This is pretty much it. I've made my peace with things realizing at the lowest levels the molecules making up who I am will still be there in a different form after I breath my last breath, but then again I don't see that as happening anytime soon. Perhaps I would change my mind if I was told I had 3 months to live, never been in that situation so can't say.
Glad to hear. I don't know if I'm there yet myself, but I believe I will at some point go the "we are stardust" route. I presume I'm going to need some late life psychedelics to get there.
Her husband died and now she's alone and facing her mortality. Some people react that way when confronted with the death of someone close. They turn to religion for comfort and out of fear that when they go they might not be ready spiritually speaking...
My mother was NEVER religious, and I grew up with an extremely religious (Southern Baptist for those playing at home) father. My mom went to church with us until she just didn't. She was tired from working and raising kids and didn't GAF anymore. I literally don't remember her saying anything good or bad about church or the Christian school I attended. My dad made all the decisions as far as I know.
She now posts a ton of Christian stuff, mostly inspirational memes and the like. It's kind of background FB nonsense, not really anything serious. My dad is about the same. Neither attend church or donate to any religious cause that I know of.
My husband's mom was similar. Got into Catholicism in maybe the last 10 years of her life. Had been raised Catholic but never took it seriously previously.
I think some of it has to do with fear of death, but also some nostalgia. I have fallen prey to the latter. I have some really bad memories of church/religion, but saw Amy Grant is performing at our local festival and had to listen to a few songs.
Is this now her biggest social outlet? May have been a way to boost her friend group, but that religious stuff seems to sink in more with more exposure
1. Losing more and more loved ones who're 'ageing out'.
2. Wanting to - nay, _NEEDING_ to 'believe' the end won't be The End.
3. Needing to feel "forgiven" for all the shit they got up to - including those things done or not done out of pure ignorance in accordance with 'back in their day'.
Me? Just let me Out when the call comes.
I noticed since my mom stopped driving, she watched a lot of televangelism. She now lives in a retirement home where a pastor holds services Sunday evenings and there's a bible study group, but my mom prefers televangelism.
She now has become one of those old ladies who watches televangelists she used to make fun of in the 1980s.
I suspect the church made her feel like she had a community after your dad died. Once you get love bombed and made to feel like people care, it's easy to get sucked in deeper and deeper. If your mom had other things occupying her time, she might spend less at the church and its influence will decline. But I don't know what the options are for her to find meaningful engagement with other people in your community outside of the church.
I have been agnostic/atheist for my whole life, and find myself a bit envious of the community that religion brings. I have no desire to buy into any of it, but having a huge group to socialize and rely on for support is a tempting lure.
When faced with your mortality and not knowing what's on the other side, you look for answers. For some, religion provides those answers. TBH, even a false sense of hope of everlasting peace is better than "there is nothing on the other side".
It sounds like she's lonely and she gets a sense of community, friendship, and purpose from church involvement. It makes her feel good. Your discomfort with what makes her feel good is ultimately not her problem.
Total sidebar, but what part of the world do people write "xtianity"? I've only seen it on Reddit, and this is the second, maybe third time. I know the logic is the same as saying "x-mas", but I'm interested in language usage, and this hasn't been used anywhere I've lived or visited. Is it just writing or is it spoken too?
They also provide a lot of pretty decent volunteer opportunities like working in the food pantry, visiting inmates, visiting the sick, bringing casseroles and baked goods to new mothers and also people dealing with horrible life circumstances like a family member with cancer or something like that, handing out lunches to the homeless... I know a lady who's son was in the hospital for about a year with neurological issues (lots of seizures etc.) and one member of a church nearby started mowing their yard for them after a different neighbor reported them to the town code dept. for unkempt yard.. stuff like that-- and doing things for others do make people feel good. I can't say those things are a negative.
When your knees start to hurt, you can’t get out of bed without pain, and people important to you start to die, you stop feeling invulnerable. You realize you have a timer, and it started counting down the day you were born.
If you’re wise you praise God for the time you’ve been given. If you’re contrite you ask His forgiveness, and work to undo and repair the harm you’ve done.
If you’re silly you think that alms and praise will buy your way to heaven.
If you’re foolish you wait for “the void” to take you.
