“I really like you, but you and your family are religiously insane so I think we should see other people. I’m gonna try to see someone with a grip on reality, and you should try to see a professional”
Religious people are all nuts, just the degree varies a little bit.
Everyone is nuts. Religious people just far more uniformly
Not me. I remembered an umbrella!
Honestly this is it. It’s why it’s so stabilizing especially to a medium sized community (too small you get cults, too big you get institutionalization). Everybody agreeing to be weird in a specific way at a specific time at regular intervals has a lot of benefits, literal health benefits even. You definitely get some real fucked up outlier behavior but religion doesn’t have widespread staying power throughout generations for no reason.
Pretty much. People attempting to drive others to atheism when they should be driving people to be less dickish is the most common goof I’ve found. Some people need an ethos and religion helps.
The problem with conglomerating your craziness is that whatever it conglomerates around becomes socially and politically powerful, and whatever ethos it offers tends to be deeply flawed. For jumped up apes trying to function at a higher level, self reflection and the capacity to question your delusions are essential skills, but these are anathema to religion. The belief system must protect and promote itself. So instead you end up supporting a bunch of pedophiles who want to fuck up the entire world, and getting all giddy about the mess you’re making because you just can’t wait for Jebus to come back and fix everything. So while I’m not really disputing the social and mental health benefits of religion at an individual scale, we’re currently experiencing the worldwide political and environmental consequences of large scale, organized, delusional thinking, and it isn’t pretty. At least if we could all agree that when you join a religion you give up your right to vote, it wouldn’t be so bad.
It seems more like an issue with systems of power without proper maintenance cycles, rather than an issue of lined up delusions. The monarchy functioned reasonably well up until it didn’t, democracy functions reasonably well up until it doesn’t, central planning functions reasonably well until it doesn’t, etc…
Without giving systems of power a proper scrub, they fester, always. Almost exclusively because of gradual entrenchment of third party interests, which is the natural state of sociopolitical systems, unfortunately.
I was once invited to a pool party by a girl back when I was a freshman at college. When I got there they were baptizing people.
There was free food though so I stuck around.
Freshmen year of college is all about maximizing the amount of free stuff you can get, especially food.
Any adult who believes in Magick, God, angels, or demons has growing up to do.
I didn’t believe in demons until 2016 and one was elected to be president of the US.
Unfortunately we don’t need demons, humans are bad enough as is.
Genuine question, no judgement, but why did you spell it Magick in this instance?
I used to be spiritual and got used to spelling it with a K.
I realized it was all bullshit. I thought I knew sacred knowledge and that the spells weren’t working because I wasn’t good enough…
I realized I’d never be good enough and that the guy who was teaching me magic was using it as an excuse to get high (he claimed we were doing sacred rituals that increases our magic power… we were fucking drinking DXM)
Wow, totally not where I was expecting that response to go. Super cool, you basically had the pagan version of a christian to non-christian realization. Wild!
I tried Buddhism for awhile only to realize that’s bullshit too.
Don’t believe the people who are all “Oh it’s just atheism but you meditate.”
Now there’s a rich theology with ghosts and heaven realms…
Meditation straight up doesn’t work as anything other than a breathing exercise. I saw no visions
Thought I remembered a past life but I’m pretty sure I made it up because I saw it from a third person perspective. I “remembered” being a Latina prostitute who sold drugs at an arcade
Ironically, that’s a super Buddhist statement. The idea that you would go do a Buddhist meditation with the expectation of gaining something from it is antithetical to what Buddhism is about. I’m not a Buddhist, I don’t meditate, but I remember going to a session with my significant other and a bunch of people were like, “how many sessions of this do I have to do before I start getting the effects (depression getting better, anger issues, etc).” They completely missed the point that the whole thing is about self-reflection, or as you said, a breathing exercise.
If you’re a mindful and competent person then you probably aren’t gaining much from guided meditation. If you’re struggling with some stuff then taking 30 min of dedicated time to work through it is probably a good thing. If you’re a certain type of Neurodivergent and have trouble focusing, then it’s probably something you could do every day.
More importantly, if you’re a 3rd century AD monk who has a ton of time on their hands, it’s probably not a bad way to spend your time (other spiritual/religious groups would do the same praying)
Enlightenment is just realizing truths that go against assumptions that get programmed into us by the way we are raised into society. Meditation, I think, is a way to think neutrally about things, which can make it easier to realize those truths, because we can have a lot of emotional attachment to the untruths they replace.
