mtraven comments on Is it rational to be religious? Simulations are required for answer. - Less Wrong

-13 Post author: Aleksei_Riikonen 11 August 2010 03:20PM

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Comment author: mtraven 12 August 2010 09:27:11PM 4 points [-]

This post is based on the (very common) mistake of equating religious practice and religious faith. Religion is only incidentally about what you believe; the more important components are community and ritual practice. From that perspective, it is a lot easier to believe that religion can be beneficial. What you think about the Trinity, for instance, is less important than the fact that you go to Mass and see other members of your community there and engage in these bizarre activities together.

There is an enormous blindspot about society in the libertarian/rationalist community, of which the above is just one manifestation.

Comment author: Aleksei_Riikonen 13 August 2010 03:58:03AM 1 point [-]

No, I very clearly am aware of those two things as separate things. (Though I could have been clearer about this in my post.)

It is not obvious that faith couldn't be psychologically useful, also separately from practice.