Symbolic Death and My Second Crisis of Faith

[Angrboda]

So both worldviews are wrong.  Mormonism is unable to deliver on its promise of literal immortality, and the WEIRD society is unable to deliver on its promise of symbolic immortality.  

So I'm confused.  If it's not true that hard work will always bring success, then what is true about hard work and success?  If good doesn't always triumph over evil, then what is true about good and evil?  If life isn't going to treat me fairly, then why am I obligated to treat other people fairly?  If the WEIRD worldview is wrong, then what is true?

You seem to be asking what worldview am I left with such that it will give meaning to my life. The struggle with the search for meaning tends to be a recurrent theme in the life of everyone, theists included. We seem to be able to sense when our lives have meaning and when they do not, yet we are not able to predict what things will make our life meaningful. You seem to be wanting to resolve this struggle in one fell swoop, by adopting the right worldview. I don't think the struggle can be won that easily. I believe that the struggle is to be won by filling one's life with meaningful actions, but that's just an opinion. I also think we can't escape the dimension of meaning in our lives; it is like the water a fish breathes--we are always immersed in a flow of meaning. For someone who believes, a worldview can short circuit the quest for meaning. Do you find yourself troubled by the meaninglessness of your existence? Are you looking for something to "make sense" of a world that doesn't seem to make sense? What would it mean to you if the world doesn't make sense.

You speak of the promise of immortality of the WEIRD worldview. I'm reminded of the old quandary that if something is temporary, it isn't any less meaningful. A movie experience isn't meaningless because it is only a finite experience. Being in love isn't devoid of meaning even though it is fragile and temporary. This quest for immortality seems to be wrapped up in a fear of death--a fear that because your life is only temporary, it has no meaning. I would suggest it has meaning in spite of being temporary, perhaps even because of it.

To me it sounds like you're grappling with themes of meaning and nihilism; would that be accurate?