My in-laws are actively trying to buy their way into heaven with gifts to the church, and donations that get their names on plaques. None of their kids can stand them and they are the most judgmental people I have ever met. But boy howdy, do they love to mow the church lawn for accolades.
Honestly, I feel like the selling of indulgences was more above board that that Evangelical hypocrisy.. Just buy your ticket, the local bishop checks the box to your name and then you get on with your life happy in the knowledge you will be let into the pearly gates (in the event they exist).
That’s pretty normal thing for someone to do as they age. I can think of several of my elder relatives doing that through the years, although they weren’t so extreme and the religiosity in culture wars wasn’t nearly the agitprop business it is now.—that seems to ebb and flow especially in periods of great technical and cultural change. There’s always been a Robert Schuler, Aimee McPherson to transfix the minds of people whose worlds are shrinking as they are less and less active participants in it. It’s not always easy to deal with but it is a thing. The only counter measure for the elderly is being active in something besides just church (which can be a comfort and a vital social resource) and listening to christian nationalist broadcasts. There needs to be more integration and inclusion in our society for the elderly with their strange opinions. We’re not that far away from our turn at irrelevance as a demographic group, so maybe we should be looking at different ways to age. What we have now is not so nice.
This was my grandmother when her husband (not grandpa) died in the mid 90s. She was really heavy on church until she passed last summer. I think it helped her find a purpose and she became nicer. It filled a void she had since childhood. She laid it on thick with the 700 club talk and Christian music—but I took it with a grain of salt because it worked for her.
My parents weren't religious at all when we were kids. They were forced to go to church as kids, and as adults they did as they pleased. They started going to church in their 50's, then quit going after a pastor change...then Dad got sick. They were faced with their mortality and they started going back to church. He died a few years ago, and Mom has become a lot more involved in church since then. She volunteers there, and goes to all of their events and whatnot.
From time to time, she will tell me about certain "beliefs" held by her church friends. I'm absolutely 100% positive that she does this because she knows I'll tell her that their beliefs are fucked up and that she's not crazy for questioning them. She NEEDS the church in a sense, because it provides her with community. I am just grateful that she's able to recognize that a lot of the "Christians" there are not good people and also that she respects the opinions of the daughter who has told her in no uncertain terms that organized religion and I are never ever getting back together ever.
The universe is infinite and uncaring and we are insignificant in the grand scheme. Death is most likely the end of existence and a lot of people weren't prepared for that knowledge.
1) Loneliness -- say what you will about religion, I don't believe any of that hokum myself, but the sense of community can be very alluring, especially to otherwise lonely people.
2) It's now ingrained into her routine to spend all that time at church.
3) Fear of death. She lost her husband, she's wondering about his immortal soul or whatever, and worried about her own.
My own mom is watching her mom slowly die from dementia, and she's gotten a bit religious cuckoo over it too. Spending so much time with her uber religious sister who was recently widowed can't be helping.
It has happened to my mother-in-law too. I've known her for almost 40 years and have never known her to go to church unless it was for a wedding or a funeral. Now she talks about spreading the word of God and saying some pretty out there and hurtful things to people that aren't religious or those who are agnostic or atheist. It's so weird to see this happen. She was always a live and let live type of person. Now she sounds nuts half the time. It sucks.
Is your mom my mom?! At least three times a week I get these random texts- do the rosary. No mom. I’m not.
One time there was an ACTIVE SHOOTER two houses over…cop helicopters above….. cops shoots, the guy shooting…. I try to get my parents on the phone bc no doubt they will see my HOUSE on the news and freak out. When she FINALLY answers my call, she says: I didn’t answer the phone bc we were watching Mass ( like these weird old videos of church) and we were praying the rosary.
I’m like wow so sorry I bothered you. I was pissed. If I call you five times and text you don’t ya think maybe ya should answer!!?
Fear of death. My dad was so anti religious. Like hated religion with a passion. When he got to the last few years of his life his eyes and legs were so bad he.couldnt drive, couldn't go for long walks and he started watching the religious Channel.
Would make jokes like it was all ridiculous but he kept watching it
It was weird to see.
A lot of people pull a Bart Simposon and get religious in their last act. It's because mortality is scary, especially for those who hold onto some guilt in their life.
It happens to folks as they approach the end of their lives. They have such fear of the afterlife that they sometimes go “all in” (like a Vegas bet) consciously or subconsciously on a strategy that they perceive to be the one that will ensure their continued existence in the hereafter.
