. Discomfort can be motivating. If a person is comforted into inaction, then suffering and injustice can persist unnecessarily.

If a person is comforted by the idea that God will punish the wicked and restore all victims, then he can be persuaded not to fight injustice. If God never does come down to do all that, then the world was worse off because of that person's comfort.

 

[Quintessence]

I see it differently. Discomfort can be motivating. If a person is comforted into inaction, then suffering and injustice can persist unnecessarily.

If a person is comforted by the idea that God will punish the wicked and restore all victims, then he can be persuaded not to fight injustice. If God never does come down to do all that, then the world was worse off because of that person's comfort.

A very fair and excellent point, sir.

 

[1137]

If you believe that all those who pray are intellectually stagnant fools who just sit back without question then you clearly do not get it - perhaps because you're too absorbed in judgment and ad hominem.

I didn't say that, but you know that.

I can't respond now as my phone's battery plummets, will elaborate soon.

 

[Revoltingest]

Comfort can be many things:
- It's great for mental & physical health.
- It's useful to convince warriors to die for a cause.
- It can deaden the mind to alternative perspectives.
- It's enjoyable.
- It can encourage sloth.

Is the net effect negative or positive?
I vote mostly positive.

Caution: I'm biased. I seek comfort in general (just not in religion).

 

[MissAlice]

It seems to me that people who do not identify as religious often see the comfort offered by religion as negative. Further, it seems that this comfort is regarded as constituting evidence against the authenticity of religious experience.

Am I mistaken?

Depends on what you mean by comfort. I have a friend from Jordan who's an atheist. He tells me he does not find comfort in prayer or ritual practice but has no other choice. Now I cannot speak for him but it seems society is comforted only if people in a society submit to their version of "religious experience".

However, if one finds comfort through personal belief, prayer or meditation without it interfering with the comfort of others, I see no harm and am strongly fort it. I myself found comfort in that as it was my only way of coping with a profound and confusing world. If you find religious experience from it, good on you but please keep in mind people find their sens of comfort not just through religion alone. In other words, let it be your own and if you want share it but that's as far as my beliefs of religious liberty go.

 

[George-ananda]

Because a belief is comforting, the opponents of that belief often argue that believers are biased towards what is comforting. Sometimes that is true and sometimes not.

I'm comfortable with my beliefs but I also think they are the most OBJECTIVELY intelligent beliefs I know.

I guess my point is because a belief is subjectively better does not mean it can't also be objectively better. Some opponents seem to think that because a belief is subjectively comforting, the believer has lost his objectivity. This I disagree with.

 

[Willamena]

I see it differently. Discomfort can be motivating. If a person is comforted into inaction, then suffering and injustice can persist unnecessarily.

If a person is comforted by the idea that God will punish the wicked and restore all victims, then he can be persuaded not to fight injustice. If God never does come down to do all that, then the world was worse off because of that person's comfort.

That is not a proper example of comfort inhibiting motivation, because comfort and discomfort are two faces of the same thing. That discomfort is that comfort endangered, and yes, it is motivating--you are motivated to secure comfort.

 

[no-body]

Nothing wrong with finding comfort in your beliefs. The problems happen when you make that comfort your religion and God.