That is how religion works also.
Its also very effective for a large percentage of the population. Im not sure at what intelligence level personal responsibility becomes a factor for people, but I'm fairly certain it's somewhere above average.
That is how religion works also.
Religion works because you're exposed to its precepts at a very young age, before you have acquired the wisdom and experience to question what you're being told.
AA and NA have the same precepts you have to accept. Part of the problem is "religion" is taken to mean only Christianity, when really it just means a system of beliefs -- a "set of axioms" in mathematical terms. Most often these religions-in-all-but-name use innocuous "truths" as their basis, i.e.: "what happens between consenting adults is no one's business"
Anyway, as an example: in AA/NA you confess your sins to large groups of people, while (specifically) in Catholicism you confess your sins to one person. So what's the difference?
Anyway, as an example: in AA/NA you confess your sins to large groups of people, while (specifically) in Catholicism you confess your sins to one person. So what's the difference?
Groups of people vs. one person(?), for one.
Religions require that you believe you're powerless to control your own destiny and for you you bend the knee to an all-powerful deity. AA/NA require that you believe you're powerless to control your own destiny and for you to seek the approval of a group of strangers.
For that to be true, it would require a lack of converts above the age of possessing critical thought.
But that's not the point im addressing. The basis of nearly every religion is that you are controlled by a higher power and everything that you do or that happens to you is a result of this higher power. Not yourself. The example i am most familiar with is Catholicism. If i were a catholic, i could see your wife, lust after her, stalk her and rape her, kill her and bury her body - all horrible things. Then i could stroll into confession, tell the priest what i have done and have him forgive me for my sins, absolving me of all of it and i could just walk away from the responsibility of it all. Because the higher power is responsible. Not me. But the same logic applies to everything. And the the human mind's strong rationalization skills uses religion as a coping mechanism to deal with the terrible things we make decisions to do. That is why religion works. It creates a way for you to stop blaming yourself and a start blaming someone else for the fucked up shit you do.
For that to be true, it would require a lack of converts above the age of possessing critical thought.
I was making a generalization, but I see where you're coming from.
And the the human mind's strong rationalization skills uses religion as a coping mechanism to deal with the terrible things we make decisions to do. That is why religion works. It creates a way for you to stop blaming yourself and a start blaming someone else for the fucked up shit you do.
Very well said. To that, I'd add that organized religion is a control mechanism to keep the masses from rioting.
Maybe organized religion, sure.
I like the definition of religion as a SET of beliefs regarding origin, destiny, purpose, and morality. In that paradigm, everyone has a religion. Some are just less "organized" ;)
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