The Outsider Perspective In The Study of Religion

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When I think of the study of religion, I think of Plato’s Noble Lie. Plato’s Noble Lie is the idea that to maintain society there needs to be a lie that not only does no harm to the soul but does the soul good. The reason Plato’s Noble Lie comes to mind is that it has to do with what society gains from the lie. This directly correlates to the study of religion. Since the study of religion looks at how society is affected by religion then it can be seen that religion could be a Noble Lie. Plato’s Noble Lie is a reason to study religion from an outsider point of view. To understand the outsider point of view, we must first understand the benefits, the drawbacks, the importance to the study of religion, and how it affects the researcher’s own beliefs.

The study of religion relies on the use of an outsider viewpoint. They take this view to separate them from their own biases. This unbiased view is what makes it beneficial. If we can separate or compartmentalize our own beliefs while studying religion, then we can think outside of the box and come to conclusions we would have otherwise overlooked. Also, it keeps the researcher objective. Rather than labeling a religion as a cult and going into the research with a negative view, it allows them to focus on the use of the religion. For instance, if I want to research how religion affects human behavior, then I need to separate my views to accomplish this objective. If I fail to do this, then I will fail to see how religion affects human behavior beyond the biblical doctrines.

Although the outsider viewpoint is beneficial, there are some drawbacks. The most prevalent drawback is the human experience. By taking an outsider view it’s impossible to get the human experience that comes with that religion. This is because the human experience can’t be boiled down to numbers, cognitive responses, or any other scientific research. The human experience is something that has to be experienced. The only way to truly understand the human experience is for the researcher to take an insider viewpoint. They have to take this viewpoint because looking at the human experience objectively takes away from the experience. For instance, the Catholic church creates an atmosphere that is serene and uplifting. If someone were to go in to learn the human experience they would completely miss this feeling because they’re being objective. By being objective it forces them to be mindful of every action rather than just living in the moment and feeling the spiritual energy. Thus, making them miss that feeling.

Since we know that the outsider perspective takes away from the human experience, we need to know why it’s important to choose the outsider perspective over the insider perspective. The reason for this choice is simply that the outsider perspective allows a wider array of studies. For instance, the outsider perspective allows the researcher to study the comparisons of each religion, how religion affects society, how human behavior is affected by religion, etc, whereas the insider perspective can only be held to human experience or feeling. With this distinction, it’s clear that the outsider point of view is what’s needed for an academic study. It prevents biases and creates objective studies that answer questions on the relevance of religion rather than the experience.

Since the outsider perspective is so important to the academic study of religion, we need to know how it affects the researcher’s own beliefs. The outsider perspective negatively affects the researcher. It forces the researcher to treat every religion the same and see them as an establishment rather than a spiritual ground. Since the researcher is forced to make this distinction, it will drag down their beliefs. For instance, if someone is researching the similarities of the different religions they will find out that almost all of them talk of a son who rose from death. By knowing this information it makes their religion seem less legitimate because of the recurring theme.

Now that we know the benefits, the drawbacks, the importance to the study of religion, and how an outside perspective affects the researcher’s own beliefs, we can now understand the outsider point of view and the role it plays in the study of religion. As long as we keep these things in mind we can take big strides in understanding religion. Even if that understanding is that religion is Plato’s Noble Lie.