Forum:Gateway religion

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I'm pondering an article on, as it says, "gateway religion" although I'm not sure if that's the most appropriate name (hence why I'm putting it out there). You know, the theory - endorsed by the likes of Dawkins - that moderate religion is like a "gateway drug" to fundamentalism. I think given RW's mission it's something that needs a separate article rather than a mere mention. Also, as a straw-poll, do many people accept it as a valid theory? ^gnostic 09:55, 13 July 2010 (UTC)

Interesting. I actually think the opposite - a relatively benign religion can protect you from a loony one. e.g. being a strong Anglican means there's less likely to be a void of religious yearning for Scientology to plug. I have no data, of course - David Gerard (talk) 18:15, 13 July 2010 (UTC)

I also think the reverse is just as likely true, with DG. In general I think the problem with the topic is that there be no data (that I know of) and it's just Dawkins pulling an idea that may or may not be true out of his ass. ħuman 02:02, 14 July 2010 (UTC)

Indeed, which is why I think it's a worthwhile article. I assume there's anecdotal evidence in both directions. ^gnostic 02:06, 14 July 2010 (UTC)

Based on experience I tend to find people flip from one extreme to the other, they go from atheism to fundamentalism, or vise versa, I rarely here them going slowly up the path. - π 02:23, 14 July 2010 (UTC)

My own experience was that I started out as an Episcopalian (a fairly moderate religion) and then ended up at a Christian cult that preached strict adherence to the Bible. I was rendered more susceptible to the cult because I had been taught to believe in the Bible at the more moderate church. At the cult they actually believed that, for instance, people who commit adultery should be executed. There is of course Biblical evidence to support that viewpoint, since contrary to what is commonly believed, Christ didn't repeal anything from the Old Testament except for the sacrifices and ceremonial washings and cleansings (these were not even repealed but rather "fulfilled" in His becoming the perfect sacrifice who washes and cleanses believers). In fact, He told the people that the rules were stricter than they realized, in that, for instance, God cares not only about you committing adultery physically but also about you even thinking about it. In short, Episcopalianism was a gateway religion for me. Tisane (talk) 05:36, 14 July 2010 (UTC)

I delinked your weird random link. Sorry to hear about your personal story that left me flat. ħuman 08:39, 14 July 2010 (UTC)

What do you mean Dawkins pulls stuff out of his ass? I mean, we all know he would never step outside his area of expertise and come up with an interesting hypothesis and which he immediately taints by using loaded, moralizing language to describe it, and which actual experts on the subject had rejected decades ago. Never. Radioactive afikomen ^{Please ignore all my awful pre-2014 comments.} 17:33, 14 July 2010 (UTC)