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Message: <blockquote data-quote="thormagni" data-source="post: 2646047" data-attributes="member: 13637">Yes, I absolutely agree. Symbolism goes right over the average Joe's head. Which raises the question, is it symbolism if the person enacting the ritual doesn't do it for a symbolic reason? Does symbolism only work for those "in the know?" And if those "in the know" are a tiny minority, or even non-existent, then does symbolism really exist at all? Sometimes a costume is just a costume. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. I think the goals of religion are two-fold. First, to provide a coherent, concrete answer to the spiritual questions of our existence. Second, to provide a social organization for humankind, outlining mores and prohibitions, providing structure and community. "God is in charge, let me tell you about him and what he wants."I read a recent study that shows that Christian sects with strict rules and prohibitions are growing while those with less regimentation are shrinking. Of course, I also read a recent study that showed that "strict" religious believers are just as likely to fall under the sway of many social ills as non-believers. Let me say that if an evil person were to set out to define a system designed to mentally enslave people, turning them into sheep, mindlessly following the edicts of superiors, it would be hard to come up with a better model than a religious one.</blockquote>