Cultural Religion Versus Scholarly ReligionThe conclusion reads: "It is difficult to say if a religion is what is believed by most of it's followers, or if a religion is what is preached by it's scholars. Frequently the formal doctrine of a religion contradicts what the popular beliefs are of most of it's adherents. The grassroots of a religion is nearly always a watered-down, mixed-up, confused and ignorant set of cultural traditions and folk lore mixed in with popularist beliefs. The more formal scholarly religion is often complex, more complete, demanding to study and frequently convoluted as the religions' scholars debate it's weakspots and difficult spots. The more difficult the area of study of a religion, the more maze-making it's scholars will do in attempts to explain away irrationality. You will need to engage the grassroots religion or the scholarly religion in different circumstances. Frequently you will need to address cultural beliefs amongst the religions' followers, who are more stupid; and address more scholarly concerns and political concerns amongst the religions' scholars and leaders. So what you consider a religion to be is a contradictory mix of both what the leaders say the religion is, and what the actual believers believe. The difference between the intellectual top of a religion is normally quite an opposite to the grassroots bottom of the same religion!" Tags: religion, sociology, theology, untermensch
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