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Old September 20th, 2008, 02:49 PM   #10 (permalink)
yegbert
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Clinton, Maryland (US)
Age: 55
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The reason religions tend to have notions of certain beliefs being correct is because they have a basis in belief in the existence of something that exists with characteristics that are what they are, independent of human invention and opinion. Religions tend to presume they are the invention of god, not the invention of man. Sorta like nature or science. It exists and we can discover and study its principles and workings, but we can't define it to be other than what it is.

But religion being based on a belief in something not in the physical realm, outside of nature and science, the principles of a specific religion can not generally be proven in a way that can be universally agreed upon. So men articulate what they believe religion to be, and others have to evaluate and decide for themselves whether to believe in any of them.

And from the perspective of someone who is somewhat outside a specific religion but hoping for exposure for themselves or their children to value systems that have benefits other than the same end goals espoused by a religion, you end up picking and choosing as best you can from what is available. Like shopping for a fast food meal for lunch one day within the confines of your lunch hour, you have to take what is available close to you. I don't want to go into the fast food business in order to be able to have fast food. If McDonalds and Wendy's are close enough but not my ideal, while Burger King is preferable but too far away, I have to pick between McDonalds or Wendy's. If I envision that a burger made with flavor, add-ons and condiments like Chinese food is my ideal but nobody has a fast food burger place making such food, then I can't have that. If my ideal for my child is that he go to a school that teaches parts 1 and 2 of religion A but not part 3, and my only choices are schools that teach all three or just parts 1 and 3, then I have to adapt somehow.
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