Testability

[aksiptrina]

Are any of the religions of the world objectively testable? If one does x thing, one can consistently get Y result which would somehow 'prove' a particular religion true? If one cannot get a clear true/false answer, can it result in a degree of truth on a scale?

Physical results that more than one person can observe and agree upon would be the most helpful.

 

[Sindweller]

Are any of the religions of the world objectively testable? If one does x thing, one can consistently get Y result which would somehow 'prove' a particular religion true? If one cannot get a clear true/false answer, can it result in a degree of truth on a scale?

Physical results that more than one person can observe and agree upon would be the most helpful.

Most religions aren't focused on things that are testable anyway. How do you test moral values or "good" and "evil" or going to "heaven" if you have faith, or "karma"?

As about spiritual things and magick it's hard because it's complex. It's not just "do x and you will get y", your beliefs are also very important in everything spiritual. One person may do x and get y but the second does x but has sabotaging beliefs and doesn't get x. The entire testing thing assumes that an effect has only a single cause and if you find the cause you can get the effect, but that's not true. There are many factors that play a role in spirituality and magick, like thoughts, beliefs or even astrological timings and bad planets. Even in scientific experiments it's more complex than "do x and get y", especially in quantum physics.

Even the thoughts of the experimenters or the observers can affect an experiment. If you are surrounded by people who doubt your abilities and you don't have enough willpower by yourself to shield against these thoughts, you may not accomplish what you are trying to demonstrate. That's especially true in more subtle and spiritual things. Because others' thoughts also affect you.

 

[aksiptrina]

If a religion or philosophy lacks at the very least some grounding in the physical world, is it valid? It is amazing to me how many people just accept particular religions as true, simply because its popular, or has a cultural presence.

You actually do bring up some really great points. Even in science some things are not repeatable, or difficult to repeat. I have had some interesting experiences, to which even my spouse has denied any reality, just because they don't fit the usual experience of many people. Also that they are not repeatable makes it difficult to demonstrate and thus give evidence that such things could actually happen.