Removing the Threats and Absurdities

Why is it that threatening people with eternal torment is an effective means of getting people to believe outlandish things and (possibly) to create nice people with strong families and communities? The question partially answers itself -- eternal torment is persuasive, but why must people believe outrageous things in order to be good?

For example, Mormons build strong families and communities; but to be a Mormon involves believing that a man in upstate New York translated golden tablets written in "reformed hieroglyphics" with magic translating stones. Mormons are taught to believe that these magic golden tablets record a complicated and elaborate history of North America (including a visit by Jesus!) that bears no resemblence at all to the actual historical record. In addition, Mormons have created an elaborate and complicated metaphysics of the next world that must be believed on the basis of Mr. Smith's magic golden Egyptian translation. Can a person have the strong families and communities without the absurd historical and metaphysical beliefs?

Philosophy used to be a means to replace the threat of torment and the absurd historical and metaphysical beliefs with an appeal to reason and evidence. Can good families and communities be built on reason and evidence rather than threats and absurdities? Or must the intellect be broken with faith in impossibilities before it is pliant enough to be a good member of a family and society?

What is needed today is a laughing Stoicism.