Free «Religious Hypothesis » Essay Sample

According to James there are various elements that distinguishes religious hypothesis. Religious hypothesis should first be live. This will ensure that it makes sense to those to which it is proposed. For it to be live it should contain some features that make an individual make out some reality in it (James 635). The second element that he puts out is that religion is a forced option. It does not offer choices. It is either an individual accept it as true or go without any faith. Hence, therefore, James puts its second element as one that does not give options and individuals cannot run away from it. The other element of religious hypothesis is its momentous nature. It proclaims that an individual either achieves by his belief or loses by his non belief. This third element is, according to James, 636, hard to achieve. This is because an individual can be able to perform the same act in the near future.

If these elements are true, various consequences emerge. First, there will exist a conflict between our emotions and the intellect that has been developed by our beliefs. He also claims that if these ideas are true the religious believers will gain here and in life after. He also questions the lack of sufficient evidence that will be able to challenge existing scientific evidence. The great benefit of accepting religious hypothesis is that if it is true then it will bring out various benefits to the believer now and after (James 638). His argument of religious question as it puts itself to concrete men suggests the act of each individual having his or her personal views and following it to the latter. For example if one believes the religious hypothesis as true then he follows it fully and if not he avoids and at the end more evidence will be attained and the truth ascertained.

According to Cohen, 672, the way a Jew is treated at the moment mostly in the United States is overwhelming as opposed to how it was in the past. This provokes his argument of wanting to remain a Jew. The main difference between Christianity and Judaism is that whilst Christianity emphasizes faith and divinity, Judaism requires its followers to observe Gods law.

Cohen puts forward four essential beliefs of a Jew. First belief in God, second a Jew should acknowledge the Law of Moses as from God. Third they should believe that the Jews are the chosen people of God as it was put in the Torah (Cohen 678). The fourth belief is that Jesus is not the expected messiah but there is one yet to come. Each and every individual has a reason for his or her beliefs and the truth will only be revealed when the end of the world comes.