There are many reasons for religion, but I think the top one is the conquest of fear. It’s at first sight extraordinary that you and I have never come across this thesis before. But . . . consider. Is it not true?
Mind and body say different things.
The body , that is, the ancient intelligence from earlier stages in evolution, says “Fear with its brother pain is what helps me to stay alive. Without the warnings of fear I would certainly be dead!”
The mind, this recent addition, this reflecting “I” which knows how to yearn for the unseen, says “If it wasn’t for fear, I’d be happy!”
The natural man respects fear. The man ready for religion is open to the suggestion that “Perfect Love casteth out fear.” (I John 4:18)
What are we to do with fear? It halts behaviours which put our life and wellbeing at risk. Should we not respect it rather than bypass it? As I have learned from harsh experience, suppressing emotion—fear being one of the most powerful—leads to various kinds of illness which the body has evolved to resist the foolishness of mind.
So how will we protect ourselves against fear? The rich man’s way is to live in a castle of stone, employ a small army and pay for the best doctors to prolong his life.
The poor man’s way is to embrace religion.
There are strong traditions which link fighters with religious faith, for fighters must be fearless. We can overcome fear, at the price of a sacrifice: to pretend there is no difference between the natural conscience and some artificial concept of salvation imposed upon us.
The tradition of the warrior-saint is seen in British Christianity: martyrs; King Arthur and his knights; St George and the dragon; the Red-Cross Knights and their Crusades; “Onward Christian Soldiers”; the Salvation Army. All of them demonstrate how religion fosters courage.
On Saturday I was fearful of an event I had to attend, but it was irrational so I suppressed it. This put me out of sorts. I did not feel well. I got fatigued and slept. All this was a ritual. Like the actor afflicted with stage-fright, I knew I would go on the stage and everything would be all right. In the end, I made myself a reason to be courageous: “I’m doing this for S.” In the event all was well and S. had no need of my gesture.
Look at religion and see how much of it is designed to rid us of fear.
8 Comments:
Charles Bergeman
I would argue that religion is used not only to tamper fear. It also uses fear as a means of control. Fear of God, Evil, the Devil, Hell, etc. are used to keep you in line, ensure that you retain your allegiance to God. Politicians use fear as a motivator, as may your Boss, your Spouse, etc. The only thing you have to fear, is fear itself. Of course it is logical to avoid harms way, I’m not sure it is fear that drives that behavior, just common sense. Yes there are cases, where we place ourselves in harms way in order to overcome an obstacle or in an act of bravery (assuming some noble cause).In that case it is assumed that we value the cause enough to sacrifice ourselves for it. We have rationalized our fear into the background. Fear as an emotion, is instinct in action. Our minds, our ability to reason, give us the ability to overcome fear. Religion, provides fictional, dogmatic responses to fear in order to pacify potential believers. Religion can also provide comfort to those in fear where logic and reason fails. However when this comfort fails to eliminate the source of those fears, answers like “It was God’s will” are designed to suspend disbelief.
Vincent
I meant real bodily fear, Charles. It stops you getting killed. And the nagging fear of death and loss and chaos. Logic and reason don’t overcome these things—they just give us a layer of unreality that insulates us from joy too.
Sophia
Sometimes when we do something in our minds for someone else, it helps us get through it. I’ve done that several times before. “I’m doing this for Mr. X”. It gives me courage. What is strange in my particular situation is that for a few years I was rather agnostic and not at all devoted so much to spirituality. In my case, inviting spirituality into my life actually also brought along with it fear, because I was dealing with something that didn’t have a name or a face, and it seemed quite – to put it simply – large. I felt for a while that I would lose my identity, if I became interested in spirituality, and I was frightened of this, but something kept calling me to explore deeper. So, here I am today still on the path trying to figure the Universe out, accepting that in doing so I have invited fear to take an active role in my life. And boy does it! And lots of other weird emotions, too. Happy Tuesday, Vincent.
Charles Bergeman
I understand. Fear of death and the promised afterlife are one of the more compelling selling points of religion. Personally, I don’t find the idea of death, as final and complete, to be a source of sorrow. I simply find it to be more reason to celebrate and protect life. When someone I care deeply about passes away, I make every effort to share my fond memories of that person with all who will listen. Memories along with the impact that person had on others are the afterlife I cherish. Great joy can come from that as well. If I fear death, it comes from my desire to achieve more than I have so far in life. It is that desire that leads me to cherish every minute of every day and to live life to it’s fullest. Many I know who are religious do not come to that realization until they have had their life threatened in some way, or they come to an age where they begin to think of their mortality. I feel sorry for them as they have wasted so much of their life up until that point. They should have enjoyed it sooner and spent time with the people they love and doing the things they enjoy. We have precious little time in our lives to enjoy the marvels that this world has in store for us. The promise of an afterlife gives people the idea that there is some kind of an opportunity to do it over, or to experience a kind of joy that earthly bonds prevent. I say, experience Joy now, don’t wait for an afterlife. I guess I don’t see how logic and reason lead to some kind of insular unreality. In fact, I feel more stable and capable of experiencing Joy when I see things clearly, devoid of illusion. Granted, great joy can come from using your imagination, fantasy role playing, etc. But I don’t think that is what your getting at.
Rama
Religion may be one means to overcome fear. And it may be embraced out of a fearful mentality. But while fear is “natural” in the sense of our being endowed with it for our own survival, we can nevertheless examine our fears and try to discern all the conditionings through which so many fears are instilled into us. And beneath so many fears may be the prospect of losing something or giving up something. So, for our own health and growth, we can and should root out our fears. Hence in the Indian tradition, seekers like the Buddha, are also known as “jina”, or “fearless one”.
Charles Bergeman
Vincent,I have reflected on my comments over the last couple of days. In retrospect, I worry that you may feel that I am attempting to paint you into a corner.Feel free to have your angels dance in that paint. It is not my intention to convert your way of thinking into mine.I do apologize if my comments appear too harsh, or condemning of your own. That was not my intention.I have become too conditioned to take a defensive stance in respect to my stance on religion. I sometimes forget to leave others room to have their own views.
Vincent
Charles my dear fellow, I didn’t see it that way at all. I was a bit sharp with you in fact, not because I felt you were trying to paint me into a corner, but because I wanted to get my point across to you. I want to practise communication and break through conventional ideas to something beyond.Anyhow I won’t pursue these points now. I just want to reassure you that though I might write a pathetic account of a strange childhood, you can make robust criticisms without fear.
Fleming
I’m suspect that any further comment is redundant, but I do want to emphasize how fear is used both as a lure and a whip by some religions. True, in our lives as biological organisms we could not survive or reproduce without the twin guides, pain and pleasure. But when it comes to beliefs, maybe those guides aren’t as reliable. I think it is fear of death which primarily (although not only) draws people to seek religions. They want be to “saved”, to be assured that they will go to paradise or heaven. As Vincent says, they go to religion for relief from fear. That is understandable, in that the mysterious human condition is bound to be puzzling and frightening to most people. What strikes me as despicable is the use by some religions of fear not only to recruit but to control and intimidate. They create horrific divine punishments in addition to conditional promises of bliss, or they teach that the congregation will be horribly destroyed by enemies if it does not hang together and obey The Law. I feel, personally, that there is more of an element of fear in most religions that Vincent implies. This Bible passage comes to mind: Philippians 2:12, “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” There’s no shortage of others! The best description of the use of fear in religion that I know of is in James Joyce’s PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN. See also the famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) (plentifully available on the Internet if you need a good dose of fear and trembling).
a wayfarer’s notes 