To wonder how anyone can believe in a religion?

[Staringintothevoid616]

I can understand why some believe in a higher power, in many ways it’s logical and many might just feel there is one, some people might refute that, all fine and dandy.

But what on earth makes people follow a religion? There’s literally hundreds of them over the course of history, even a rudimentary bit of research/critical thinking highlights the fact they can only be man made, the rules designed to fulfil a particular mundane purpose.

What makes people pick one (beyond being born in a certain place to a certain family) over all others and go “ yep this is the one truth, these rules come from a specific god/gods/goddesses, these rules other religions are just made up”.

I mean for many it’s not just a hobby, they’re willing to shape their lives to whatever set of rules they pick, sometimes to kill and be killed. Why??? Even a second of thought must highlight their folly?

it’s not about whether a higher power exists, it’s about why people have to frame that belief on a set of clearly made up rules, which range from the bizarre (don’t eat meat on a Friday) to the downright dangerous )it’s justified to kill anyone who doesn’t believe the same set of made up rules as you do)

AIBU to wonder why people follow religions?

Because they have a faith
You dont have to understand why some people do just that they do .

I used to think this but then I spoke to a few friends who are religious and came to realize that nobody wholeheartedly believes every single thing(unless you've been groomed and totally indoctrinated by a cult!) and that those who have faith still question and have parts of it that they can't make sense of. But it has brought them focus and comfort at difficulty kkes and is something they belong to, a group of people who believe in the same ideals essentially. I myself have an awkward relationship with religion for these two opposing reasons ....logic and truth. But would find comfort in a community of people who thought the same as me.

@Staringintothevoid616

You're not being unreasonable to wonder why, but to give you my own perspective as a follower of a religion (Celtic Paganism):

A lot of the descriptors that you have given to religions do not apply to many, if not most, of the pagan and neopagan religions. Pagan religions draw from multiple texts and we do not consider them to be entirely literally true or infallible.

Pagan religions do not have rules that dictate our morals or how we live our lives. They definitely have values and guidelines on how one might live and act, but they are not rules that we are expected to universally follow.

Most pagan religions are refreshingly individualistic and feel quite liberating to those who come to them after being part of a different, more dogmatic faith.

Polytheist pagans also do not reject the gods and goddesses of other religions and pantheons. The definition of polytheism is that there are multiple deities, so it wouldn't make any sense for polytheists to limit the number of deities to their own religious pantheon. Many Pagans seek to work with deities from various pantheons, even if they focus on one particular pantheon more than other.

For example, as a Celtic pagan, my greatest interest is in the Celtic gods and goddesses, primarily the Irish and Welsh ones. However, I believe that all other gods and goddesses from all other religious pantheons exist, and I'm happy to reach out to them if I'd like their help with something - I recently reached out to Aphrodite, who is a Greek goddess.

I believe that the Abrahamic God exists (I just think he's one of very many.) I don't follow him or worship him, but I'm happy, as a polytheist, to acknowledge that he exists.

I believe and only my opinion, the reason follow a religion is because they’ve been brain washed to believe it. They’ve been brought up in it so conditioned from birth or found it and through ‘teachings’ made to feel it’s real.
But I do feel many people need religion. It helps them have a reason for being, for all the horrible stuff that happens and even the good stuff that happens. Its Gods will is a great answer to every situation.
The difference between a cult and a religion is the number of people in it.

"It is enough to will it to be so"

@Cannedlaughter

What about the people who belong to religions that they weren't brought up in? We haven't been brought up in it, so haven't been conditioned and brainwashed since birth.

If you were a member of a sixth form debating society I would give you six out of ten.

I was brought up a Catholic, and was a church attendees, went to Catholic schools did, my first communion, confession, confirmation etc
Im very lapsed now and would say I was agnostic at best
But some people find a faith later in life.

They suspend logic for the community tangible benefits in life now. Religions are clever in that you are rewarded if you recruit others and if you doubt then it's considered thoughts from evil forces or a test of your faith that you must pass by showing even more faith. Religion brainwashing starts early so its like stockholm syndrome i guess.
Then there is the system of telling on and avoiding those who leave... so people stay because it's safer and benefits them in this life at least.
Im sure you beard the saying that religion is the opium of the people. Humans always saught to manipulate, control and explain life with imagination like the invention of various rituals for different Gods and Goddesses. Some people ars charismatic story tellers so they move people.

You're usually lonely or vulnerable in some way, and something caught you at a receptive moment and stuck. Converts are almost always a distinct type.

A lot of religious people I know say they'd kill themselves if they didn't have faith, so I think for some people, it's a reason for living, in what they see as a very cruel world.

