Religion.

"Science, not religion, has taught men that things are complex and difficult to understand." -Durkheim

I find this terribly paradoxical. While one can study science and be able to comprehend it's inner-workings to the utmost degree, the human condition has for centuries reveled in the misunderstandings of afterlife and the concept of religion.

Yes, all doors must lead to the same room. I understand it is faith that makes us united. However, religion, more particularly faith is extremely hard to understand. When faced with a paranormal experience what are we supposed to believe? Some blame the hardwiring in our brain, and say that the fact that we are open and want there to be an afterlife, we make ourselves believe that there are some tricky things going on. I believe this could work, in many cases. But not all.

Marx says religion is man-made. He says we have constructed it to contribute our efforts to some sort of greater power. This, he says, takes away from our human creativity. I believe this. We use religion as a form, in society to bring people together to focus on something outside of themselves. But what they're really doing, in many cases, is being torn away from their own consciousness.

This makes us weaker alone, and stronger in groups. I believe groups, in many cases can cause the most harm to society. Look at the holocaust, or the KKK. But on the other hand, the peace corps and groups who fight for the cure of AIDS. I guess not all groups are stupid. However, it has been said many times that idiocracy breeds in groups. Once one is effected, it is contagious.

I don't know what to make of this struggle. I am hoping my next reading in Durkheim on religious cults will cure my confusion. (probably it wont, but we can all hope, eh?)