From another thread:
Questions for debate:Zzyzx wrote:.EXCELLENT point -- limited options -- confined by theistic beliefs.Cathar1950 wrote:He further removes the availability of further quest as in the creation of his false dichotomy he limits himself while the non-theists are still unlimited in options.
It is only in actualizing his hope or faith that he limits it. Not only has he limited his options to a theistic explanation but he has limited it to one theistic explanation among and almost unlimited number of theistic and non-theistic options.
Not only does this apply on the philosophical level, but on the personal level as well -- even to include mate selection. A young couple that I know comes to mind -- strongly mismatched and acknowledged to be unhappy -- BUT they "married within the faith" as commanded by their religious group. Both are appealing and pleasant people -- separately. Both could have had numerous alternative choices had they not felt restricted. Now they have two children and feel "trapped" in a marriage that makes them unhappy.
Career choices are also limited or hindered by religious beliefs. In my observation, comparatively few people of Fundamental Christian belief preferences were comfortable entering the fields of natural sciences, particularly Earth science, geology, anthropology, genetics, etc. They may not have considered those fields "off limits", but their religious beliefs often conflicted with study and research in such areas (i.e., Young Earth Creationists and Biblicists / Literalists / Fundamentalists are is unlikely to accept ideas upon which modern geology, anthropology, genetics, etc are based (and thus eliminate themselves). Thus, most (not all) abandon either their earlier beliefs or abandon the field (perhaps to avoid cognitive dissonance of believing one thing and practicing another)
1) Does religious belief limit options or alternatives?
2) How does / can religious belief limit options or alternatives?
3) Is this important or significant in individual lives?