Okay, so you want to have a religion. Fine. whether its the comfort of a afterlife or the comfort of some almighty god looking out for you, you have decided to believe in something. I feel it would be ignorant to believe what you are taught as a child, like many do. Do you really think that the religion you were born into and taught is the right one? You could have been born in India and believed with the same conviction that there are thousands of gods. Does this not cross anyones mind
It is not about "believing" something. So, simply "believing" something is true isn't what's important. The truth is not a head knowledge. It transcends belief, and it even transcends typical "knowing." It's not just about knowing something's true, just to know as if the knowledge itself is important. That's why it is called "realization," as opposed to intellectual understanding. You realize that not only IS IT that way, but it MUST BE that way. Then beyond that, you learn that it is that way, and it must be that way, because it is BEST that way.
Technically, you're born into atheism. But yes, it's wrong to be indoctrinated and hold those beliefs simply because they were the beliefs of your elders. And, yep, any geographic location changes significantly what your religion will probably be. Heck, if you were born in SLC you'd have a chance of being a Mormon!
exactly! it is ignorant not to question everything you were taught...... if you have questioned it and still want to follow....then thats on you...no longer an ignorant choice...but an informed one.... is it right or wrong..... that is a whole different idea...
^^^^^^all that being said.. ^^^^^^^ you can only really start to be held accountable around the age of 18.. it takes a long time for most people to develop the cognition necessary to question what they were raised with
i think i was lucky..... the adults round me showed me when i was very very young that most of them- were completely full of shit...... and certainly not to be trusted! i always knew.....
I think the bigger issue in whether you accept what you are taught as a child is if you simply accept it for no other reason than that you were taught it, or if you accept it based on justifying the beliefs for yourself. I feel that the reason and justification one has for a particular belief is as important as the belief itself. I don't care if someone agrees with my position if their reasons for agreeing with me are stupid. If you don't have valid justification, it's just as stupid as holding an undeniably stupid position. Of course in today's society most kids, especially in regard to religion, are simply taught what to think and not how to think (and sometimes taught not to think), and as a result the vast majority of religious people happen to be of the same religion as their parents with little or no actual reason for believing it other than, "Well that's what I was taught." If your parents hold beliefs and teach you their beliefs that's fine with me as long as they also teach you to think critically and to question everything, even those beliefs. And just because I'm a pedantic douchebag about semantics, I don't think ignorant is quite the right word. It certainly does demonstrate a lack of critical thinking and is foolish in most cases to simply hold a belief because you were taught it, but that's not what ignorant means. A person who holds a belief that they were born into for no good reason most likely is ignorant, but the action of believing the belief itself cannot be described as ignorant.
I do not think it is about believing or not but of accepting the existence of other beliefs outside your own. As in what ever floats your boat you know?
justifying beliefs for yourself you say? To me this statement shows exactly why I cant believe in religion.. your admitting its phony based on someones needs for comfort
You tell 'em, Mr. Dawkins This sort of happened to me growing up. I questioned everyone about everything that involved religious texts and how anyone in their right mind could possibly justify stoning a rape victim on their fathers porch.
I think if you look into that religion. And understand it. And it is TRULY who you are deep inside, than no, it shouldn't be ignorance. But I strongly feel every individual should just trust themselves first, rather than trusting what they were born into. Which your parents were born into. Which their parents were born into..... I think I'm just going to let my child be themselves. And choose if they want/find a religion when they grow up, that is true to them