WARNING: Religious musings ahead
Jan. 19th, 2012 09:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tir_synniFor those wondering about the previous post, it was based on my realization of how many good, solid fics still have little comments in there, such as basing someone's likes and dislikes (sexual and gen) purely on their looks and gender. Pretty guy automatically equals femininity, etc. Also, an old comment on one of my SPN fics, where Dean bottomed but still referred Sam as the "damsel": I'm not sure I get Dean's "I just got bottomed but he's the damsel" logic, but whatever. Now I'm going to be paranoid about many accidental stereotypes I incorporated into my stuff...especially my older stuff. :(
Two things inspired this: one, as a social worker, I'm constantly surrounded by religious people and organizations, with one particular religious co-worker in my hearing range, and two, my uncle, who was raised without religion, chose Catholicism, and is now...neither of us are sure..., and I had a conversation about religion the other day.
I've probably commented on this before, but it bugs me. I guess the confusion is based on my background. As stated before, raised entirely without religion, and when I first heard about it, I decided to research (something which hasn't quite stopped yet).
When you decide on your specific religion or faith, how the hell do you pick one and decide, "This is the one?"
Now, let's keep in mind how many religions specifically state they're the only one. Many of these religions also state that if you don't worship their religion, you're going to burn in some fiery pit or another.
Let's also keep in mind the various ages of these religions. Remember, all myths used to be religion. Religion = modern myth. Some religions are shiny new and with easily read histories (hey, Scientology...hey...)
My uncle chose the popular "All" belief. Specifically, if such and such deity is The creator deity, it wouldn't make sense for only one group of people to know about him/her and for the rest to be ignorant and worship another deity or two or fifty. His belief is that the deity you worship is the known face for your culture of the All, with other cultures familiar with their own side of the deity.
Of course, then we have the other example initially provided, that of my religious co-worker. She is of the strict Christian variety. The ONLY way to Salvation is through Jesus Christ. She believes in the Devil, Lucifer. These are very specific beliefs, specifically oriented onto the Bible, and they have a strong influence on her life. I don't believe she decided to draw her religion out of a hat.
Some people stick with the religion with which they were raised. Some people experiment and end up coming back to their initial religion. Other people diverge but stick with a similar religion. Other people move to a completely different religion.
How the hell (no pun intended) does this decision making process work?
Sincerely,
an incredibly confused atheist
Two things inspired this: one, as a social worker, I'm constantly surrounded by religious people and organizations, with one particular religious co-worker in my hearing range, and two, my uncle, who was raised without religion, chose Catholicism, and is now...neither of us are sure..., and I had a conversation about religion the other day.
I've probably commented on this before, but it bugs me. I guess the confusion is based on my background. As stated before, raised entirely without religion, and when I first heard about it, I decided to research (something which hasn't quite stopped yet).
When you decide on your specific religion or faith, how the hell do you pick one and decide, "This is the one?"
Now, let's keep in mind how many religions specifically state they're the only one. Many of these religions also state that if you don't worship their religion, you're going to burn in some fiery pit or another.
Let's also keep in mind the various ages of these religions. Remember, all myths used to be religion. Religion = modern myth. Some religions are shiny new and with easily read histories (hey, Scientology...hey...)
My uncle chose the popular "All" belief. Specifically, if such and such deity is The creator deity, it wouldn't make sense for only one group of people to know about him/her and for the rest to be ignorant and worship another deity or two or fifty. His belief is that the deity you worship is the known face for your culture of the All, with other cultures familiar with their own side of the deity.
Of course, then we have the other example initially provided, that of my religious co-worker. She is of the strict Christian variety. The ONLY way to Salvation is through Jesus Christ. She believes in the Devil, Lucifer. These are very specific beliefs, specifically oriented onto the Bible, and they have a strong influence on her life. I don't believe she decided to draw her religion out of a hat.
Some people stick with the religion with which they were raised. Some people experiment and end up coming back to their initial religion. Other people diverge but stick with a similar religion. Other people move to a completely different religion.
How the hell (no pun intended) does this decision making process work?
Sincerely,
an incredibly confused atheist