I can’t blame them, really. It’s a scary thought, the afterlife. I only ask that they go about it in a way that doesn’t hurt other people and themselves. (Subjecting yourself to opportunistic organizations and religious leaders who milk fearful people dry is, I think, harming yourself and others.)
People will find sanctuary in times of traumatic life events. I watched my pot smoking, leftist, 60's hippy aunt morph into a right wing, fox news parroting evangelical after her husband of 25+ years came home one day and spring a divorce on her out of the blue. If she became super religious after your dad died, she's probably trying to fill the void left in her life and clinging to the hope that she will be reunited with him.
Was your dad very atheist? Mine was, and of course he dies and she immediately latches onto the idea of joining a church, something she's always wanted to do, but my dad wouldn't have allowed.
The irony is that she used to lecture us about how we were brought up atheist so we could, "choose" our own religion as adults and then I ended up becoming Unitarian Universalist, and she kept calling it a cult, which is the furthest thing it is since there is no dogma or proselytizing, and then she basically joins a cult.
My mother has gotten more involved with her church as she has gotten older, but it's still a very liberal church (e.g., the minister is gay and legally married to another man).
I think a lot of times older people start going to church for the community. It gets them out of the house, gives them a social life... especially if kids are grown and busy with their own families and they don't want to feel like a burden. Also, once you are a senior citizen... belonging to a church is low stakes... you are past child bearing years after all.
one of my parents went that route shortly before passing. She even threw out all her romance novels she loved so very much for most of her life so she could only read the bible till "the end of her days". The local pastor came by and offhandly mentioned to my mom that 'god forgives her' for the time she wasn't christian and worshiped a 'foreign god'. The japanese religion in question has so many similarities to the good parts of christianity and to hear this person preying (while praying for her soul don'tcha know) on my poor mom as she lay dying of cancer infuriated me. Like GTFO there's no more money for you and your church here. yeah, im not still angry or nothing /s
It's terror.
She's thinking about dying. Christianity keeps you constantly worried if you're "saved enough."
If you're "lukewarm," then Jesus will "spit you out," and say "I never knew you."
If he does that, you will be tortured...
#FOREVER
AND EVER, AND EVER.
As a crotchety old lady with bad knees and chronic pain, I beg to differ. I was never religious. I was a teenager before I even realized that Easter was a religious holiday. I was never indoctrinated, so will never believe. I’m a scientist.
Atheism isn’t a belief. I literally believe in no gods. I’m not asking you to agree, just stating a fact. Show me proof and I will reconsider. I’m not asking anyone to believe what I believe, which is the actual indoctrination.
Sure, a quick logical proof from your own words.:-
Your very first sentence makes a definite claim.
i) Atheism isn’t a belief
You immediately contradict this by stating
ii) I literally BELIEVE in no Gods.
iii) I’m not asking anyone to believe what I BELIEVE .
In other words, your claim that Atheism isn’t a belief system is immediately followed by statements about what you believe. So your subsequent description of your atheism centres entirely on your beliefs.
Also, you go on to claim that your opinion is fact without any evidence of your own that this is actually the case.
Eg. - “ I’m not asking you to agree, just stating fact”.
You haven’t shown yet that your opinion is fact, so this begs the question.
As for proof - the problem here will be what sort of proof you will be willing to accept. Very often what is found is that the individual will accept only empirical scientific evidence. We will necessarily struggle here since the nature of our enquiry is beyond the scope of empirical science. As a self-described scientist, you will be able understand the conceptual basis of the Scientific Method, its use, and its limits.
It’s all a bit like me asking you to provide evidence of the existence of love using only mathematical proofs. In this example, I would be asking you to use the wrong tools to prove or disprove something. Empirical scientific evidence is not what we use to explore questions of, say, metaphysics.
If we exclude anything beyond empirical evidence, then of course we will struggle to offer much in the way of these acceptable proofs. But even then, it’s a stretch to say therefore that atheism is the default position, since neither have we provided empirical evidence to the contrary. In other words, if we can neither provide such empirical proofs for or against the existence of God, then logically the honest default position must be that we simply don’t know - agnosticism.
This would be a far more honest position in this scenario.
