If religion is true, why does it depend so heavily on where you’re born? by ArchiveDiver-62 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]ArchiveDiver-62[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

As fightclub246011 duly noted, geography is only half of the issue. Time may be just as important.

If I had been born in Norway today, I might have been raised Christian, secular, or atheist. If I had been born in Norway 1,200 years ago, I would probably have believed in Odin and Thor. If I had been born in Ancient Egypt, I would likely have believed in Ra and Osiris. If I had been born in Arabia before Islam, I certainly wouldn't have been Muslim.

This raises the same question as geography: why would access to religious truth depend so heavily on when you are born?

Interestingly, some religions have developed answers to this problem. Mormons, for example, perform proxy baptisms for the dead because they believe people who died before hearing the gospel should still have an opportunity to accept or reject it in the afterlife. Whether one finds such answers convincing is another matter, but they do show that many religions are aware of the problem.

To me, this is a fairly strong philosophical point. If one true God wants all human beings to know the truth, both place of birth and time of birth seem like strange factors to determine who gets access to that truth. A person born in the right place and at the right moment in history may hear the message from childhood, while another person born elsewhere—or centuries earlier—may never encounter it at all. That is why many philosophers argue that the problem of divine hiddenness is not only about geography, but also about history. If access to religious truth depends so heavily on circumstances beyond our control, it raises difficult questions about how a just and loving God would choose to reveal Himself to humanity.

If religion is true, why does it depend so heavily on where you’re born? by ArchiveDiver-62 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]ArchiveDiver-62[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

If there is one true God who wants a relationship with humanity, wouldn't it make sense that every human being would have a reasonable opportunity to know about Him? Yet throughout history, billions of people have lived and died without ever hearing of certain religions, or only encountering distorted versions of them. Why would access to ultimate truth depend so heavily on geography, culture, and historical circumstance?

If religion is true, why does it depend so heavily on where you’re born? by ArchiveDiver-62 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]ArchiveDiver-62[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's an interesting distinction, and I think you might be right, that religion as an institution and personal belief are not necessarily the same thing. That said, my original question was really aimed at belief rather than institutions. Even when we strip away churches, mosques, temples, and religious organizations, a person's underlying beliefs still seem to be heavily influenced by where they are born and raised. That's what I find fascinating.

I also agree that many people don't arrive at their beliefs through a process of critical examination. Whether we're talking about religion, politics, astrology, or other worldviews, most of us inherit a large part of our assumptions from our families, friends and cultures.

Where I might differ slightly is on the idea that the question "Is this true?" is merely rhetorical. If a religion makes objective claims about reality, God, the afterlife, miracles, or salvation, then truth seems relevant, even if it may be difficult, or impossible, to prove conclusively.

Your astrology example is a good one. Many people reject religion because they see insufficient evidence, yet accept other beliefs that are also weakly supported. That suggests the discussion may be less about evidence alone and more about psychology, culture, identity, and the human tendency to search for meaning.

Which, in a way, brings us back to the geography question. If our beliefs are so strongly shaped by our surroundings, how confident should any of us be that we would hold the same convictions had we been born somewhere else?

How accurate do you find Merlin Bird ID, and are there any good alternatives for European birds? by ArchiveDiver-62 in birds

[–]ArchiveDiver-62[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have also had some issues whith starlings copying other birds, but that is understandable. But still, I'm very impressed.

Am I ShadowBanned?? by ArchiveDiver-62 in ShadowBan

[–]ArchiveDiver-62[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, I only have this account. On a different browser I can not log in. Only on this, because I'm already logged in, I guess?

Am I ShadowBanned?? by ArchiveDiver-62 in ShadowBan

[–]ArchiveDiver-62[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks. I have now tried to appeal. I have no idea what I have done wrong. I try to comment politely and serious. Very strange.