The deceit of false religious practice

Many people follow religious teachings because everyone else follows them, and not because of any spiritual need. Because people live lives full of faults and failings they adapt their religion to suit their lives in order to relieve their conscience. In so doing, people are lying to themselves. If we accept without reasoning false religious teachings which we should examine by the light of our reason, we lose the capacity to reason. Our freedom consists in learning to think with our own minds. However, following false religious teachings means taking on faith three kinds of false beliefs:

• the belief that it is possible to learn by experience that which does not make sense according to laws of experience -- or belief in miracles;
• admitting as a basis for our moral self-improvement beliefs which we cannot grasp with our reason -- or belief in mysteries;
• the belief that we can, by mysterious and supernatural means, induce God to influence our moral behaviour -- or belief in grace. (Leo Tolstoy)