Alternative way to approach religion

[Anonymous]

This link was posted on the Phoenix Mormon Stories Support Group and I really really connected with it. Thought it would make for an interesting discussion here.

http://www.kylecupp.com/2011/04/living-according-to-story-reflection-on.html

and (follow post on that one)

http://www.kylecupp.com/2011/08/religious-certainty-is-overrated.html

[Anonymous]

There are many parts of this blog that I found similar to my own faith journey but none struck me with the same force as this:

Quote:

The acting subject is something acted upon even in its very acting, for the acting subject is itself a function of the anonymous, presubjective forces by which it is traversed—by language, the unconscious, by the weight and momentum of its own past, of the collective past to which it belongs, by the biochemistry and neurophysiology of which it is constituted, and by numberless (because anonymous) other forces. When the subject acts, we cannot be sure what acts, i.e., what is happening, because the individual subject is an irreducible complex of other events.

From the depth of my assumptive world collapse I wrote:

Quote:

“Agency is not unencumbered. There are many trammels: genetic heritage, DNA, metabolism, birth order, personality, events in formative years, social influences, indoctrination, habits formed into synaptic bonds in the brain, addictions, circumstances nationally, politically, economically, in addition to advertising, propaganda, paradigms and many other inhibitors.”

In dealing with the combination of mourning and a faith crisis I felt propelled to certain “stages.” I had very limited control or choice in how I responded to certain painful issues.

Some of these stages (stages of grief) seem to be common with everyone, other reactions seem to vary depending on upbringing, gender roles, etc. This seemed to fly in the face of “free agency” or the freedom to act and not be acted upon. We are never truly free in our choices because “When the subject acts, we cannot be sure what acts, i.e., what is happening, because the individual subject is an irreducible complex of other events.”

To say it another way – I like to think that I choose to be the man I am today, but had my life circumstances been different would I have made the same choice? Or even had the power to do so?

Rather than this being purely philosophical and academic, I have used this line of thinking to be less judgmental and forgiving of myself as well as others. Perhaps those around me who cause me consternation do not so much make a conscious choice to be who they are but rather are (to a greater or lesser extent) following the “programming” that they have inherited.

[Anonymous]

Roy wrote:

To say it another way – I like to think that I choose to be the man I am today, but had my life circumstances been different would I have made the same choice? Or even had the power to do so?

Good thoughts, Roy. I don’t see it possible to “become” a certain way by deciding you want to be that person, we need to become through choices and experience. But the alternate choice to stay as you are is not possible. We don’t stagnate. We either grow, or degrade. I think its because our brains are programmed to learn that way.

Regarding the second blog on “Religious Certainty”, that is definitely something over the past 2 years I have let go of, and started to embracing uncertainty as being OK, and not to be feared. I think I will be uncertain of spiritual things the rest of my life, and so I better get used to living with it, as I continue to learn about more things I am uncertain about.

[Anonymous]

This part resonated with me:

Quote:

The point of concern was my abandonment of certainty and of any interest in attaining it. If I’m less than certain in my religious faith, is my faith then weak or in question? In forsaking any certainty, do I risk forsaking my faith?

At the risk of sounding coy, I must confess the answer to these questions is possibly.

I love this. It is so internally consistent with this man’s embracement of uncertainty, to answer a question that begs for a certain answer with the statement “possibly” — an answer which admits no certainty at all.

Can you build a religion around uncertainty? For example, can you build a religion around the certainty that the only thing you know for sure, is that you don’t really know anything about the nature of God, eternity, and the detailed specifics of behavior that lead to salvation with certainty, if salvation exists?

I think so — a religion that focuses on individual virtue and its impact on inner peace. Whether we are at peace is something we can know for certain if we are introspective.

[Anonymous]

I have written a few things on my personal blog about uncertainty. I’ll provide the following links to a few that stand out for me personally, but if anyone is interested in more, you can go to my blog and click on the “Labels” link for “Certainty” (4 posts) – and other related topics, like “Faith” (44 posts), “Knowledge” (15 posts) or “Perspective” (61 posts).

“Certain about Uncertainty – Uncertain about Certainty” (http://thingsofmysoul.blogspot.com/2010/06/certain-about-uncertainty-uncertain.html)

“Letting Go of Knowledge and Returning to Faith” (http://thingsofmysoul.blogspot.com/2011/03/letting-go-of-knowledge-and-returning.html)

“Truth Ever-Changing” (http://thingsofmysoul.blogspot.com/2009/02/truth-ever-changing.html)

[Anonymous]

Ray, in your first link you said this:

Quote:

Finally, it bothers me greatly when someone says with certainty that I can’t know something with certainty. *grin*

Would you care to elaborate on this? Based on what you say next, I may have to modify my own philosophy regarding uncertainty. One thing I want to be part of my own philosophy is that I don’t start taking the same dogmatic and insensitive approaches to religion that I received from others that landed me here in the first place.

[Author]

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