The Pillars of Society

Religion as a system helps maintain morality, meaning, discipline, and impulse control in a society and its existence in a secular state helps prevent said Secular state from co-opting its role in society as its own fueling intolerance to those that oppose the State, e.g., Nazism, Constantine of the Roman Empire adopting Christianity, Caliphate, etc. which concerns itself with the increase of worldly power and authority in its own affairs.

One could make the argument that the major religions could not have been so long-lasting if they weren't created as religions of State in their past, however, because secular authority contributes a great deal to religious authority whether we want to believe it or not the two at this point are quite entangled in a Gordian knot. Religion is just integral as any other well-functioning part of society and is a pillar to be maintained. The curious thing about religion is that it can convince the State to adopt it because its moral authority threatens the moral authority of the ruling class; religion is a vehicle that helps many people find the sacred and eternal meaning in their daily lives.

Many ideologies can be constructed as religions, but not all religions are ideologies. Religions tend to create internal societies founded upon the traditions and mysteries found therein. Mystagogues, demogogues, and ideologues inform us in many ways about society and where it's heading as have the of prophets, seers, and shamans of yore. Many will claim they are free of indoctrination, but that is quite implausible considering one must live their life while considering the best possible course to do so.

Propagandists, proselytizers, pastors. Some consider them the same, but this a bit facile. People love to talk about rational skepticism as if to say it didn't grow due to the contributions of Christianity on Western society. Western society is a co-mingling of Pagan and Judeo-Christian values, and these two traditions tell us a lot about our culture just in the same way that China has the Buddhists, Taoists, and the Confucians.

The continuity of major religions speak for themselves as a major contributor to stability in many areas even though Secular governments meddle in their affairs and internal politics the same as they do in minor Secular societies and vice-versa. It is a luxury and privilege to consider them feckless in a society inundated by materialism.

It's best to think of society as a whole resting upon various schools of thought which each within their ranks have those wishing to conserve and those wishing to profit by destroying via catabolism or cannibalizing another pillar.

Philosophical religious people should disown those who use religion as a shield against philosophy, rather than defend them based on doctrinal familiarity. One doesn't need religion so much as they need moral philosophy and Confucianism-Buddhism showcase that quite well, but that's merely looking East. We can't ignore the effect of Paganism and Roman-Greek philosophy on the Western mind and upon Abramhamic religious concepts. They've merged quite a bit. Religion is one of the vehicles that prepare the mind for philosophy, and is a huge function of memory, wisdom, and knowledge in society.

You need a method and way of living your life
[11:06] <BAnt0s> and invariably all things exist at the same time
[11:06] <BAnt0s> just not in the same proportion to each other
[11:07] <BAnt0s> conserving or increasing your power
[11:08] <BAnt0s> surviving society for some, religion has more bearing on their lives than a philosophy or ideology 

<@apotheon> BAnt0s: Philosophy is what one needs.  Religion is just a prepared way to get philosophy.
[11:10] <@Mahjong> lots of google pages have been broken in FF since chrome
[11:11] <BAnt0s> apotheon: I like that.
[11:11] <@Mahjong> ^
[11:11] <@apotheon> It's prepackaged, ready-to-consume.
[11:11] <BAnt0s> What kind of relationship does one have with philosophy?
[11:11] <@apotheon> depends on the individual
[11:11] <@Mahjong> microwavable philosophy meal
[11:12] <BAnt0s> Well here's the thing, philosophy implies a love of wisdom through the intellect
[11:12] <@apotheon> Some people use religious doctrine (but not religion per se, really) as a way to have as little philosophy in their lives as possible, of course, and they give all religious people a bad name.
[11:12] <BAnt0s> and according to the definition moral self-discipline
[11:13] <BAnt0s> Religion is one of those things that increases the level of impulse control and self-discipline which was formative for rationalism and the enlightenment
[11:13] <@apotheon> Philosophical religious people should disown those who use religion as a shield against philosophy, rather than defend them based on doctrinal familiarity.
[11:14] <BAnt0s> Of course
[11:14] <BAnt0s> Sadly, I'd say a lot of Muslims in the media choose the 2nd installment ;)
[11:15] <BAnt0s> and even Christians are co-opted into the Israel Zionist narrative in the same way
[11:15] <BAnt0s> That's a very powerful distinction you defined.