10,000 Monkeys and a Camera

Wow, we’re now past my favorite holiday of the year and moving toward what has to be our most ridiculous. I can’t believe it’s almost December. I’ve been a bit scattered this month and almost lost this meme, in which I was tagged, in the (virtual) piles of stuff on my desk. It’s from Smijer.

Anyway, I thought I’d drop in and try to start a meme. I’m estimating — 5 gazillion different varieties. The word means different things to different people. Maybe we need as many words for religion as Eskimos supposedly have for snow. Or maybe we can get by with what we have. This meme is for sorting that out. So, try to include all the statements about what religion (and add your own if you like), and label them this way… those labeled “something other than religion” are often aspects of some religions — this just indicates that they properly belong to another area of thought than religion and that they should be recategorized away from it:

Statement:

Belongs to: (all religion, my religion, other people’s religion, something other than religion)
My view of this aspect of religion is: (favorable, neutral, unfavorable)

Here are my responses. As you’ll see, I had a hard time staying within the parameters, but I’m struggling with the structure of the meme in general. This is what I came up with, though…

Religion is a sense of humility in the face of a world too wonderful/complex/awe-inspiring to fully understand or even fully cope with on a rational level.
Belongs to: something other than religion (individuals may be humble, but religions certainly are not)
My view is: favorable

Religion is a set of external (non-personal) moral standards toward which we should sometimes aspire.
Belongs to: all religion
My view is: neutral

Religion is a set of absolute moral standards toward which we should always aspire:
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: negative (you lost me on “absolute”)

Religion is a way of knowing things that cannot be known through careful empirical observation and reasoning:
Belongs to: all religion
My view is: neutral (I would put the word “knowing” up there in quotes)

Religion is a positive way of relating interpersonally with a community of people:
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: neutral (some religions get it right, but others completely screw it up)

Religion is a way of having relationships with incorporeal entities with whom physical interaction and ordinary means of relations are impossible.
Belongs to: all religion
My view is: neutral

Religion is any non-rational or irrational set of notions that influences behaviors, whether associated directly with a religious community or not.
Belongs to: (probably all) religious communities, and also to some non-religious communities (if you want to see non-rational notions influencing behaviors, hang out with some teenage girls for a while!)
My view is neutral

Religion provides us knowledge of a future life after our our current life ends, which can be known by no other means:
Belongs to: all religion
My view is: neutral, though I’d put the word “knowledge” up there in quotes

The dictates of religion should override moral reasoning and/or the dictates personal conscience.
Belongs to: some religions
My view: is negative

Religion serves as a needed reminder to listen to our moral reasoning and/or conscience.
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: neutral (most of us need the reminder, but I don’t think that religion is the only — or even the best — one)

Religion is a good way to know about history.
Belongs to: something other than religion
My view is: negative

Religion is a good way to know about the natural world.
Belongs to: a few religions (sadly, since it should be a great way to know about the natural world)
My view is: negative

Religion is a good framework for becoming a more productive and helpful member of a community.
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: neutral

Religion is a good source of personal, financial, or emotional support for people in distress.
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: favorable

One should protect one’s religion from anyone who seeks to persuade its members to leave it
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: negative (the religion itself, if it is worth following, should be protection enough from all persuasion)

Religion can exist without a belief in the supernatural.
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: skeptical

Religion can exist without compromising careful reasoning and good intellectual habits.
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: neutral

Religion can be good poetry.
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: positive

Religion (practiced such that it does not cause direct harm or abuse) should be protected from state interference.
Belongs to: all religion
My view is: positive

Religious people who are empowered in some way by the government office should be able to express their religious views as part of that state-sponsored function.
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: negative

Religion contains or provides knowledge that can be held with great certainty.
Belongs to: no religion
My view is: negative

Religion can be uplifting, fun, and challenging.
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: positive

Religion requires much effort on the part of the adherent.
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: neutral

Some religions are better than others.
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: neutral

Religion is good or bad depending on how it is practiced.
Belongs to: some religions
My view is: neutral

Religion should be treated with special deference.
Belongs to: something other than religion
My view is: negative

Religion should be tolerated.
Belongs to: something other than religion
My view is: neutral