Knee-jerk return to religious thoughts and actions

[BethK]

Hi,

While I've been mostly atheist for a good 20 years, with a few steps into religion of whatever ilk from time to time, it's only been a couple of years that I've been identifying myself that way. I just mostly hoped throughout those decades if I prayed right, or believed right, or did whatever right, I would have the proof and evidence that I sought. I decided a couple of years ago to stop playing around searching for the right way to worship the right god by the right name, and admit that there's no evidence for any of them, and to cease believing at least until such objective proof comes to light. I don't expect any.

Nonetheless, every now and then, I'll find myself drawn back into thinking about, considering, or even find myself in the midst of performing a prayer (of sorts) as I was taught to do when I was a child and "in need" or "in want". I was raised in a family tradition of paganism. I'll stop and call it preposterous when I catch it, but it still comes up.

In times past, I'd sometimes take such things as a sign that my "inner self" or "soul" or whatever you want to call it just "knew" the "Truth" of there being a God, and look some new and different way for that God. Well, I've moved past that, other than jokes about Invisible Pink Unicorns or Zen Druidism (worship of the tree that is not there on the Great Plains of North America).

Does anyone else occasionally find themselves praying? Any other ways of dealing with it, other than through amusement or realising that I am a creature of habit?

[Minimalist]

Does anyone else occasionally find themselves praying?

I occasionally find myself farting but I never think my asshole is trying to talk to me.

I think religion is a lot like that.

[thesummerqueen]

A lot of prominent skeptics have written articles and books about this topic. You could probably find a little comfort and some information about it in Michael Shermer's books, and the like. Our brains are hardwired, in a way, for belief. It's not something to be embarrassed about - atheists and skeptics alike will sometimes have superstitions or little rituals they perform for comfort, which is all I take praying to be.

---

At least, I think Shermer's are the ones I want to recommend... I'm just waking up from sleeping off the tail-end of a medicated migraine. Someone correct me if I'm off-base.

[Judas BentHer]

There's a line in Psalms (songs) that goes; I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High.

It's been said there's a thing called hard wiring that occurs when we're young and impressionable. If we're raised in a religious family the teachings we learn at that time when our minds are open to influence because our naivety doesn't yet know discretion or rational discrimination, we take it as truth that that's how the world works. And those rites and rituals, particular to religion, are part of what causes it to all make sense. Because we're told that's true. By our parent(s) and by those who associate with them in that religious community.

Children learn by mimicking. Anyone who's spoken around a child who's just learning to form clear words and sentences will recall how it feels like a mocking bird is in the room. It's why parents are often so careful in what they say, because their little one will repeat a word over and over, as if trying it on, sounding it out and in a subconscious way, getting a picture for what it means.

The same goes for religion. Pagan or otherwise. And in time of stress, or great difficulties when our life doesn't feel like what we're doing to steer it to our best interest is working, it's not uncommon to fall back on what's familiar. What made the world work, what gave hope to what seemed hopeless, when asking for help from the unseen involved a prayer, or ritual, or magic rite and seemed to work when things changed for the better.

It's a strange thing, being human. We're led to believe we're masters of the universe, and yet so many of us need to believe we too are mastered. We need something to be there for us, to care, to take us personally, to offer a life raft when we feel like we're sinking. Because we're terrified of dying. Literally and figuratively.

The atheist says, it's all bullshit. There's nothing super natural that cares about us. That all is nature and it is utterly indifferent to our condition, because it's not conscious the way we are and so no matter what we think of it by giving it a name, worshiping it in temples, churches or groves, it doesn't reciprocate because it's power, energy, essence, and beyond caring that we yet another speck within a giant seemingly infinite array of gases and globes, aren't all that important in the grand scheme.
We live, we die. Just like everything else does.

But for most humans, we need to believe we're more than that. And that's what brings faith to life. That we are indeed more and that what we can imagine cares, does so because we're special and so we reciprocate by making it special too.

It's a hard thing for some to face they're all they've got to rely on. That no thing imagined to exist really does, nor does it care about us.

I think if there was such a thing as what a word like, "god" describes, that it would be beyond our understanding in the first place. It would be like asking a honeybee to relate to the human keeper of the hive.

My thought for you is this. Only you know what your life feels like. Only you live through whatever comes. You are unique, even if you're a twin, because there is no other exactly like you. And this life is the only one you have to do with as you will. And when you die, you will never be here again.

