Hi people!...
I recently read an article on slatemagazine.com about how religion can influence risk taking in small or even in significant ways. For example, a study showed that the mere mention of the Divine can increase willingness to take risks (such as looking at potentially harmful colors just to prove that if God 's name is involved, then any endeavor is attainable, regardless of the implications).
This can have very real and potentially life-changing ramifications, such as seeking out a potential life-mate, or venturing into a new career path.
In real time, however, it often seems that what faith and common sense dictate can contradict each other, and it can be difficult to determine which path to take.
Case in point: Our family recently attended a church meeting, which was terminated early due to adverse weather conditions resulting in dangerous driving conditions. As we left the service, my husband and I remarked to each other about how differently this would have been handled back in our native, highly religious Nigeria: citing faith, the meeting would likely have continued regardless of convenience to the worshippers, perhaps with resultant loss of life or exposure to the elements leading to avoidable illnesses. We concluded that this was probably why life expectancy is higher in this part of the world - where prudence and common sense are employed in the out-working of one's faith and not excluded from it.
So, my question to you is: Have you found yourself in situations lately where faith and reason seem to collide? How have you worked out what to do in those situations?