I also know people who say they hear and see God and angels. They feel a constant presence when alone.

It's so interesting.

Yeah like if you have nothing and then someone tells you here im helping you because of my faith, you will be sweet on that faith..or if they say, we believe you will see your loved ones again in heaven... it's nicer and more comforting than this is it mate.

So religion gives some people hope and explanation, and a sense that there will be justice to unfairness or good deads which brings people comfort to tolerate life and stop them rebelling against certain groups (the rich, the community leaders).. it consoles people, it justifies power... which trickles down from god to prophet to king to whatever to man to woman to child... everyone gets a piece of the power and control pie to shut their mouth.

I find it impossible to understand. I have to stop myself from thinking that people who are religious are a bit rubbish at critical thinking.
I know this makes me small minded but its so obviously all made up.

I hate religion and all the horriic things that are done in it's name. I know people will say that it's people doing these things, yes it is but it seems like their religion is giving them permission.
Specifically Islam and Catholicism. If each religious group could practise their faith without implying or even out right saying that the rest of us are wrong it would be fine.
I am a survivor of csa and remember once asking why god let it happen and was told he sends things to test us. Not sure a 6 year old needs testing by a mythical being.

I guess the idea of faith in something bigger is understandable to me, what I don’t get is why this necessitates a religion. I understand the purpose of a religion on a general basis and all the various purposes of why individual religions were made up. What I don’t get is why individuals sensing “something bigger” need to attach this to a clearly man made set of rules.

@LoungingontheSopha

That can be true some of the time, but it doesn't apply across the board.

In my case, I would say I was curious. I got interested in astral projection, which first led me to what would be termed very 'New Agey' views (at the age of 20 or so, I probably identified as a New Ager.)

From there, I got into more complex, hardcore occultism, sorcery, witchcraft and paganism and am part of and engage in all communities.

@Staringintothevoid616

This is something that doesn't apply so much (or doesn't apply at all) to many pagan religions, because they don't really have a universal set of rules that people are expected to adhere to rigidly.

Pagan religions have values and guidelines and while they may play a part in shaping a pagan's personal stance on morality and behaviour, they are far from the only thing. I actually don't consider my own religion to be an influence at all in the majority of my own ethics.

I think that modern paganism/druidism is very different to what most people would regard as a religion per se. We clearly have very little knowledge of actual Celtic religions (there was unlikely to have been a singular one). More new age belief systems are based on and celebrate various different belief systems, eg Theosophy tried to merge East and West philosophies. I think this brings about a whole different set of issues, prob beyond this discussion (although happy to have it).

As someone who comes from a very religious family but is an atheist who has been through agnostic stages, I can fully understand it.

I think for starters it offers people a community and network which I really do believe is a wonderful thing. In the modern era, we’re so disconnected from each other so I do envy religious people having that every week. Faith also brings people hope and offers them a clear solution to their problems which I think is very easy to understand.

For some people it’s as simple as being brought up that way and never really having reason to doubt or question it.

"In many ways it's logical"

In no way whatsoever is it logical! We are an accident, make of it what you will! The only logic involved is that of scientific explanation. Anything else, be it belief in a god or any kind of 'higher power' is simply a manifestation of an individual's inability to cope with reality. 👍

People don't use critical thinking/do research in their day to day life, ask any marketing executive. Personally I accept that I can't comprehend all the complexities of life, i can't calcualte all the risks, I can't solve all ethical dilemmas, so I keep this space in my soul for religion. E.g. when my child is sick, and I say a little prayer, another mother would post on Mumsnet, someone would use grandma's remedy with no proved efficiency, there is no rationale behind any of these actions, it is whatever you find natural.

As a fellow occultist, I would query to what extent some of the things referred to as religions are actually what people would recognise as a coherent religion. For example if you look at the Golden Dawn it is explicitly stated not to be a religion. What Crowley did with Thelema perhaps showcases some of the very issues I’m talking about

How can you ask this when you are like them?

@Staringintothevoid616

I think that modern paganism/druidism is very different to what most people would regard as a religion per se.

If that's the case, then I think most people have a rather limited view of what they regard as religion.

Religions are diverse. Traditional Pagan religions, as well as modern Pagan religions, are still religions, even if they fall outside of the scope of what most people think of as a 'religion'.

We clearly have very little knowledge of actual Celtic religions (there was unlikely to have been a singular one).

There wasn't a single Celtic religion. I just used 'Celtic' as a coverall term to specify the kinds of pantheons in which I have the most interest.

@Staringintothevoid616

Occult orders are certainly not religions, but Pagan and neo-pagan religions definitely are religions.