Do you ever miss it?

[Freedom]

If you were deeply religious before, do you ever miss the warm fuzzies, the church potlucks, the sense of security (albeit false), and the comfort of it all?

What keeps you from going back for a little taste of it?

Have you sought to replace these things with realistic experiences?

[Erinome]

If you were deeply religious before, do you ever miss the warm fuzzies, the church potlucks, the sense of security (albeit false), and the comfort of it all?

Yes.

What keeps you from going back for a little taste of it?

Nothing. I am actually planning on going to church sometime soon. I miss the people, and I think it would be interesting to attend mass with the eyes and mind of an atheist.

Have you sought to replace these things with realistic experiences?

Not really. I haven't attended church regularly in 9 or 10 years. I stopped going when it was no longer the law because of the whole early thing... oh, and it's boring as shit. Ever been to catholic mass? Fuck me running! I've poked roadkill with a stick and had more fun.

I do have what some might equate to a spiritual experience from time to time. I tear up and get chills when I listen to Symphony of Science songs, and when I contemplate my own humanity, and insignificance in the infinite spectrum of things. Also when I think of all the species on the planet, especially homo sapiens, and all the struggles we had to endure to survive on this rock, against tremendously improbable odds. It's very humbling, and emotionally stirring to me.

[houseofcantor]

Last year I used the naive philosophy of Pauline Israelite to become Christian for two months of research - church going + some extras.

The bottom line is I do not miss it because I am certain I know what "it" is. For me, sharing in fellowship of spirit is for all mankind; not to be housed in sect and division. Not to espouse dualities, but to be unified in love and the human identity.

[Minimalist]

What keeps you from going back for a little taste of it?

It tastes like bullshit.

[The Grand Nudger]

As a person whose never had a faith, I can't say that I miss the fuzzies that are described so often. If it's anything like the fuzzies that a child feels towards myths and magic (and that's always what I've thought of it as) then I'm envious of those adults who managed to smuggle the fuzzies into their grown up lives. I do miss the magic..lol.

[Welsh cake]

If you were deeply religious before, do you ever miss the warm fuzzies, the church potlucks, the sense of security (albeit false), and the comfort of it all?

No. I'm better off dead than with the fucking money-grabbing back-stabbing devoted Roman Catholics.

What keeps you from going back for a little taste of it?

Self-preservation.

Have you sought to replace these things with realistic experiences?

Reality doesn't leave you with warm fuzzy feelings. Unless you have money its cold, hard and indifferent everywhere out there.

[Diamond]

If you were deeply religious before, do you ever miss the warm fuzzies, the church potlucks, the sense of security (albeit false), and the comfort of it all?

What keeps you from going back for a little taste of it?

As someone who still does the church thing, however completely against her will, I have to say no. Church is boring, cold, and the services are just too long. And the potlucks at my church suck (barely any vegetarian options and food is always too cold)
Plus, I was a so-called sinner even before I became an atheist(I'm bisexual, pro-choice, I watch porn, and cuss like a sailor) so there were no "fuzzies" as I was pretty sure that I was gonna go to hell.
And the only comfort that I guess I had came from the fact that if I didn't understand something, I could just say "God". Now, I like the fact that I could just say "I don't know".

So, again, no. I don't miss any of it. At all.

[8BitAtheist]

I didn't ever enjoy church.
I always felt guilty for questioning if maybe the church had it wrong about homosexuals.
I felt guilty about myself being sometimes attracted to men.
I kept wondering why a god would invent prayer if it knew everything already and was omnipresent and omnipotent
I was often suicidal and depressed (and I still am sometimes, but to a much much lesser degree)
yet for all of that, I believed until I turned approx 17 and then I was doubting myself, I became a "Buddhist atheist" at 18, at 19 a skeptic-agnostic and then at 20-22 I began to consider myself an atheist.

I never got comfort from church when I was a child.
I used to live with a friend later in life (late teens), and we went to church Wednesday nights
I went just to humor him, as I was really doubtful of it all by that time.

But no, I can't say I miss it at all. There were attractive people, I guess I miss them? haha

[helmespc]

If you were deeply religious before, do you ever miss the warm fuzzies, the church potlucks, the sense of security (albeit false), and the comfort of it all?

What keeps you from going back for a little taste of it?

Have you sought to replace these things with realistic experiences?

- Not really, it was never my choice in the first place, and most of the teachings seemed a bit disquieting to me.

- After leaving, religion became very irrelevant to to my life, never really had any desire to go back for a "taste".

- I get most of my sense of "community" from other hobbies... my band, my social circle, etc. That is about the only really useful thing that belonging to a church really provides, if you ask me.

[downbeatplumb]

I've never been a christian and have always found churches to be creepy places filled with smug simpletons carrying out meaningless ceremonies.

Mery Christmas ....every one.