RELIGION (6) - Is anybody there? (4)

Sophists considered thinking an endless process. It can only be stopped by applying value judgements, a characteristic of social studies. Having an opinion means stopping the process and having a view, having a standpoint. This also means that the rational process of thinking is interrupted by emotions, so we feel we have an opinion and we feel it right and true. 

Religions begin with an axiom – the teachings of a Great Spirit are unquestionable. Scientific thinking, however, aims cognition that is making known the unknown; the motivation being the eagerness for knowledge. This also means that every theorem must be provable and confutable. Therefore there is no absolute truth in science. In contrast, religious thinking cannot result in confuting the axiom. The religious truth is not proven but revealed and it is valid through acceptance. In religious thinking the result is sure (predetermined), which is the proving of one of the postulate. So, science is about how the world is, and religion is about how the world should be – as pointed out by Descartes.

There are phenomena which cannot be described or explained by rational means or in a combinative-logic way. In these cases come emotions handy. Since emotions such as mythicism, magic, vision, calling (of God), intuition, dream, interpretation, symbols, tantric representations, mantras, along with deliberately abandoning rationality, and prayers literally are irrational. However, teachings should be considered false if 1. they alienate the disciple from his inherent culture (since it is not a coincidence he was born in that culture); 2. they make the disciple haughty; 3. they do not require spiritual and moral efforts. Similarly, teacher should be considered a swindler, if 1. he accepts everyone who pays the fee, and does not select among students; 2.he makes the disciple dependent on him and kneel before him, and not before God; 3. he prohibits doubts and humor; 4. he keeps chasing up followers and does not wait for disciples coming themselves.

Thinking aims for objectivity and strives to separate the subject (who recognizes) and the object (what is recognized). Emotions are subjective reactions to recognized phenomena. Characteristics of emotions: 1. their opposite is the unconcern, the opt-out; 2. they are not ruled by human will; 3. they do not emerge on a logic base; 4. for emotions chronology does not count; 5. their strengths do not depend on the objective importance or significance of the occurrence; 6. so, emotions have their own subjective laws. 

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