What's the point of claiming a religion you don't believe?

[amrchaos]

I've been engaged in several dialogues with a rapidly self-radicalizing dissident Catholic for the past several months. She's gotten to the point where she acknowledges that the pope is nuts and the church is wrong about almost everything. Despite this progress, she still adamantly claims to be just as Catholic as always and flies into a rage when the disconnect between her beliefs about much of church dogma being "ancient menfolk retardation" (her words) and most Catholics being "caught in the stupid" (also her words) and her cherished membership in a church she otherwise seems to despise is brought to her attention. As an atheist, I'm totally okay with her leaving. It just puzzles me that she doesn't.

She's not even the first person I've met like that either. I've known many Protestants like that - including even a few secretly atheist pastors. Lots of secular Muslims and almost exclusively atheist Jews as well. None were still actively attending services or nearly as defensive about it as she is though. Why do people do this? What's the point? I mean, you're almost to the finish line when you get to that point. You might as well push it out and abandon religion altogether.

If you don't like the President, disagree with what the Congress is doing, think government is totally screwed up.... does that make you no longer an American?

That makes you more of an American, IMO.

 

[amrchaos]

Imagine the pain involved when everything you have believed in your entire life is suddenly gone. I was so furious with God I can't find the words to express it. But, you have two choices. Abandon it completely (this is the choice some posters like Guno, CCJ, or Sealybobo have made) or creating something new that works for you. That's what the aforementioned posters and I did. Your relationship with God will never be the same, but, if you can survive the transition, it will be better! That's the good news.

You know, deconversion is the same process in which you stop believing in God altogether. First, it is the God described the religion you are leaving. Then you begin to question the role of God altogether--both in various religions and in your life.

No matter how you answer that question, you are forced to either create something new or follow the dictate of another religion.

PS--One thing that I need to mention. No one has lost their intuition due to not believing in God. Now how to interpret those feelings can change drastic depending on your point of view.

 

[amrchaos]

PEDRO DE SAN PATRICIO SAID:

“It just puzzles me that she doesn't.”

No reason to be 'puzzled,' she remains for the same reason other theists adhere to their faith: fear.

Is it fear of what God will do?

Or fear of the unknown? I go with fear of the unknown.

The very concept of God, as endorsed by the religion, is too damaged to keep believing in that exact definition.

 

[BluePhantom]

PEDRO DE SAN PATRICIO SAID:

“It just puzzles me that she doesn't.”

No reason to be 'puzzled,' she remains for the same reason other theists adhere to their faith: fear.

Fear is not a part of my faith. I don't believe in hell or Satan so what is there to be fearful about?

 

[PratchettFan]

I've been engaged in several dialogues with a rapidly self-radicalizing dissident Catholic for the past several months. She's gotten to the point where she acknowledges that the pope is nuts and the church is wrong about almost everything. Despite this progress, she still adamantly claims to be just as Catholic as always and flies into a rage when the disconnect between her beliefs about much of church dogma being "ancient menfolk retardation" (her words) and most Catholics being "caught in the stupid" (also her words) and her cherished membership in a church she otherwise seems to despise is brought to her attention. As an atheist, I'm totally okay with her leaving. It just puzzles me that she doesn't.

She's not even the first person I've met like that either. I've known many Protestants like that - including even a few secretly atheist pastors. Lots of secular Muslims and almost exclusively atheist Jews as well. None were still actively attending services or nearly as defensive about it as she is though. Why do people do this? What's the point? I mean, you're almost to the finish line when you get to that point. You might as well push it out and abandon religion altogether.

If you don't like the President, disagree with what the Congress is doing, think government is totally screwed up.... does that make you no longer an American?

That makes you more of an American, IMO.

I agree. And not just going along with the program but standing up for what you think the church should be makes you more of a Catholic. I don't get the confusion at all.

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

What's the point of claiming a religion you don't believe?

Ask Obama. He's getting some mileage out of it.

 

[amrchaos]

I've been engaged in several dialogues with a rapidly self-radicalizing dissident Catholic for the past several months. She's gotten to the point where she acknowledges that the pope is nuts and the church is wrong about almost everything. Despite this progress, she still adamantly claims to be just as Catholic as always and flies into a rage when the disconnect between her beliefs about much of church dogma being "ancient menfolk retardation" (her words) and most Catholics being "caught in the stupid" (also her words) and her cherished membership in a church she otherwise seems to despise is brought to her attention. As an atheist, I'm totally okay with her leaving. It just puzzles me that she doesn't.

She's not even the first person I've met like that either. I've known many Protestants like that - including even a few secretly atheist pastors. Lots of secular Muslims and almost exclusively atheist Jews as well. None were still actively attending services or nearly as defensive about it as she is though. Why do people do this? What's the point? I mean, you're almost to the finish line when you get to that point. You might as well push it out and abandon religion altogether.

If you don't like the President, disagree with what the Congress is doing, think government is totally screwed up.... does that make you no longer an American?

That makes you more of an American, IMO.

I agree. And not just going along with the program but standing up for what you think the church should be makes you more of a Catholic. I don't get the confusion at all.

I don't think the Catholic church operates on the same theoretical principles of organization that our nation does.

For the US, questioning our government actions is just one of the keys to safeguarding our freedom and Republic--Hence it help maintains the identity of a 'free' people

For the RCC, questioning the church actions and policies can be considered undermining and heretical--hence it undermines the individual's Catholic identity.

 

[PratchettFan]

I've been engaged in several dialogues with a rapidly self-radicalizing dissident Catholic for the past several months. She's gotten to the point where she acknowledges that the pope is nuts and the church is wrong about almost everything. Despite this progress, she still adamantly claims to be just as Catholic as always and flies into a rage when the disconnect between her beliefs about much of church dogma being "ancient menfolk retardation" (her words) and most Catholics being "caught in the stupid" (also her words) and her cherished membership in a church she otherwise seems to despise is brought to her attention. As an atheist, I'm totally okay with her leaving. It just puzzles me that she doesn't.

She's not even the first person I've met like that either. I've known many Protestants like that - including even a few secretly atheist pastors. Lots of secular Muslims and almost exclusively atheist Jews as well. None were still actively attending services or nearly as defensive about it as she is though. Why do people do this? What's the point? I mean, you're almost to the finish line when you get to that point. You might as well push it out and abandon religion altogether.

If you don't like the President, disagree with what the Congress is doing, think government is totally screwed up.... does that make you no longer an American?

That makes you more of an American, IMO.

I agree. And not just going along with the program but standing up for what you think the church should be makes you more of a Catholic. I don't get the confusion at all.

I don't think the Catholic church operates on the same theoretical principles of organization that our nation does.

For the US, questioning our government actions is just one of the keys to safeguarding our freedom and Republic--Hence it help maintains the identity of a 'free' people

For the RCC, questioning the church actions and policies can be considered undermining and heretical--hence it undermines the individual's Catholic identity.

It doesn't really matter how the organization operates. It only matters how the person looks at it.

 

[Avatar4321]

No idea. I know I wouldn't