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Bill Alstrom (MA/Maine/MA)'s avatar

Religion is two things as I view it. The first is a method of social control. I suspect there have been priests inventing gods from the first ability to speak. By instilling fear in the village, some sense of order was maintained.

The second is harder for people to accept. If there is no supernatural being, no Heaven... then what is the meaning of life? To which I say: "Get a hobby". And I ask: "Do you really think you are more important than a wolf or a fish?"

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Karen RN's avatar

As a recovered Catholic I totally agree. My dad left my catholic mom for another woman. My devout catholic mom was now a divorcée with 4 small children in the late 50s. My Grandma insisted we go to catholic school but we had to lie and say our dad was on a business trip. What a crappy thing to do to a six year old. Then I had to go to confession every week and confess the lie I was told to tell. When I was 12 or 13 I came to my senses and refused to go to church anymore. The discovery of the imposed guilt that I carried as a child and the hypocrisy of the church was a realization that opened up my life. I think people grab on to religion because they need an answer to the unknown. And because of this need religion has historically been used to control the masses. It’s been and continues to be the basis of many wars. I know some wonderful Catholics and many other religious people. So I don’t mean to put anyone down. My experience was terrible and I didn’t think any child should have to go through that.

I do think we all have some spiritual connection with each other and nature. My church is a hike in the mountains and my cats on my lap. But my spiritual world does not include a man concocted god. Thank you for listening.

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