Alan Ryan
Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2005
- Messages
- 51
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- Location
- Lincolnshire, England.
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Undisclosed
It is misguided to criticise or perhaps to reject religious beliefs as "popular delusions" or comfort blankets for the insecure, etc. On the contrary, it can be argued that objectively examined, religions have social, economic, and cultural payoffs.
1): The social payoff : Belief in a benevolent god and the reward of a spiritual afterlife that depends on good behaviour, gives authority to an absolute moral code which encourages social cohesion and quietism, and reconciles the irrational masses to their fate. By-products should include peace and security with less crime and "immorality", and a desirable curb on irregular conduct.
2): The economic payoff : An increase in employment created by the building of churches, temples, meeting houses, watchtowers, etc., together with the manufacture of ecclesiastical costumes and religious artefacts. Perhaps if the clergy were employed as salaried officials of the state (with apprenticeships for young would-be preachers), a useful number of potentially idle members of society could be enticed off the dole and enrolled into the priesthood.
3): The cultural payoff : There would be an increase in aesthetic activities - with more church music, rituals, processions, religious dancing, curious sermons, sacred festivals, and holidays etc.
The "educated elite" of course would be expected to "go through the motions" and dissemble a pious belief in the "truths" of the state religion. This would be a necessary dissimulation in order to maintain the public credibility of religious faith. Privately, the usual scepticism, cynicism, and atheism would continue to characterise the attitudes of the ruling class.
1): The social payoff : Belief in a benevolent god and the reward of a spiritual afterlife that depends on good behaviour, gives authority to an absolute moral code which encourages social cohesion and quietism, and reconciles the irrational masses to their fate. By-products should include peace and security with less crime and "immorality", and a desirable curb on irregular conduct.
2): The economic payoff : An increase in employment created by the building of churches, temples, meeting houses, watchtowers, etc., together with the manufacture of ecclesiastical costumes and religious artefacts. Perhaps if the clergy were employed as salaried officials of the state (with apprenticeships for young would-be preachers), a useful number of potentially idle members of society could be enticed off the dole and enrolled into the priesthood.
3): The cultural payoff : There would be an increase in aesthetic activities - with more church music, rituals, processions, religious dancing, curious sermons, sacred festivals, and holidays etc.
The "educated elite" of course would be expected to "go through the motions" and dissemble a pious belief in the "truths" of the state religion. This would be a necessary dissimulation in order to maintain the public credibility of religious faith. Privately, the usual scepticism, cynicism, and atheism would continue to characterise the attitudes of the ruling class.