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In current events the Royal Family carried on the tradition of christening their new baby Charlotte. The family's promenade into the church was sweet & heart-warming...yet in contrast with more modern, casual practices of everyday people, their pomp and circumstance seemed so old-fashioned in my opinion.
Kate & William are a lot more PR-friendly and down-to-earth than any of their predecessors have seemed to be...
So it occurred to me...When will free, logical thought begin to trump tradition? Within how many decades do you suppose the Royal Family will cease the practice of baby christenings?
How long until everyone including the Royal Family realizes that christening is a superstitious, unnecessary practice?
My perspective: I was born curious & questioning & searching & experimenting with religions all through childhood, teens, 20's & 30's. Toward the middle of my 30's I'd figured it all out to my satisfaction. I concluded that although all religions have many morsels of truth and principles worthy of consideration, Christianity is largely unnecessary superstition & tradition as well as Judaisim. Buddhist & Hindu & Sikh philosophies tend to be more humane, psychologically sound, and adaptable. Organized religion is good for gathering like-minded people together for a sense of community and support if people want to, but everyone must think logically regarding what they've signed up for, and work to maintain a sane, logical system. After trying on many religions, I've decided on agnostic secular humanism. No formalities needed.
So why do intelligent people follow archaic traditions? Do they not think logically & critically? These are highly-degreed university graduates. How can they blindly follow nonsense religions without suffering some measure of cognitive dissonance?
I could have posted this in Current Events or Religion & Spirituality but the nature of my question is probably better suited for Debate because I'm aware that it's improper and politically incorrect to question other people's religious practices.
The problem here is that you assume that everyone who is intelligent and thinks logically and critically will come to the same conclusions you have.
Maybe I didn't word it well, this is a tricky topic to tackle. I don't expect everyone to come to the same conclusions I have. I only hope that people would think clearly and critically.
Many people do think clearly and critically. These people arrive at vastly different conclusions than you do.
Can a clear, critical thinker still conclude that over 2,000 years ago a baby was born to a virgin and he is the messiah to save all mankind as long as we get sprinkled with water and are blessed by a priest? Have we not moved beyond believing in mythology?
Considering the Monarch of England is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, I doubt this practice will go away any time soon.
As I watched Kate & William pleasantly, happily walking their children to the church, I thought: How can they believe in this stuff? Have they ever taken time to give it any thought, or are they just following tradition without thinking much about it? What if they decide not to christen a child? Would the Monarch of England as Supreme Governor of the Church of England allow a royal family member not to be christened?
Quote:
Originally Posted by weeblywobbly
Also, for such a clear, critical thinking individual, you seem pretty close minded.
I'll never claim to be a flawless thinker. As anyone else, I do the best I can to figure out this world we live in. If I came across as close-minded, I probably didn't word things very well. Not an easy topic!
As I watched Kate & William pleasantly, happily walking their children to the church, I thought: How can they believe in this stuff? Have they ever taken time to give it any thought?
Maybe you really are open-minded, but from what you've written, the only logical conclusion is that you are sure that anyone who believes in any religion has not given it any thought.
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