Psychical Views on Religion

Identifying, classifying, and naming things gives humanity a means to compartmentalize and deal with an anxiety riddled existence. Our minds predilection for disdain towards the unknown provides the driving force for this coping strategy. Compartmentalizing global data locally into small known quantifiable pieces allows our minds to logically sequence this information and form relationships between them.

But, what of the extreme outliers which lie beyond our ability to reason out logically? They fall into the human constructs of organized religion, the supernatural, and the paranormal. These statistical anomalies that reside in the alphas and defy definition must be accommodated by societal values, belief systems, and accepted explanations. Mainly because left unchecked the unrest caused in our minds by these anomalies would lead to neurotic coping strategies resulting in societal decay.

Ethically this would seem to be a poor moral decision. However, I assure you it is not. Implementing control mechanisms in order to increase the uniformity of a populace allowed humanity to reach the apex of existence on this planet. The ability to cope with the unknown not only formed the foundation of modern society but also allowed us to remain a viable species.

From shamanism to deity worship each culture had their unique form of explanation for the unexplainable. More importantly whether gods, spirits, curses, or blessings became the uniform explanation integral psychical relief from fear, stress, and anxiety occurred. In addition, added benefits of providing these belief systems included a hierarchy in societal structure, a purpose for existing, and a value system to maintain order.

However, in knowing that organized religion is a human construct designed to keep the cogs of society running smoothly one must ask several critical questions. What is real? What is the truth? What are my values? What is the purpose of my existence? How do I explain the unexplainable? The answers to these questions depend entirely on who you are. They require you to establish an individual perspective separate from the familiar group consciousness, doctrine, and dogma.

This process requires a deep knowledge of ones self. An ability to see inward past our bias and view with an open mind our true motifs, values, and beliefs. Peering into the core of who we are to glean the jewels of the true person that is hiding inside. This experience may be painful at times. Remember that through pain we grow as individuals. Strength is required to undertake this type of spiritual journey and is not recommended for the feint of heart.

So, whether you choose to subscribe to world doctrine or follow your own personal code of ethics one thing is certain. As human beings we possess a thirst for knowledge and knowing. We possess an innate need to explain the unexplainable. It is a fundamental truth, ingrained in our genetic code, fueling humanities evolution. Our thirst for explanations drives us forward as a species giving us a purpose. Ultimately humanities quest for knowledge adds meaning to what would otherwise seem like a morbid and pointless existence.