So, recently I was talking to a friend and somehow we got to talking about religion and stuff. When I complained that religion is often put on a huge pedestal and that it’s really just a glorified opinion and should be subject to the same criticism as any other opinion, they told me that that was a really hot take.
According to them, belief and religion is more than just an opinion since it’s such a big part of people’s lives. I countered that opinions are also big parts of people’s lives and personalities. I mean, a huge chunk of your personality is based on your opinions, right?
We agreed to disagree but I kept thinking about it. I don’t get why religion shouldn’t just be treated like any other opinion just because people tend to cling to it. I get that it people are emotionally invested but that’s not just the case with religion but other opinions too. I would appreciate your thoughts to help me understand better, is it really a hot take?
Come to think of it, treating all beliefs within a religion — all the most obscure statements of its holy books and the most maniacal speeches of its ordained preachers — as if they’re equivalent to the central principles of the faith, is also the sort of thing the craziest of the religious zealots do. There are always plenty of opinions in a religion for which it can be useful for adherents and atheists alike to recognize a difference in their character compared to that of the core tenets.