With Religion, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

(Why people don't give up superstitions easily)

Breaking up is certainly hard to do when it comes to religion. The price for ditching religion and leaving the comfort zone is rather steep.

They might not be able to run for certain state offices, such as that of a president or prime minister. They might get thrown out of their job, or they could be targets of sniping by other members of their profession and their social milieu.

That's not counting religion's wrath against those who forsake it: ex-communication, social exclusion, condemnation, pressure on parents and family members, death threats, and even murder. The state also gets into the act, handing down jail sentences for saying the truth.

Giving up religion could even be a kind of self-ostracism, since they won't be going to the "House of God," which also acts as a kind of social club for meeting friends and relatives there.

Further, they won't be celebrating religious holidays and visit each others' home on those occasions, disrupting the family's social life, especially the children (they love new clothes, presents and special treats that go with it.) It could be pretty hard for the kids to live without any religion to identity themselves and be like every other children.

Moreover, atheists face a host of other problems, such as answering embarrassing questions from their own parents, family members and relatives; explaining to their children why you're an atheist father, and the children's complaint about their classmates' snide remarks at the school, and so on.

And as if that's not enough, there's the culture and traditions which used to be your comfort zone slip out from under you. The skeptic may suffer from the loss of culture he's been used to, not to mention a lingering feeling of nostalgia for the rituals, ceremonies and celebrations that come with religion.

He may feel left out, especially when abroad where not only nationality and ethnicity count but also a shared faith and a social and cultural milieu in which one could move around and get help in matters such job prospects, friendship, company, protection, and even getting a spouse.

Besides, some people can't imagine navigating life on their own, or even with the help of others. They also need an emotional crutch to lean on in the form of religion, especially during bad times.

Small wonder then that people would rather keep their feelings about religion under wraps, stick to the herd and avoid stirring up a hornet's nest. Any skepticism that one may have is safely locked up in the closet. Surely, breaking up is really hard to do.

***

The origin of religion lies in man's attempt to understand himself and the mysterious and terrifying world around him. - (Me)

When all are wrong, everyone is right. -- La Lehaussee

If religion is true you don't need religion
If religion is false you don't need religion
-- (Me)

(First line based on skeptics' comment that if religion were true it won't be a religion but a fact of life, a natural scheme of things and a part of reality. Religion, after all, is just a blind faith that requires no proof whatsoever and has nothing to do with reality and facts.)

You don't question religion, you are born into it and accept it as a default culture. -- (Me)

An irony: We learn bad things from the "good books." (Me)

Religion addles your brain, and when the brain addles, reason skedaddles. (Me)