The Problem of Consistency in Thai Religion

It is argued that mutually inconsistent religious beliefs do not necessarily produce cognitive conflict in their adherents. Examples gathered from research undertaken in Thailand are presented showing that there are various ways people use to cope with a logical contradiction between one master reli...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal for the scientific study of religion
Main Author: Piker, Steven 1937- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Wiley-Blackwell [1972]
In: Journal for the scientific study of religion
Further subjects:B Theravada
B Traditions
B Monks
B Amulets
B Southeast Asian culture
B Cognition
B Anthropology of religion
Online Access: Volltext (Resolving-System)
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Description
Summary:It is argued that mutually inconsistent religious beliefs do not necessarily produce cognitive conflict in their adherents. Examples gathered from research undertaken in Thailand are presented showing that there are various ways people use to cope with a logical contradiction between one master religious principle to which they subscribe and certain other specific beliefs and practices to which they also subscribe. It is suggested that for Thai Buddhists, and perhaps for most people everywhere, the test of the compatibility of religious beliefs and practices is not whether they are logically consistent but whether they are felt to cohere, that is, whether they are felt to be true. Several hypotheses are developed to account for how people manage to acquire and sustain the conviction that the various elements of their religion are true.
ISSN:1468-5906
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the scientific study of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.2307/1384546