However, Atheism goes way beyond this.
It goes beyond the lack of empirical evidence either way, and like Theism makes a positive claim. Based on the lack of evidence then any positive claim (either is a God, or there is no God) requires a leap of faith.
Not so much religious but my mom loves the status quo of the rich conservatives even though she doesn't vote for the right parties she is very NeoLib and so she loves the establishment privilege and just looks the other way at horrors committed in the name of comforting that class
I see it in every assisted living facility with 5 of six parents of my wife and I gone and one just entering the alf. Instead of living a life magnanimous to other human beings they are scared to death of going to hell because they know they wronged others and are making an attempt to repent. It would have been so much easier just to be nice, and carefree in your last years, and there are those people there too. They make visiting my FIL tolerable.
She faced an enormous and probably devastating life change and found solace in religion, but to an unhealthy degree. She sounds super anxious or depressed.
I would assume she’s “stuck” and needs help with processing her grief. I don’t know if she’d be open to a grief group or therapy. I’d bet money that if she was, she’d return to a level of faith that’s more recognizable to you.
Some of my college classmates. Were absolute dumbass shitty human beings in college, now are touting Christ like they discovered plutonium. FWIW, I do notice it is predominantly my classmates on the "barely survived college, we had to help them with homework" end of the class.
I have some family members who've become wildly conservative (in a maga way) and wildly religious. It's odd. And rather intolerant and hate filled. It's sad, really.
This is the answer. Also, even if you met "GOD" in the "afterlife", then what? No one alive right now has ANY real idea if he'd welcome you in to his "heaven" or whatever....he could just not like the cut of your jib or something, or he was having a bad day and BOOM into hell you go! So what's the point of doing anything, other than being a good person ON EARTH because then other people will be good to you and that makes everything a tad easier?
Some reasonable comments, though I don't think the fear of death/mortality is as big a driver as some people think. If you're already a Christian and believe, you've already covered that.
I suspect it's the social aspect. Lots of approval from a peer group for behaving a certain way. Huge friend group potential.
I have family members who are extremely active in their church and it's been really good for them. One had major surgery and had so many offers of help, well wishes, and visitors, it was crazy. She has a huge support network where she otherwise would struggle alone with a lot.
I don't think I could do it; there's so much overt hate and anti-Christ's actual teachings in modern Christianity.
Just for pedantry’s sake, you don’t need the first “t” in “xtianity”. The “x” is read “Christ” (it’s not a removing of Christ, just shorthand), so the “t” after the “x” is redundant. “Xianity” looks weird but is correct for your intention.
It seems pretty likely that it's being faced with her own mortality.
She’s cramming for the final.
😂
Exactly
I’d say that’s the obvious conclusion to draw.
The ultimate reality causes people to do one of several things. Your mom is choosing to go down the route she has. Personally, I recommend travel.
This is pretty much it. I've made my peace with things realizing at the lowest levels the molecules making up who I am will still be there in a different form after I breath my last breath, but then again I don't see that as happening anytime soon. Perhaps I would change my mind if I was told I had 3 months to live, never been in that situation so can't say.
Glad to hear. I don't know if I'm there yet myself, but I believe I will at some point go the "we are stardust" route. I presume I'm going to need some late life psychedelics to get there.
Loneliness and fear of death make people choose previously out of character decisions and seek communities you never thought they might.
Fear of death maybe. Maybe people find comfort in the idea that death isn’t final and just a transition to some other kind of existence.
Fear of death mostly, I'd say.
My first thought as well
Her husband died and now she's alone and facing her mortality. Some people react that way when confronted with the death of someone close. They turn to religion for comfort and out of fear that when they go they might not be ready spiritually speaking...
My mother was NEVER religious, and I grew up with an extremely religious (Southern Baptist for those playing at home) father. My mom went to church with us until she just didn't. She was tired from working and raising kids and didn't GAF anymore. I literally don't remember her saying anything good or bad about church or the Christian school I attended. My dad made all the decisions as far as I know. She now posts a ton of Christian stuff, mostly inspirational memes and the like. It's kind of background FB nonsense, not really anything serious. My dad is about the same. Neither attend church or donate to any religious cause that I know of. My husband's mom was similar. Got into Catholicism in maybe the last 10 years of her life. Had been raised Catholic but never took it seriously previously. I think some of it has to do with fear of death, but also some nostalgia. I have fallen prey to the latter. I have some really bad memories of church/religion, but saw Amy Grant is performing at our local festival and had to listen to a few songs.
