[2324] in Depressing_Thoughts
Re: The role of religion
amgreene@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (amgreene@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Fri Sep 13 10:32:34 1991
If all God wants is for us to enjoy life, then He wouldn't have given
us laws (i.e., there'd be no need for religion; no holidays, no marriages,
no ethical code).
Which is not to say that God *doesn't* want us to enjoy life, as the Talmud
says we will all be asked ``Why did you not partake in all the pleasures
you were permitted?''
But I think that religion's purpose is to enable us to ennoble ourselves,
to elevate us above the animals and to say ``This is Right, and that is
Wrong.'' And my problem is that I am coming to understand that Shabbat
and Kashrut are things which are Right, but it is difficult to break my
poor habits and the temptation is strong.
Next week, when I say the Al Khet (the communal listing of sins recited
about a dozen times on Yom Kippur), there are three or four which I will
say to which I will add, ``I have done this, but this year I will strive
to eliminate this obstacle from my life.''
I know that I will probably not succeed entirely, but if I can improve
at least a part of my moral system, then I will be staisfied for this year.
In 5753 I can work on improving further. (Newton's method applied to
ethics. :-)
