The need to believe?

[KevinM1]

In reading that ^^ and in all of this discussion, and my own reflection...I've just had an epiphany. And it's basically how can something that I honestly don't believe in from a logical/factual standpoint, bring me comfort? How can something that my mind doesn't really accept anymore, bring me emotional comfort? So maybe, all this time, it's been me...comforting me. And calling it god. Why was it so hard for me to give myself credit? Idk.

I've never seen myself as that strong, honestly...but I must have been. Pardon me while I sit here in awe over this revelation lol, I didn't even feel this way when I identified as an atheist a few years ago, but this is something. I've been capable all along.

*decloak*

If I may be so bold, this epiphany is exactly what religion aims to nullify.  After all, if people were capable of helping themselves/others through times of pain, then what need would there be for gods?

From the outside looking in, whenever I see people, especially Christians, say that they're nothing, or, even worse, terrible and it's only through their god's grace that they have any value whatsoever, I want to scream.  Because it's an incredibly unhealthy mindset, one that's purposely engineered by the religion itself to maintain dependency.

Theists, especially Christians, like to frame god as a benevolent parent.  Yet, when one says they don't need god, they freak the fuck out.  That has always struck me as being incredibly odd, since one of the main goals of parenthood is to create children that will one day be confident and independent.  So, even if there were a god, I'd think it'd be happy to see its creations stop metaphorically living in its basement of faith to move on to bigger and better things.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this, other than to say: having confidence in yourself, and believing that you're capable of coping on your own, isn't a sin.  It's not arrogance.  It's just another stage in your own personal development.

*recloaking*