Classical

The majority of people who inhabit what we call the Western World are stumbling around in theological confusion. This term, "theological confusion," is one that I came across in my extensive reading as I was deconverting, and I am almost sure it was first coined by Betrand Russell. I feel there is no better description of our current belief situation than this term "theological confusion." Let me explain.

On the one hand, we have the fundamentalists christians who do not fit into this camp because they are not confused. They are very sure of their beliefs in god, revelation, christ's atonement for sin, and eternal destinies in heaven or hell. These people have a very tight, neatly packaged belief system that has an answer for almost any question presented to them, so in this sense, they are not confused at all, but rather are very confident that their understanding of the world is correct.

On the other hand, we the the agnostics and atheists. This group of people are not confused either. They outright reject the notion of the christian god or any gods at all, revelation, the need for atonement or the immortality of the soul. These people also have a very tight worldview and they are not confused because their beliefs are rooted in studies in history, philosophy, science and logic.

Now in the middle are all the rest, stumbling around in utter theological confusion. These people range from the churchgoers to the unchurched, who basically follow traditions of belief. Most of these people never bother to deeply question traditional beliefs and are very content to just leave things alone in the theology department.

I am surrounded by the theologically confused and most of them, of course, have no idea they are classified in this way. Let me give some examples of dialogues I've actually had with the theologically confused:

Example 1:
Classical: So do you actually believe that everyone who is not a christian is going to hell?

Lutheran Friend: Of course not! I could never believe such a thing.

Classical: Well then what is the point of jesus dying on the cross for our sins if it were not to keep us from eternal punishment?

Lutheran Friend: Well, I don't know! I just don't want to get into all that with you right now.

There you go, theological confusion!

Example 2:
Classical: Do you think it is a sin to be gay?

Catholic Friend: Of course not! God loves everyone just the same and he wouldn't hold that against anyone.

Classical: Well, then why is being homosexual expressly listed in both old and new testaments as being an abomination and a perversion and unacceptable before god?

Catholic Friend: I don't know! The bible has many interpretations.

Once again, theological confusion.

To be very blunt, the majority of people have no clue as to what they believe and are merely following whatever religion in which they were raised. These are the theologically confused and I think it is time for a a great leader to arise who can clear up this theological confusion to the masses and expose religion, now that we are in the 21st century, for what it is:

A GRAND SCHEME OF DELUSIONAL THINKING THAT CRIPPLES AND ENDANGERS EVERY ASPECT OF ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE AND SOCIETAL PROGRESS.

Anyone care to comment?

Plognark

Well, yeah, it does seem to me that most people are "theologically confused", although perhaps it's more like "theologically apathetic". :huh:

Evoken

I would say a better term is "theologically dishonest". They know well, in both examples above the answers to the questions but for the sake of political correctness they try to water down their answers.

Plognark

Well, yeah, that may be true too, at least for the examples. It just seems like most people I know don't put all that much thought into it, so I label them theologically apathetic.

Crowley

I think this arises from the fact that we are in an age of Reason, Science and Technology. We no longer need to look to spiritual, supernatural, or theistic guidance to help us understand the world we live in. We know we are not the center of the Universe. We know that the Earth revolves around the sun. We are pretty damn sure that we evolved from single celled organisms to the complex beings we are today. We use telephones, chat channels, forums, and email to communicate and use face-to-face congregation less and less.

The Spirit has losts its mysteries. Copper wires and silicon define our world now instead of aether. Notions that a god flooded the world except for one family, that the Red Sea was parted, that flat bread fell from the heavens seem more and more ludicrous has time and technology march on. Many people need to believe in something or merely hold on to beliefs passed to them from the parents, but they are of a different world than their parents. So they keep the traditions without the faith; they regurgitate dogma without fully accepting it.

I am not sure I would call them apathetic, but rather a group of people on the brink of realizing that they don't really need a god to define their reality.

Classical

We atheists may realize this, but the theologically confused will not admit these things.

Most, even the theologically confused, will agree to this.