So don't fret about relating to the old ways, when those brought you comfort because once upon a time it all helped everything to make sense.
If nothing else, maybe you can see that inner voice, that soul, that something that calls you back as your higher self, your experience and wisdom achieved unto this moment having made your life journey this far. Maybe you can see that while you were once looking for god, that that deeper self is telling you all the while god has been right there behind your eyes, alive in your will, answering your prayers when you awaken to one more day to make the most of the time you have left.

The religious supplicate themselves to the unseen, and are often disappointed because in truth nothings there to appreciate their bow. The atheist claims their birthright, empowered by their sense of self, inspired by their dreams, bolstered by their determination and serving their purpose; to be who they are starting with realizing they're on their own, first. All others, all else, comes to us. Friends, family are outside. We live this world looking out of our eyes, seeing it from our unique perspective and moving forward and through it because we have no choice.

Remember, you are god.
Because you are the creator of your destiny, your attitude, your framework for what you uniquely describe as; my life, which is a polytheistic religion because none of us live that experience of "I am", alone.

[Cinjin]

Not to sound too cold to your plight, but even as a Deist, I agree with Min ...

Prayer is a stupid pointless waste of time, so why do it?

If you want to talk to yourself, than do just that. Talk to yourself, express your problems verbally and work through them ---- cause that's really all you're doing with prayer.

If you think the occasional prayer is solving your problems - you are denying your own ability to overcome by sheer will power. God isn't solving your problems. You are, so don't give away the credit.

[Shell B]

I am terrified of possession. The very idea scares the shit out of me, which is why I love books and movies on the topic. However, I know damn well that there are no demons to possess me. It's just one of those things. Hope and fear go hand in hand with religion. I can see why one might pray in the hope that something will happen. However, I see no difference between my life and the lives of those who pray, so I don't bother. Fuck, if I'm wrong, I have enough dingbats praying for me that I'll be alright.

[Faith No More]

A lot of prominent skeptics have written articles and books about this topic. You could probably find a little comfort and some information about it in Michael Shermer's books, and the like. Our brains are hardwired, in a way, for belief. It's not something to be embarrassed about - atheists and skeptics alike will sometimes have superstitions or little rituals they perform for comfort, which is all I take praying to be.

---

At least, I think Shermer's are the ones I want to recommend... I'm just waking up from sleeping off the tail-end of a medicated migraine. Someone correct me if I'm off-base.

I'm reading 'The Believing Brain' right now which is his latest book. While he hasn't specifically addressed prayer, he does mention that no one is immune to this kind of irrational thinking, including himself. The difference between the rational and irrational person is the ability to notice when your brain is being irrational. Our brains are far from perfect and have been shaped by evolution to see patterns and causation where there is none. Our brains are amazingly complex and flawed and the only thing we can do is consciously keep it in check.

[The Grand Nudger]

I wont tie my tomatoes with anything but yellow twine. I did it that way the first time, and now whenever I buy twine I always buy yellow. I don't want to introduce any variables.......

---

(That probably doesn't sound religious to some of you, but to me, it's gospel.)

[bozo]

Hi,

While I've been mostly atheist for a good 20 years, with a few steps into religion of whatever ilk from time to time, it's only been a couple of years that I've been identifying myself that way. I just mostly hoped throughout those decades if I prayed right, or believed right, or did whatever right, I would have the proof and evidence that I sought. I decided a couple of years ago to stop playing around searching for the right way to worship the right god by the right name, and admit that there's no evidence for any of them, and to cease believing at least until such objective proof comes to light. I don't expect any.

Nonetheless, every now and then, I'll find myself drawn back into thinking about, considering, or even find myself in the midst of performing a prayer (of sorts) as I was taught to do when I was a child and "in need" or "in want". I was raised in a family tradition of paganism. I'll stop and call it preposterous when I catch it, but it still comes up.

In times past, I'd sometimes take such things as a sign that my "inner self" or "soul" or whatever you want to call it just "knew" the "Truth" of there being a God, and look some new and different way for that God. Well, I've moved past that, other than jokes about Invisible Pink Unicorns or Zen Druidism (worship of the tree that is not there on the Great Plains of North America).

Does anyone else occasionally find themselves praying? Any other ways of dealing with it, other than through amusement or realising that I am a creature of habit?

I haven't prayed since I was forced to as a child. When I could think for myself, I reasoned it was superstitios nonsense. If being forced to pray is a habit, I think a bit of reasoning can easily enable you to kick it.