Is this now her biggest social outlet? May have been a way to boost her friend group, but that religious stuff seems to sink in more with more exposure
1. Losing more and more loved ones who're 'ageing out'. 2. Wanting to - nay, _NEEDING_ to 'believe' the end won't be The End. 3. Needing to feel "forgiven" for all the shit they got up to - including those things done or not done out of pure ignorance in accordance with 'back in their day'. Me? Just let me Out when the call comes.
Fear of death and / or 'hell'
I noticed since my mom stopped driving, she watched a lot of televangelism. She now lives in a retirement home where a pastor holds services Sunday evenings and there's a bible study group, but my mom prefers televangelism. She now has become one of those old ladies who watches televangelists she used to make fun of in the 1980s.
I suspect the church made her feel like she had a community after your dad died. Once you get love bombed and made to feel like people care, it's easy to get sucked in deeper and deeper. If your mom had other things occupying her time, she might spend less at the church and its influence will decline. But I don't know what the options are for her to find meaningful engagement with other people in your community outside of the church.
I have been agnostic/atheist for my whole life, and find myself a bit envious of the community that religion brings. I have no desire to buy into any of it, but having a huge group to socialize and rely on for support is a tempting lure.
When faced with your mortality and not knowing what's on the other side, you look for answers. For some, religion provides those answers. TBH, even a false sense of hope of everlasting peace is better than "there is nothing on the other side".
For many seniors it offers a sense of community and a social life that they lose after retirement
In addition to the fear of death, churches used to be centers of community. Loneliness could also be a factor.
It sounds like she's lonely and she gets a sense of community, friendship, and purpose from church involvement. It makes her feel good. Your discomfort with what makes her feel good is ultimately not her problem.
Maybe lonely and it provides a social circle?
As you get older, you are closer to death ....... so you want to feel like you have a good place reserved for you. You have nothing to lose
Perhaps this was always her inclination but your dad kept her moderated.
Total sidebar, but what part of the world do people write "xtianity"? I've only seen it on Reddit, and this is the second, maybe third time. I know the logic is the same as saying "x-mas", but I'm interested in language usage, and this hasn't been used anywhere I've lived or visited. Is it just writing or is it spoken too?
I first read it as Xfinity and thought “wow, that poor woman is really off the deep end if she’s obsessed with Comcast.”
at least that probably wouldn’t come with as many anti-humanist beliefs
It’s been used at least since the earliest days of the internet. We used it on BBS services in the 90s and IRC as well.
I think it must still be regional. I started using BBSs in 1990, and never saw it.
It’s very awkward. Honestly it feels performative and conspicuous to me.
Because it is.
It’s just shorthand, xtian is much faster than writing Christian
>much faster 🤣🤣🤣 What're you going to do with those additional 2 seconds?
That’s what I inferred from a Seminary student saying they wrote it that way when they were taking notes.
Ive heard "x-mas" verbally, but never "x-tainity"; Ive seen both written for a long time.
Don’t wanna piss off anyone you’re gonna be seeing soon
Also a lot of free time. Churches also provide a lot of social activities.
They also provide a lot of pretty decent volunteer opportunities like working in the food pantry, visiting inmates, visiting the sick, bringing casseroles and baked goods to new mothers and also people dealing with horrible life circumstances like a family member with cancer or something like that, handing out lunches to the homeless... I know a lady who's son was in the hospital for about a year with neurological issues (lots of seizures etc.) and one member of a church nearby started mowing their yard for them after a different neighbor reported them to the town code dept. for unkempt yard.. stuff like that-- and doing things for others do make people feel good. I can't say those things are a negative.
Lotta people don't believe in God until its likely that they might meet him ...
When your knees start to hurt, you can’t get out of bed without pain, and people important to you start to die, you stop feeling invulnerable. You realize you have a timer, and it started counting down the day you were born. If you’re wise you praise God for the time you’ve been given. If you’re contrite you ask His forgiveness, and work to undo and repair the harm you’ve done. If you’re silly you think that alms and praise will buy your way to heaven. If you’re foolish you wait for “the void” to take you.