The theologically confused are very far from from admitting this important fact.

The theologically confused may use modern means of communication, but they are far from seeing that the spirit has lost its mysteries.

Casting such important stories as non-literal is one of the things that is bringing about such theological confusion.

This is where the theological apathetic come in.

I think they are on the brink of waking up if those who have grown past such ancient fantasies start to speak up and ask pointed questions at every opportunity we have.

TheRealityOfMan

This is a major cause of fundamentalism. Fundamentalists can exploit the theologically confused and define a religion according to strict doctrine rather than weaker religious values/culture/traditions. IMO Both the confused and fundamentalist are as bad as each other and of course they will both consider each other as false Scotsmen.

This is happening in the Islamic world too. Most Muslims I know are just cultural Muslims who pay lipservice to the 'word of allah' and follow many traditions such as celebrating Islamic festivals, but they do not live their lives with any real gravity as if their eternal soul depended on allah's judgement on the final day. I watched a program about Muslim girls and the hijab. Some Muslim girls were interviewed and said they did not bother wear it because although they were Muslims, they felt the hijab was just for those really serious about the religion... as if it is cool to be a Muslim, just do not get too religious about it. I find my Muslim friends equally wishy washy when it comes to actual doctrine. It makes them feel uncomfortable.

Again this is a feeder for Islamic fundamentalists who are fed up with this apathy and probably blame Western values for this. When I was in university, I was invited by my Muslim flatmate (who was actually more pious than most I know) to a lecture on Islam by an American Muslim evangelist. His ministry was of course to non-Muslims, but also he was targetting Muslims urging them to come to commit to their faith.

In both cases, Muslim and Christian, I think that converts will always be clearer in their beliefs. Especially if that convert grew up in a culture that is alien to the religion. I saw a program about a group of American Sikhs (these were largely white, anglo saxon americans). An Indian Sikh visited the group and she was amazed at their piety and felt ashamed. She admitted that Sikhism to her was much more of a cultural thing and not so much a religious thing. Because religion and culture overlap, conversion always guarantees a more clear cut awareness of ones religion.

J-D

Whatever their intellectual failings, emotionally, practically, and strategically, I feel closer to the theologically confused than to the fundamentalists.

southernhybrid

I don't think they are necessarily confused. I think that humans like tradition, and it's hard to totally give up what they have been taught as children.

Most of the atheists that I know could be called individualists, often to the extreme. It's easier for those of us that have always been nonconformists to give up our traditional beliefs. For others it's easier to cherry pick what they like and discard what they find repulsive. It makes them feel comfortable.

I honestly don't have a problem with such people. They tend to be more tolerant of other's ideas and beliefs and they usually don't try to convert others. I often feel a bond with those that give liberal interpretations to their own theology. This is often the first step to having a more rational worldview.

Jobar

Many people- half or more, in my experience- are what I call 'apatheists'. (I think I coined that word; at least, I can't recall ever seeing it used before I started using it.) They simply don't care about things beyond the ordinary world. Talk of religion bores or embarrasses them. Occasionally we see people who come here and post a very few times, wondering why we keep talking about this stuff- apatheists.

I'd have to say that even the fundy believers qualify as confused- though they may never face their confusion, or even admit to themselves it exists. The deep disconnect between their stated beliefs and the world they see every day causes unrecognized cognitive dissonance in them; depending on how strictly they try to live according to their religion, they suffer greater or lesser confusion.

In fact, I see apatheism as a consequence of that dissonance; instead of facing their confusion and trying to resolve it- at the possible cost of their comfortable beliefs and social connections- they instead wall off a section of their mental life, and label it 'holy- do not disturb!' Outside of their churches, they try to avoid thinking about the really big questions. That sort of thing stunts and twists their lives- like some useless mental burden which they refuse to cast aside. They may see it as a shield and a comfort, but it makes no more sense, has no more real use, than the whacko who goes around wearing a tinfoil hat to avoid the alien mind control rays. Just because the hat they wear is invisible to casual inspection, doesn't make it any less crazy!