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by temp246810 3345 days ago
It's one of the most annoying fallacies I encounter in everyday life: because I fail to see the value in something - surely that something has no value.

It's such a narrow minded approach to problem solving.

On top of the benefits you mentioned, there is a mindful aspect of religion that I'm sure contributes to people's overall feelings of well-being. Everyday it seems there is something new in the news about the benefits of mindfulness.

I personally am not religious myself - but people should keep in mind that the extremists we encounter in the news aren't representative of everyone who is religious. I certainly don't begrudge anyone simply because they are religious.

1 comments

That's usually known as "Chesterton's fence" [1]:

In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox. There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, “I don’t see the use of this; let us clear it away." To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: "If you don’t see the use of it, I certainly won’t let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._K._Chesterton#Chesterton.27...

Interesting, always nice to have history/a name for a concept.
I really like that. Thank-you.