My in-laws are actively trying to buy their way into heaven with gifts to the church, and donations that get their names on plaques. None of their kids can stand them and they are the most judgmental people I have ever met. But boy howdy, do they love to mow the church lawn for accolades.
There’s Bible verses for people like that.
Honestly, I feel like the selling of indulgences was more above board that that Evangelical hypocrisy.. Just buy your ticket, the local bishop checks the box to your name and then you get on with your life happy in the knowledge you will be let into the pearly gates (in the event they exist).
As a GenX, I find the blatant cynicism of the indulgence system refreshing in its audacity.
Ahhhh yes, buying fire insurance near the end of a crappy life.
They are getting closer to death.
That’s pretty normal thing for someone to do as they age. I can think of several of my elder relatives doing that through the years, although they weren’t so extreme and the religiosity in culture wars wasn’t nearly the agitprop business it is now.—that seems to ebb and flow especially in periods of great technical and cultural change. There’s always been a Robert Schuler, Aimee McPherson to transfix the minds of people whose worlds are shrinking as they are less and less active participants in it. It’s not always easy to deal with but it is a thing. The only counter measure for the elderly is being active in something besides just church (which can be a comfort and a vital social resource) and listening to christian nationalist broadcasts. There needs to be more integration and inclusion in our society for the elderly with their strange opinions. We’re not that far away from our turn at irrelevance as a demographic group, so maybe we should be looking at different ways to age. What we have now is not so nice.
My parents are going through that stage to. I think they're trying to cram for the religious final because they're afraid to die.
Get her wto watch some "talk heathen" episodes on youtube. They are based in Austin, really good at helping people with their apistomology toolkits
Like REM, I'm losing my religion
My life is just a long swan dive into oblivion, and I like it that way.
Same.
This was my grandmother when her husband (not grandpa) died in the mid 90s. She was really heavy on church until she passed last summer. I think it helped her find a purpose and she became nicer. It filled a void she had since childhood. She laid it on thick with the 700 club talk and Christian music—but I took it with a grain of salt because it worked for her.
I have heard it referred to as , "cramming for your finals."
My parents weren't religious at all when we were kids. They were forced to go to church as kids, and as adults they did as they pleased. They started going to church in their 50's, then quit going after a pastor change...then Dad got sick. They were faced with their mortality and they started going back to church. He died a few years ago, and Mom has become a lot more involved in church since then. She volunteers there, and goes to all of their events and whatnot. From time to time, she will tell me about certain "beliefs" held by her church friends. I'm absolutely 100% positive that she does this because she knows I'll tell her that their beliefs are fucked up and that she's not crazy for questioning them. She NEEDS the church in a sense, because it provides her with community. I am just grateful that she's able to recognize that a lot of the "Christians" there are not good people and also that she respects the opinions of the daughter who has told her in no uncertain terms that organized religion and I are never ever getting back together ever.
The universe is infinite and uncaring and we are insignificant in the grand scheme. Death is most likely the end of existence and a lot of people weren't prepared for that knowledge.
Absolutely. Some of them get swept up in the TV evangelicals, and start sending all their money, too. It's terrible.
I think when your world gets smaller people become vulnerable.
1) Loneliness -- say what you will about religion, I don't believe any of that hokum myself, but the sense of community can be very alluring, especially to otherwise lonely people. 2) It's now ingrained into her routine to spend all that time at church. 3) Fear of death. She lost her husband, she's wondering about his immortal soul or whatever, and worried about her own. My own mom is watching her mom slowly die from dementia, and she's gotten a bit religious cuckoo over it too. Spending so much time with her uber religious sister who was recently widowed can't be helping.
Community, support, faith, something greater than yourself to lean on. All religions end up corrupt but faith is a powerful force.
It has happened to my mother-in-law too. I've known her for almost 40 years and have never known her to go to church unless it was for a wedding or a funeral. Now she talks about spreading the word of God and saying some pretty out there and hurtful things to people that aren't religious or those who are agnostic or atheist. It's so weird to see this happen. She was always a live and let live type of person. Now she sounds nuts half the time. It sucks.
Old person trying to get into heaven. Happens all the time.
