Re: role of religion

From: Argrath_at_aol.com
Date: Sat, 20 Jan 1996 15:30:21 -0500


In Glorantha Digest V2 #335, Sandy Petersen writes:

>Martin lists evidence that religion is really useful on a group
>level, not an individual, evidently paying little or no attention to
>what I said, which was "its PRACTITIONERS" consider it useful on an
>individual level, and for them, benefits to society are secondary
>concerns.

It wasn't that I paid it little or no attention, it's that I gave it my version of the big Petersenian "so what," with a raspberry chaser. :-)

> Martin, clearly religion can benefit society, but that's
>NOT why individual people obey the religion.

Again, so what? To rephrase my point:

     All organized* religions** teach their members rules which benefit the 
     group***; to the extent this group participates in society, the rules
benefit
     society.

     * Organized = where one person tells another what to do based on
religious precepts, with some reasonable expectation that the second person will obey.

There, is that clearer? :-)

Now, as to WHY the individual follows these rules, at obvious and sometimes non-obvious cost in money, time, energy, life, and limb, it's becuase religion**** offers a bargain: Do (believe, practice, wear, eat, don't eat) this and you get that. Most people consider it a much better than fair deal.

End of Glorantha Digest V2 #336


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