Are We Too Attached to Our Religious Beliefs?

As science informs us, we are increasingly unlikely to believe unbelievable things.

I wrote about the Buddhist approach to reducing suffering by managing attachment, craving and ignorance here. Among people who are deconstructing their religious beliefs, there is a lot of suffering caused by attachment, craving and ignorance.

Why People Leave Their Religion

Barna Group reports that 52% of U.S. adults and teens have experienced religious doubts in the past few years. Daryl R. Van Tongeren, PhD,  wrote Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion. He reports the top three reasons why people left their religion:

“First, some people leave because of cultural stagnation: They are getting more ideologically progressive, but their religious organizations are not. Often, people report intellectual reasons for leaving religion, or mention they simply outgrew their faith….

“Second, some people leave because of religious or spiritual trauma or abuse. Some people have experienced this abuse firsthand, whereas others have witnessed people they love experience trauma….

“Third, some walk away from their faith because of suffering. Many have been given “theologically thin” accounts for the existence of evil in the world or insufficient explanation for why adversity strikes….

“And while there may be additional reasons why people leave, all of these reasons share a common underlying feature: They involve cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is the disorienting feeling when our beliefs don’t line up with other beliefs or our actions.”

Religion and Science

In much the same vein, I often say that people leave religion because of speculative theology, supernatural beliefs, and unkind practices. And as science informs us, modern Christians are increasingly unlikely to believe unbelievable things.

In The Way, I wrote that science has increasingly informed us about the biology, chemistry and physics of the universe. These new understandings can cast doubts on literal interpretations of the Bible:

Many Christians used to believe that the Earth is 6,000 years old. Science tells us that the universe is 14 billion years old and that the Earth is 4 billion years old.

Many Christians used to believe that God created the plants, animals and human beings in six days. Science tells us that humans evolved over 3.5 billion years.

Many Christians used to believe that the Earth was once a Garden of Eden. Science tells us that there was no original perfection.

Many Christians used to believe that Adam and Eve lived 6,000 years ago. Science tells us that human beings have lived on the Earth for over 200,000 years.

If there was no original perfection, no Adam and Eve, no snake, and no apple, then how could there have been an actual original sin? Further, if there was no original sin, then why would God have required an atoning death or a blood sacrifice? To me, these are important questions.

Attachment, Craving and Ignorance

How do we resolve the cognitive dissonance between religion and science? For many of us who are deconstructing our religious beliefs, this dissonance or pain can become suffering. Remember that the Buddhists tell us that suffering comes from attachment, craving and ignorance.

What are we attached to? Are we attached to a particular religious leader, religious scripture, religious tradition or religious worldview? When our religious beliefs conflict with our perceptions of reality, do we change our beliefs or do we change our perceptions of reality?

What are we craving? Do we want clarity or security? In other words, if our beliefs do NOT make sense, do we continue to embrace them? Are we able to change our minds when the facts change? Are we able to question a faulty religious leader, scripture, tradition or worldview?

What are we ignorant about? Do we know what we believe or why we believe it? Have we considered other ways of thinking about things?  Have we worried that the Creator of the universe is so insecure and uncertain that honest inquiry is threatening or upsetting to Him?

As science informs us, we are increasingly unlikely to believe unbelievable things. Would we embrace our unbelievable beliefs today, knowing what we know now? If not, then why do we continue to profess them?

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