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Are religions and spiritual beliefs coping mechanisms?

Started by Phillip Duck, June 17, 2022, 11:32:22 PM

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Phillip Duck

I truly believe that religious and spiritual beliefs are coping mechanisms for people who can't handle the reality of human mortality, and for people who lack scientific understanding.
Religious and spiritual beliefs are coping mechanisms for people who can't handle the reality of human mortality, and for people who lack scientific understanding.

billy rubin



"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

Recusant

Quote from: Phillip Duck on June 17, 2022, 11:32:22 PMI truly believe that religious and spiritual beliefs are coping mechanisms for people who can't handle the reality of human mortality, and for people who lack scientific understanding.

Hello and welcome to HAF, Phillip Duck. I think your view is accurate, as far as it goes. Religion has history and tradition going for it as well as providing some solace for the suffering and strife people experience. Scientific understanding is mostly inadequate to comfort somebody stricken with grief. On the other hand, as you implied, belief in a happy afterlife can be soothing. Atheists are unable to offer anything like that.

Still, you generally don't find atheists berating passersby about the illusion of sin and the unlikelihood of eternal salvation. If religion were as helpful as the religious want to claim, they wouldn't have to work so hard to sell it.

I hope you enjoy your time reading and posting here.   :spagwelcome:

"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Magdalena

Quote from: Recusant on June 18, 2022, 06:18:39 AM
Quote from: Phillip Duck on June 17, 2022, 11:32:22 PMI truly believe that religious and spiritual beliefs are coping mechanisms for people who can't handle the reality of human mortality, and for people who lack scientific understanding.

Hello and welcome to HAF, Phillip Duck. I think your view is accurate, as far as it goes. Religion has history and tradition going for it as well as providing some solace for the suffering and strife people experience. Scientific understanding is mostly inadequate to comfort somebody stricken with grief. On the other hand, as you implied, belief in a happy afterlife can be soothing. Atheists are unable to offer anything like that.

Still, you generally don't find atheists berating passersby about the illusion of sin and the unlikelihood of eternal salvation. If religion were as helpful as the religious want to claim, they wouldn't have to work so hard to sell it.

I hope you enjoy your time reading and posting here.  :spagwelcome:


Welcome, Phillip Duck.
 :animwelcome:

Quote from: Recusant on June 18, 2022, 06:18:39 AM...
If religion were as helpful as the religious want to claim, they wouldn't have to work so hard to sell it.

...


I agree.

"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

billy rubin

i dunno

the roman catholics and baptists seem to have a great deal when it comes to enabled pedophilia.


"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

Asmodean

Asmo. The Asmo. Pleasantries.

Quote from: Phillip Duck on June 17, 2022, 11:32:22 PMI truly believe that religious and spiritual beliefs are coping mechanisms for people who can't handle the reality of human mortality, and for people who lack scientific understanding.
Certainly. Religion is not limited to that function, but it certainly is that, too.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Tank

Hi Phil

Welcome to HAF.

That is part of it without a doubt. However I think that people are indoctrinated as children before they really have any concept of mortality. We have had members who have left their faith but still have a deep and abiding fear of Hell. Religions are complex memes and I don't think they are amenable to simplistic stereotyping as such.

It would be nice to know a little bit about you in the Introductions section.  :)
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Ecurb Noselrub

Hello Phil. I think your perception may be a bit narrow. I am certain that John Polkinghorne and Francis Collins did/do not lack scientific understanding. While many people may use religion as a coping mechanism, others have simply arrived at this particular world view based upon their personal experiences. 

Recusant

Perhaps internet atheists from Denmark ain't what they used to be. He returned a few days after his intro post and presumably read the replies. He then silently sloped off; not logged in since. Hope he's OK.  :maskwink:
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


MarcusA

This user has been banned for spamming the forum.