thread: 2006-09-08 : Picky-choosy religion, 3 views
On 2006-09-09, Sydney Freedberg wrote:
Vincent: I'm just saying that there's a big difference between cheap thrills and psychological transformation....there's a difference between saying you worship something and actually worshiping it.
Understood. Someone who sincerely, passionately worships Jesus Christ is going to be more powerfully affected for the better than someone who mouths the words and wonders what's for lunch. Someone who sincerely, passionately worships Satan is going to be more powerfully affected for the worse than someone who just wanted to wear black all the time and piss off his parents.
But even "cheap thrills" can build up to "psychological transformation" over time. In fact, I would argue that most psychological change (especially damaging change) occurs slowly, bit by bit, precisely because the person involved is not really paying attention to what's going on in his or her own mind (lack of "intentionality" and self-reflection) and doesn't realize that repetition is solidifying an optional behavior into habit.
The man who starts riding his bike to work on sunny days and slowly gets stronger and stronger, and more and more willing to bike in bad weather, may suddenly realize a year later, "Look, honey! I can wear my old pants again! I must've lost 10 pounds since last summer—guess all that biking paid off!" Or it could be he started trying to remember to smile and say hello to people in the company cafeteria, and a year later he suddenly realizes he has a lot more friends.
The rebellious kid who has just one cigarette, to prove he's cool, and then another a week later, and another three days later, and another a day later, may suddenly realize down the road, "Shit! I've got lung cancer." The person who decides, "Hey! I'll worship Cthulhu! That'd be cool and ironic and unconventional!" may end up the same way.
