Do You Believe In God? Or Do You Just Believe In Belief In God?
70Here is a little (and hopefully inoffensive) challenge to all religious believers, of whatever faith and denomination ....
The distinguished American philosopher and Santa Claus look-alike Daniel Dennett (Professor of Philosophy at Tufts University) caused a ripple of controversy a few years ago by questioning the depth and validity of most people's religious beliefs.
He claimed that after studying the subject for some time, and questioning a great number of practising Christians - the study was confined to practising Christians but I don't see why it couldn't apply to everybody - he came to the inescapable conclusion that what most people mean when they say they believe in God is that they believe in belief in God.
What??
Well, in other words, they have been brought up with the idea, or introduced to the idea, that belief in God is a very good, responsible, respectable, socially acceptable thing to do. It's not too difficult to understand. It makes very few demands on your time and energy. Lots of other nice people do it. It makes you feel good ......
So why not just go along with it?
If you probe this alleged belief, however, you discover that it doesn't actually go very far or very deep: it's like a thin veneer over the surface of people's lives. As soon as something more interesting or more compelling comes along - self-interest, personal ambition, sexual desire, greed, etc. - the veneer simply shatters and the vaunted belief is nowhere to be found.
It's an interesting notion. Based on my own personal experiences and observations, I have to say that I tend to agree with Dennett.
And I would pose the following question to devout, practicing Christians (or to people of any professed religious faith) everywhere:
What do you really believe in?
Do you believe in God?
Or do you just believe in belief in God?
And, more importantly perhaps, how do you recognize the difference?
If you really do believe in God - rather than just in belief in God - why hasn't this totally transformed your life?
Why do you behave the same (and frequently worse) than people who admit to no religious beliefs at all?
Why hasn't this belief done anything whatever to improve the way you treat other people?
Are you really that much better, kinder, more caring, more compassionate, more tolerant, more forgiving than non-believers?
Is your life really free of hate, envy, jealousy, malice, vindictiveness, etc?
And if not, why not?
Personally, I think the answer lies in the fact (contrary to what most people believe) that religious belief has very little to do with personal or social morality.
Unless we are psychopaths or sociopaths, we have an innate moral sense which is genetically coded into us as a direct result of over one hundred thousand years of physical and social evolution.
So you see - there is no need or necessity for any form of supernatural involvement or intervention of any description whatsoever!
(How refreshing!)
This is why, if people lose their religious belief, most will continue doing the same things, behaving in the same way, exhibiting the same human facets and frailties, being in essence the very same people, that they were before.
I know that most readers will not agree with this assessment - although, characteristically, I doubt that they will be able to mount a convincing rational argument why they don't.
So ....are YOU going to prove me wrong?
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Comments
Many thanks (as always) for your intelligent, insightful and thought-provoking comments, RFox. But I do not really understand why one would need to be a Buddhist in order to embrace the precepts you describe. Apart from the alcohol bit (ahem!) I try to be and do all of those things myself. Why can't we strive to be good, kind, caring and compassionate human beings without having to attach labels to ourselves?
You absolutely can. Enlightenment is a purely personal experience. No arguments from me there. You just asked according to 'our religion' whether there was proof. So I was answering from my perspective.
RFox says:
2 years ago
Hee hee. I just had to stop by your hub. First I will say that I'm going to join your fan club. Second, I do have proof that Buddhist belief will transform you as a person.
The biggest proof of Buddhist philosophy changing society can be found in the history of Tibet. Tibet was once a warlording, feudal society. They were extremely violent people which is how they maintained their autonomy from China and surrounding nations for so long.
After Buddhism was introduced things began to change and over the centuries Tibet evolved into the pacifist nation that existed before the Chinese rolled over them in the 50's. There was a total of over 6000 monasteries, with the Dalai Lama being the official head of the Tibetan government. All political policies were based in Buddhist philosophy and the people had no murders, no need for weapons and existed in a state of peace. And this change of belief was purely voluntary for the citizens involved. Buddhists never try to convert people, as conversion is forcing your judgement upon another. Which isn't good for either person.
This is the reason wny Tibet was so easily conquered by China. Violence and war were long forgotten in this region. They simply did not know what to do when diplomacy failed. It took them a long time to decide to even defend themselves against the Chinese army because any form of violence was against their true belief system. By the time they made that hard decision it was too late.
I know that my studies have transformed my life too. I do not respond to stress the way I used to. My selfish streak has slowly been eroded and I am certainly more humble and happy than I was when I was younger. My emotions do not control my actions very often any more. They are still there but I can just observe them and let them go without repsonding to them.
One of the reasons for this is because to be a Buddhist entails practicing the Dharma every day not just when you feel like it. It is difficult to be a Buddhist. Although we all seem so calm and content it is a constant struggle to maintain our philosophies while living in Modern Society. (This is why many choose the monastic life.)
After 10 years I am only now finally seeing deep rooted change in myself. This is because we are basically trying to rewire our genetic programming. We are overriding our fight or flight response. This takes dedicated effort. We observe and think about every action, thought or word that comes out of our mouths because we do not wish to hurt anyone. It is one of our fundamental guiding principles.
As a lay Buddhist I commit to follow five precepts.
Do not kill sentient beings (this includes insects)
Do not lie (in any form. Not a 'white lie' or even an exaggeration)
Do not steal
Do not engage in sexual misconduct (adultery etc.)
Do not imbibe alcohol or drugs (this one exists because as we all know if you get drunk you are more likely to lose control of youself and break the other precepts. Also we meditate to gain clarity of thought. Drugs inhibit clarity of thought.)
We must also engage only in work that is considered 'right livelihood'. This means you shouldn't take a job which will cause you to break your precepts. I used to be a bartender when I was younger and had to completely change jobs to follow the Dharma properly. This meant a pay cut and financial struggles. However this was a voluntary choice which made me a lot happier in the long run. Certainly was not easy.
These precepts exist to help people remember their vow to 'help the most sentient beings and harm the least sentient beings' in this crazy mixed up universe of ours. Being a Buddhist entails studying everything we do on a daily basis to see if we are causing any undue harm to another and rectifying it if we are. (This does not make us 'doormats'.)
It is a difficult struggle to be a Buddhist but one I embrace happily as it truly brings with it a sense of overwhelming peace and joy. If you ever get the chance to spend time with a Lama you will notice how they appear to be the 'eye in a storm'. Calm, peaceful and completely joyous.
Anyways, sorry about the long post but you did ask! Lol.