The functionaires of religion for individual: Hypothesises of religion

As we know, desire is our fundamental force (according to Thomas Hobbes' theory). Curiosity, the original reason for us to seeking for knowledge, is a part of desire. We want to know for no reason, and we want to know so many things (unlimited). By the way originally the knowledge and experience are unlimited. But the fact is that we have limited knowledge and experience. Therefore a contradiction exists, creating a "defect of cognition" as many things we cannot explain. Then a feeling of absurd comes about. Without hypothesis, we come up with ideology of agnostic ideas (suggesting the existence of God can never be known, in other words thinking that it is meaningless for us to discussing about the God's existence), and even nihilistic ideas (suggesting nothing has any value).

The problem of such an ideology is that it must result in a tendency of disappointed and pessimistic feeling about the world surrounding us. We will loose the enthusiasm in seeking for knowledge, leading to a crisis of the whole thinking system. To solute the problem, appropriate hypothesis is needed.

But how can we make up an appropriate hypothesis? Although I'm a rationalist, under this situation, we have to use the method of induction to establish an appropriate induction. Of course we cannot do an "experiment of God's existence". Instead we can use our sense to observe. However, being rational, we have to use ratiocination dealing with our observation. For example, if I suspect you are silly, I need to observe your behaviours. Laughing silly, talking that doesn't make sense etc. , then I can make a hypothesis that you are silly. But I may be wrong, since such ratiocination is not based upon the method of deduction. I may need to observe your behaviour for a longer period, and even take a psychological test to check your IQ, but the possibility of false still exist although it may be very low.

But we cannot ask God to take a test. Nor can we observe him. So the religious hypothesis is difficult to prove. Scientific hypothesis, for example the hypothesis of "the big bang theory" can be proved by observing the red shift of galaxies. Although it may be wrong, the possibility of false is quite low. Therefore the argument of religious thesis may never stop unless there is a great improvement in our scientific technology or philosophical thinking.

No matter a religious hypothesis is true or not, as we know it can "fill up" our defects of cognition. But what "defects" has it filled up? For most of the religion, I think there are three important functionaries to individual:





Hypothesis of Creation: This is a very special hypothesis that may somehow coincide with natural science, but it is different. Modern science cannot tell us why the world is created and who create it. The religion gives us the answer. This is the most fundamental and the oldest hypothesis of all religions. This hypothesis seems to be quite abstract, but this is the essential declaration of God's supernatural power. However, some of the eastern "religion", for example Buddhism, doesn't contain such an important hypothesis. We shall talk about this later.

Hypothesis of Salvation: To many people living is painful, even in the developed countries as people cannot find the meaning of living. Hypothesis of Salvation give as power to moving on. Christianity, Islam and Jew encourage people to live hopefully. For example, St. Paul has said that we should "press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians, 3:14).

Hypothesis of Judgement: Unfairness and inequality exist in our world. They are unreasonable but actually they are realistic. Solving the contradiction, religion tells us there is a final judgement, leading to an establishment of the ideas of righteousness. Christianity proclaims that the Christ will come back to the world again at the end of the world to have a final judgement. Islam also believes that Allah will hold such a judgement at the end of world. Based upon this hypothesis, ethic "avoiding sin" is needed.

From this three essential hypothesises, several doctrines are inferred. Firstly, based upon the hypothesis of creation, the discussions of the relationship between human and God develop. Secondly, based upon the hypothesis of salvation, we have got a power in moving on living. A life attitude, direction of life, protection (or blessing) from the Lord, for example, must develop then. Thirdly, based upon the hypothesis of judgement, ideas of righteousness develop, leading to a discussion of ethic, death (heaven and hell), the end of the world, prediction for future, etc.

As you can see, for individual, religion has got three functionaries: firstly, confirming the existence of a supernatural power (God) so as to stabilise our cognition (convincing us that the world is not absurd at all; it has got its logic, but we only know a little); secondly, creating a force to push us moving on our living and facing with difficulties; thirdly, establishing the ideas of righteousness so as to know what is right and what is wrong.

Notice the relationship between the second functionary and the third one. They affect each other. The ethic affect the way of living while the discussion about human's properties or problems affect the ethic.

And what is the relationship between individual functionaries and collective functionaries? Based upon the conclusion above, we can easily find out that the third functionary infer to the functionary of disciplinary directly. And the second functionary infer to the functionary of euphoric. With a relatively optimistic living, we feel happy, that's a simple ratiocination. However, vitalizing and cohesive is a bit complicated. The first functionary leads to a discussion of relationship between human and God, inferring several methods of "communication between human and God". But it doesn't lead to the functionary of vitalizing directly; it must co-operate with the second functionary leading to a discussion of human's relations. The vitalizing of religion is not only caused by the enthusiasm of approaching the Lord, the improved relations with the other is also an important factor. In Islam, every believer are equal, all of them are brothers and sisters. So do Christianity and Jew. And these two factors also lead to the functionary of cohesive. The reason of the believers to be cohesive is not only because the improved relations among them after they have believed in a religion, but also because their common intention－worshiping or praying to God.

To sum up, analysing individually, the reasons for the existence of religion is very simple. Religion is important for individual because its three essential hypothesises can stabilise our worldview. Even you don't believe in a religion, generally speaking, religious "substitutes", such as atheism, still contains these three hypothesises. For example, instead of creation they proclaim "evolution". Instead of salvation they find the meaning of living in other areas, for example entertainment. Instead of judgement, they use other standards to confine human's behaviour, for example laws and rules. They fill up some of our "defects of cognition". We may not be able to prove they are absolutely true, but at least they can make us feel that probably we can find the religious truth. They are "guessed" by inductive method but develop in deductive method, at least they do so in religion. The three hypothesises of creation, salvation and judgement, establishing three functionaries: stabilising our cognition, force us to move on living and establishing ideas of righteousness. The third functionary leads to the functionary of disciplinary in the society, while the second one leads to the functionary of Euphoric. With the combination of the first one and the second one, vitalizing and cohesive established separately and independently.

The law of hypothesis, the "three hypothesises" and the "three functionaries" are very useful in our further research. The law of hypothesis can not only apply in religion but also in the whole cognition for the knowledge. This is an epistemological topic, and will be discussed latter. The "three hypothesises" and the "three functionaries" can be applied as a theorem judging whether a belief is a religion. They can also be applied in analysis on a specific religion or religious topics, for example the religious conflicts. You may even use them in theology. But remember, this theory cannot tell you whether a religious belief is true or not. What I aim to is only explaining the functionaries of religion in our individual life.

Patriarch
5th June, 2009