I was raised as an athiest, and around 13 I began reading all about the religions of the world. Most of what I discovered was more disturbing than enlightening.
I'm not talking any one religion... just in general. I guess I get too caught up in the historical facts to be swept away in a leap of faith.
That's what it comes down to. Faith.
Faith.
I don't have it. You can tell me all day long that "something better awaits" and I won't buy it. When I'm rolling in lava, dodging pitchforks, well, you told me so.
I have faith in some things-- that the bus will arrive, that the sun will set, that I will be hungry if I don't eat.
If I told you that me and my friends gathered once a week and chanted to invisible beings and pretended to eat and drink their blood and flesh, you'd think I was insane....
Or maybe just catholic, doing first communion.
Like it or not, most world conflict stems from the "My gods better than your god" mentality.
Thanks, but no thanks.
What do I believe? That it's all energy. I find philosophy, science and epistemology to be more satisfying than praying to invisible beings.
If only my parents had selected one of the hundreds of great religions available and indoctrinated me into it, I would have "faith".
It all comes down to faith. I'm a good person because I want to be, not because I'm frightened of being punished eternally by a wraithful god. Likewise, I'm not going to act a certain way, like a mule being led forward by the carrot he can never reach...
C'mon Wayne...we'll let you into "heaven" if you're really good...
Yeah....tell the tooth fairy that Santa says hello while you're pulling my other leg.
Is indoctrination the same as truth?
Is religion the opiate of the masses?
When you finally realized there was no Santa, didn't you realize how silly the idea actually was? When you put the facts together, you realize you always KNEW there wasn't a Santa.....How could one person do it all. When the facts don't add up, you need to re-assess your beliefs.