Boobies and Faith Traps—By Concensus

The history of boobies and sailing have made their way through the ages. The fearlessness of the seafaring booby bird has made it an easy capture, and even inspired the term booby-prize and booby-trap for the unsuspecting pranked.

The history of humanity runs a close parallel, which now brings us to Švejk, the towering idiot of Czech literature who distinguished himself with an odd way of communicating—he agreed with everyone on everything.

Being agreeable doesn’t make one right, but it can make one comfortable—fitting-in can be the most tasteful, tasteless state in the human condition, when your facade makes your inner a fool, but as a survival tool—agreeing is safe. Švejk is part history lesson, part type and shadow of the common Christian—the, backdoor, subtle bully system where agreeableness gets you friends, at least until you don’t.

Here’s the catch: To believe (or at least say you do) is harmonious in today’s actually post-religious world. “I have compelling reasons to believe in god. My parents are deeply committed Christians and would be devastated were I to reject my faith. My wife and children believe in god…abandoning belief would be disruptive, sending my life completely off the rails”—Karl Giberson

There you have the root of modern belief. We know better…all of us do, but the status quo and the stigma of unbelief can be too great to contemplate—even though we know the stigmas are inaccurate. Believers are boobies—easily trapped and continuously fooled by their own choice. Because it pacifies. It’s easy, and it’s comfortable.

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