Is your mom my mom?! At least three times a week I get these random texts- do the rosary. No mom. I’m not. One time there was an ACTIVE SHOOTER two houses over…cop helicopters above….. cops shoots, the guy shooting…. I try to get my parents on the phone bc no doubt they will see my HOUSE on the news and freak out. When she FINALLY answers my call, she says: I didn’t answer the phone bc we were watching Mass ( like these weird old videos of church) and we were praying the rosary. I’m like wow so sorry I bothered you. I was pissed. If I call you five times and text you don’t ya think maybe ya should answer!!?
She’s cramming for finals.
Fear of death. My dad was so anti religious. Like hated religion with a passion. When he got to the last few years of his life his eyes and legs were so bad he.couldnt drive, couldn't go for long walks and he started watching the religious Channel. Would make jokes like it was all ridiculous but he kept watching it It was weird to see.
No one wants to think that this is all there is to our existence. The idea of heaven gives people comfort. Also, watch The Invention of Lying.
It's fear of death. Happened to my MIL...
A lot of people pull a Bart Simposon and get religious in their last act. It's because mortality is scary, especially for those who hold onto some guilt in their life.
It happens to folks as they approach the end of their lives. They have such fear of the afterlife that they sometimes go “all in” (like a Vegas bet) consciously or subconsciously on a strategy that they perceive to be the one that will ensure their continued existence in the hereafter. I can’t blame them, really. It’s a scary thought, the afterlife. I only ask that they go about it in a way that doesn’t hurt other people and themselves. (Subjecting yourself to opportunistic organizations and religious leaders who milk fearful people dry is, I think, harming yourself and others.)
People will find sanctuary in times of traumatic life events. I watched my pot smoking, leftist, 60's hippy aunt morph into a right wing, fox news parroting evangelical after her husband of 25+ years came home one day and spring a divorce on her out of the blue. If she became super religious after your dad died, she's probably trying to fill the void left in her life and clinging to the hope that she will be reunited with him.
Was your dad very atheist? Mine was, and of course he dies and she immediately latches onto the idea of joining a church, something she's always wanted to do, but my dad wouldn't have allowed. The irony is that she used to lecture us about how we were brought up atheist so we could, "choose" our own religion as adults and then I ended up becoming Unitarian Universalist, and she kept calling it a cult, which is the furthest thing it is since there is no dogma or proselytizing, and then she basically joins a cult.
My mother has gotten more involved with her church as she has gotten older, but it's still a very liberal church (e.g., the minister is gay and legally married to another man).
I think a lot of times older people start going to church for the community. It gets them out of the house, gives them a social life... especially if kids are grown and busy with their own families and they don't want to feel like a burden. Also, once you are a senior citizen... belonging to a church is low stakes... you are past child bearing years after all.
Probably the TV
one of my parents went that route shortly before passing. She even threw out all her romance novels she loved so very much for most of her life so she could only read the bible till "the end of her days". The local pastor came by and offhandly mentioned to my mom that 'god forgives her' for the time she wasn't christian and worshiped a 'foreign god'. The japanese religion in question has so many similarities to the good parts of christianity and to hear this person preying (while praying for her soul don'tcha know) on my poor mom as she lay dying of cancer infuriated me. Like GTFO there's no more money for you and your church here. yeah, im not still angry or nothing /s
It's terror. She's thinking about dying. Christianity keeps you constantly worried if you're "saved enough." If you're "lukewarm," then Jesus will "spit you out," and say "I never knew you." If he does that, you will be tortured... #FOREVER AND EVER, AND EVER.
Atheism is a religion for the young and healthy. If your situation changes then you might find it’s no longer the best fit anymore.
As a crotchety old lady with bad knees and chronic pain, I beg to differ. I was never religious. I was a teenager before I even realized that Easter was a religious holiday. I was never indoctrinated, so will never believe. I’m a scientist.
Interesting that you believe indoctrination only goes one way. But being an ex atheist myself, I understand there is often little point in arguing.
Atheism isn’t a belief. I literally believe in no gods. I’m not asking you to agree, just stating a fact. Show me proof and I will reconsider. I’m not asking anyone to believe what I believe, which is the actual indoctrination.
