Why is it that intelligent, well informed people make bad choices? Some people who know and understand that smoking damages their health, continue to smoke. Patients who don't follow medical advice are labeled non-compliant. They are resistant to positive change. The addictiveness of nicotine is well understood yet many people manage to quit smoking in spite the difficulties. One could argue that although resistant people can repeat back the well known hazards of smoking they seem to have dissociated themselves in some way from the risks, as if they are stating smoking is dangerous, true but the rules don't really apply to them. Yes, people get sick and die of cancer, but it doesn't happen to everyone, therefore it won't happen to me. This is a kind of magical thinking. Smoking causes a variety of harmful effects on the body not just cancer. But those things are not significant in the magical mind of the resistant person. Logic is over-ruled by an irrational feeling of confidence that they are immune to the consequences of smoking.
The individual is not always the best judge of what is good or not good for himself. Parents often take control when they see their child is in the midst of making a bad choice. Its natural. As adults the individual's rights prevail, as they should. But not all adults are capable of making rational choices. Families who see a family member involved in self-destructive behavior will sometimes intervene in their behave. Interventions of this sort have saved many lives and helped to get a love one back on track.
In our culture today there is often little sense of community. We are all own our own. We are atomized in a cruel and unforgiving world. Some of us turn to religion to satisfy our tribal instinct. And it works. Not for all, perhaps, but for many. The benefits are real. Some research indicates that belonging to a community enhances physical and mental health. The bonds of friendship with people who hold similar values run deep. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of those close bonds between people. Life is full of trials and tribulations, having caring and compassionate friends to turn to in times of need is a tremendous solace to a troubled soul. Religious communities provide very real and important benefits to their members. To ask or demand that people give up their community is not good. People who want to tare down religion must recognize, that to succeed, there must be a replacement community to satisfy those tribal needs that many people have.
Religions are inherently dangerous. Although some people find peace and an improved mental stability, other do not. Some people cannot cope with the emotional turmoil that religions cast upon them. Some suffer overwhelming emotions of fear, guilt and shame when exposed to certain form of caustic religious practices. Suicide is not an uncommon result of religious pressure impinging upon a mentally unstable person.
Each religion offers a illogical but irrefutable brand of dogma; each different than another. It is common that religions vie for members, money and political influence. They present themselves as being the one, true correct religion while claiming to be tolerant of other faiths, internally they aren't. Some are very aggressive and use illegal and immoral tactics to achieve their goals.
All religions claim to benefit mankind. And their is evidence to support their claims. But no religion is perfect and they are all based of irrational contradictory dogma. Each religion is harmful in some way. The only way to improve religion is to take off the kid gloves and engage in open criticism and dialog. Challenge beliefs. Suggest ways to improve and make religion evolve.
It is time for an intervention. Show some compassion to your fellow man. Reach out to those who are caught up in religion that has remained in the dark ages. There are people in jeopardy, who are being abused, who need help now. Their welfare, and indeed, the welfare of mankind may well be at risk for some religions are not just toxic, they may be breeding a new generation of terrorists who might just catapult the world into World War III.
