A part of me envy's religious zealots.

[X-sanguinate86]

In my sad past I have spent time with religious people of various stripes in varying contexts and I noticed that there are always a few who just seem way happier and mentally well than even most normal non-religious people. A part of me wishes I could have that sense of enthusiasm they have for everything when they put it into a religious context or that sense of joy some of them seem to live with. I might be erroneously attributing it to the religious fervour but with some of them it really did seem like they benefited from being religious. What a shame there are no suitable religions for anyone who needs answers they can count on in a reality necessarily governed by reason.

Would any of you try to join a religion just in the hopes of getting some sort of beneficial fervour?

 

[JealousOfTheElderly]

Same, I envy people with a strong faith sometimes. Life would be a lot easier if I believed in organized religion and someone told me I'm going to a good place when I die.
I tried becoming religious several times to try and convince myself. It didn't work. All these churches and pastors and whatnot are all liars who want people's tithes.

 

[Kali_Yuga13]

In my sad past I have spent time with religious people of various stripes in varying contexts and I noticed that there are always a few who just seem way happier and mentally well than even most normal non-religious people. A part of me wishes I could have that sense of enthusiasm they have for everything when they put it into a religious context or that sense of joy some of them seem to live with. I might be erroneously attributing it to the religious fervour but with some of them it really did seem like they benefited from being religious. What a shame there are no suitable religions for anyone who needs answers they can count on in a reality necessarily governed by reason.

Would any of you try to join a religion just in the hopes of getting some sort of beneficial fervour?

Yeah I had some Mormon "Elders" come do my door years ago and I joined them for a bit. They were so squeaky clean and doing things with their lives. I was fresh out of rehab and fully indoctrinated into "jails, institutions or death" if I didn't go to 12 step meetings all the time and I couldn't juggle the two social groups that require so much commitment. In hind sight I'd prolly have been better off sticking with them.

I was always too hung up on finding truth with a capital T and overly critical of religions because of that when a stable group would have been a heathy way to exit out of my harmful family. Who cares if they believe a few silly things. Anyway, I thin that ship has sailed for me in this life. But for young people I would recommend religious fervor over secular apathy even though that isn't "cool".

 

[Maravillosa]

Yeah I had some Mormon "Elders" come do my door years ago and I joined them for a bit. They were so squeaky clean and doing things with their lives. I was fresh out of rehab and fully indoctrinated into "jails, institutions or death" if I didn't go to 12 step meetings all the time and I couldn't juggle the two social groups that require so much commitment. In hind sight I'd prolly have been better off sticking with them.

I was always too hung up on finding truth with a capital T and overly critical of religions because of that when a stable group would have been a heathy way to exit out of my harmful family. Who cares if they believe a few silly things. Anyway, I thin that ship has sailed for me in this life. But for young people I would recommend religious fervor over secular apathy even though that isn't "cool".

Why do you think becoming a Mormon is no longer an option for you? (I'm not LDS -- I am Catholic -- but I agree that sincerely practicing a religion despite questions and doubts is a good idea. CTB will probably always be an option for me, but I think my faith has improved the quality of my life.)

 

[BoulderSoWhat]

Misread title as "A part of me envys religious zombies."

 

[Kali_Yuga13]

Why do you think becoming a Mormon is no longer an option for you?

I've already lived through that which I would have preferred to prevent at that stage. I don't want to explain my life getting to know new people.

 

[X-sanguinate86]

Misread title as "A part of me envys religious zombies."

Sometimes they are very animated, seemingly happy zombies. And after all...aren't we all kind of going through various forms of brainwashing and hypnosis anyway? Don't we all rely on authority figures to hand out blocks of "truth" as the foundations for all our supposedly valid opinions that play a role in what we think is us making decisions?

I agree that religion is ultimately creating a meta vision of reality that is faulty but faulty meta narratives are the only ones available in the end. Maybe it's better just to dive into the brainwashing. Too bad it could never work for me.

Same, I envy people with a strong faith sometimes. Life would be a lot easier if I believed in organized religion and someone told me I'm going to a good place when I die.
I tried becoming religious several times to try and convince myself. It didn't work. All these churches and pastors and whatnot are all liars who want people's tithes.

I've also looked into a few religions but ultimately bailed. I just can't create the required "faith" since it is, by definition, irrational. But it would feel so much better to think I have the answers and to be able to feel like I spent my time doing worthwhile things because it fits into a religion and to await death feeling good about it because I'm going to a better place or going to be extinguished or something. Even just a sense of certainty is something I wish I had but I guess it's impossible.

Yeah I had some Mormon "Elders" come do my door years ago and I joined them for a bit. They were so squeaky clean and doing things with their lives. I was fresh out of rehab and fully indoctrinated into "jails, institutions or death" if I didn't go to 12 step meetings all the time and I couldn't juggle the two social groups that require so much commitment. In hind sight I'd prolly have been better off sticking with them.

I was always too hung up on finding truth with a capital T and overly critical of religions because of that when a stable group would have been a heathy way to exit out of my harmful family. Who cares if they believe a few silly things. Anyway, I thin that ship has sailed for me in this life. But for young people I would recommend religious fervor over secular apathy even though that isn't "cool".

There is definitely a benefit for some people to becoming religious but I guess it comes with the loss of full rationality.

Being hung up on Truth could be a serious problem if you're trying to be religious.