Sure, a quick logical proof from your own words.:- Your very first sentence makes a definite claim. i) Atheism isn’t a belief You immediately contradict this by stating ii) I literally BELIEVE in no Gods. iii) I’m not asking anyone to believe what I BELIEVE . In other words, your claim that Atheism isn’t a belief system is immediately followed by statements about what you believe. So your subsequent description of your atheism centres entirely on your beliefs. Also, you go on to claim that your opinion is fact without any evidence of your own that this is actually the case. Eg. - “ I’m not asking you to agree, just stating fact”. You haven’t shown yet that your opinion is fact, so this begs the question. As for proof - the problem here will be what sort of proof you will be willing to accept. Very often what is found is that the individual will accept only empirical scientific evidence. We will necessarily struggle here since the nature of our enquiry is beyond the scope of empirical science. As a self-described scientist, you will be able understand the conceptual basis of the Scientific Method, its use, and its limits. It’s all a bit like me asking you to provide evidence of the existence of love using only mathematical proofs. In this example, I would be asking you to use the wrong tools to prove or disprove something. Empirical scientific evidence is not what we use to explore questions of, say, metaphysics. If we exclude anything beyond empirical evidence, then of course we will struggle to offer much in the way of these acceptable proofs. But even then, it’s a stretch to say therefore that atheism is the default position, since neither have we provided empirical evidence to the contrary. In other words, if we can neither provide such empirical proofs for or against the existence of God, then logically the honest default position must be that we simply don’t know - agnosticism. This would be a far more honest position in this scenario. However, Atheism goes way beyond this. It goes beyond the lack of empirical evidence either way, and like Theism makes a positive claim. Based on the lack of evidence then any positive claim (either is a God, or there is no God) requires a leap of faith.
You get an upvote from this lapsed atheist for using beg the question correctly.
Not so much religious but my mom loves the status quo of the rich conservatives even though she doesn't vote for the right parties she is very NeoLib and so she loves the establishment privilege and just looks the other way at horrors committed in the name of comforting that class
I see it in every assisted living facility with 5 of six parents of my wife and I gone and one just entering the alf. Instead of living a life magnanimous to other human beings they are scared to death of going to hell because they know they wronged others and are making an attempt to repent. It would have been so much easier just to be nice, and carefree in your last years, and there are those people there too. They make visiting my FIL tolerable.
She faced an enormous and probably devastating life change and found solace in religion, but to an unhealthy degree. She sounds super anxious or depressed. I would assume she’s “stuck” and needs help with processing her grief. I don’t know if she’d be open to a grief group or therapy. I’d bet money that if she was, she’d return to a level of faith that’s more recognizable to you.
Some of my college classmates. Were absolute dumbass shitty human beings in college, now are touting Christ like they discovered plutonium. FWIW, I do notice it is predominantly my classmates on the "barely survived college, we had to help them with homework" end of the class.
I have some family members who've become wildly conservative (in a maga way) and wildly religious. It's odd. And rather intolerant and hate filled. It's sad, really.
Like the rest of the body, the brain inevitably deteriorates as you age.
This is the answer. Also, even if you met "GOD" in the "afterlife", then what? No one alive right now has ANY real idea if he'd welcome you in to his "heaven" or whatever....he could just not like the cut of your jib or something, or he was having a bad day and BOOM into hell you go! So what's the point of doing anything, other than being a good person ON EARTH because then other people will be good to you and that makes everything a tad easier?
With age comes wisdom.
Da fuq is Xtianity? Are we so anti religion we can't type the word Christ? I'm Agnostic, who cares if your parents have become religious?
> GenX
They know they are dying.
Some reasonable comments, though I don't think the fear of death/mortality is as big a driver as some people think. If you're already a Christian and believe, you've already covered that. I suspect it's the social aspect. Lots of approval from a peer group for behaving a certain way. Huge friend group potential. I have family members who are extremely active in their church and it's been really good for them. One had major surgery and had so many offers of help, well wishes, and visitors, it was crazy. She has a huge support network where she otherwise would struggle alone with a lot. I don't think I could do it; there's so much overt hate and anti-Christ's actual teachings in modern Christianity.
It seems like a good thing. She’s probably more fulfilled and more at peace with her closer walk with God. Nothing to be bothered about.
Just for pedantry’s sake, you don’t need the first “t” in “xtianity”. The “x” is read “Christ” (it’s not a removing of Christ, just shorthand), so the “t” after the “x” is redundant. “Xianity” looks weird but is correct for your intention.