Frodo, I agree with you that "ignorance of spirituality is what leaves you open to a nonsensical influence". (His mother and I have had this talk also. Rolling her eyes and calling everything "woo woo" probably isn't the best way to invite dialogue.) Of course for knowledge of spirituality to inoculate one from questionable influences, the dose has to be one the patient's system can fight off. So while I essentially agree with you, the alternative to spiritual ignorance isn't without risk.
I myself have no regrets for having started out life religious. It wasn't a waste. I was fortunate to get a steady dose of it early on and then lots of time to mull it over on my own without any pushy, proselytizing adults around. My father was the one who wanted us 'in the fold' but being in the navy he was often out to sea for long periods of time. My mother, though religious in her own way, was not about to pack the lot of us off to church in his absence. I think I picked up her common sense approach to religion. I had lots of time to think about the nature of god and what god would most appreciate from his favorite species. Before I read what Mark Twain wrote about it, it always seemed absurd to me that god would care about our 'praise'. It seemed equally absurd to imagine god as a strict parent who simply wanted all his rules followed - or else. What I decided was that god would be most pleased with people who stood behind their own choices for their own reasons. I wanted to be worthy. God would want friends, not rule following toadies who were forever pushing their decisions on him and then whining for help. (Sorry, but "him" is what I imagined when I was a kid.)
I myself have no regrets for having started out life religious. It wasn't a waste. I was fortunate to get a steady dose of it early on and then lots of time to mull it over on my own without any pushy, proselytizing adults around. My father was the one who wanted us 'in the fold' but being in the navy he was often out to sea for long periods of time. My mother, though religious in her own way, was not about to pack the lot of us off to church in his absence. I think I picked up her common sense approach to religion. I had lots of time to think about the nature of god and what god would most appreciate from his favorite species. Before I read what Mark Twain wrote about it, it always seemed absurd to me that god would care about our 'praise'. It seemed equally absurd to imagine god as a strict parent who simply wanted all his rules followed - or else. What I decided was that god would be most pleased with people who stood behind their own choices for their own reasons. I wanted to be worthy. God would want friends, not rule following toadies who were forever pushing their decisions on him and then whining for help. (Sorry, but "him" is what I imagined when I was a kid.)