I don’t really meditate myself (hence the “I think”) though psychedelics might have helped prime me for several enlightenments (it’s not just one thing). Enlightenment doesn’t really solve any life problems but make it way easier to navigate life emotionally by adjusting expectations and entitlements.
I suspect the mysticism added on to Buddhism was intended to address the existential dread about the certainty of death (the reincarnation stuff) as well as try to temper those that realize nothing is really stopping them from doing whatever the fuck they want to others if they either have the power for it or don’t care about what happens to themselves afterwards (the karma stuff).
Personally, I separate the mysticism from the philosophy, where I consider the latter very useful for living a happy or at least content life and the former fun to think about, probably wishful thinking, but no real way to know unless there is something after death.
My experience from taking the MBSR was that the match of meditation techniques to practitioner was wildly idiosyncratic.
I think the best thing about that class is that it just exposes you to a dozen or so different styles, and hopefully you like one or two.
My experience with the body scan is that it is best done guided, at least for the first few years, because you need to be walked through your blind spots.
Now if only we could stop ex-christians from flocking to the nearest pagan/eastern religion and just live the life they have to the fullest just for themselves we’d really be onto something as a species.
New Age Spirituality is a trap. People think they can get spiritual benefits or embrace a supernatural world if they do it the right way.
The truth is there’s no magic. You don’t have a soul, the entire concept of souls is utterly disproven by neurology.
This is the only life you have, you aren’t gonna die only to wake up in the astral plane with super powers and a spirit guide.
Just give up on faith. The whole damn thing is a trap designed by charlatans to steal your money and waste your time.
Your brain is an electro-chemical machine, it gives of waves and electromagnetic signature. That’s your soul. Upon death if we captures that signature and held it in a containment field (like soul in a can) you could then disgard it because its useless.
Preach!
I don’t hate on people wanting to believe in something, but people need to stop believing in scams in general. If you wanna believe in Jesus Christ, that’s fine, just don’t think you’re obligated to give your money to a church that says it’s helping the poor when 90% of donations go to keeping the building and pastor in good condition. The fucking gall of a pastor driving a Lexus and having a boat while even a single member of the church is poor is a fucking spit in the face.
No it’s not okay to believe in Jesus Christ. He didn’t die for your sins, the earliest writings about him are from decades after his death. There were never 500 witnesses only the claim of 500 witnesses.
We need to be focused only on things that are actually true. Lies like religion are what lead to America becoming the failed Christofascist state it is.
A Christian Mindset is nothing but delusion and delusion should not be condoned or encouraged.
This comment could be written in any human language, but with local specific drugs, as far back as humans existed lmao
“Unga said spell make daughter heal. Me know bullshit. Unga just use excuse to eat mushrooms with me.”
Also I’m not making fun of you it’s just this is human spirituality and has been with us as long as we’ve had mind altering substances
deleted by creator
She’s a dev, she’s used to https://imagemagick.org/
Everyone is going with the satanism or whatever non-Christian antics they are coming up with.
That’s too easy.
Study some Bible verses and understand the tenents of the religion. Learn enough about the family to find something you can use. Then break up with her by saying her family are heretics and state that reason. Tell her they’re all going to hell and close the door tight. Never talk to her again.
It schisma time!!!
You get it. Insidious “mustard seeds”, if so needed. You can’t always logic someone quickly, it takes a lot of time to even consider changing any core beliefs. But I really value my time. So it’s either worth it, or I’m taking the path of least resistance… aka, “your family’s the devil and you didn’t even know. Sorry, God certainly loves YOU though. And maybe we woulda worked in a different life, but until then; bye and god bless”
Fake: Anon has gf Gay: Convoluted break-up fantasy to explain why he can’t get with girls integrates his actual religious trauma from his own homophobic fundy household growing up
Fake/gay analysis: true and straight. Source: dated religious girl who’s mother was a religious lunatic. Super fucking likely to happen
*whose
She ain’t a red flag she a whole chinese military parade.
This is not unusual in my opinion. In my childhood, I attended Catholic, Baptist, and Assembly of God churches, and this would not have raised any eyebrows. Especially with Assembly of God.
If the people only knew what they are supporting with their tax dollars (in USA, churches pay no taxes)! It’s obscene and frankly ridiculous. The farther you go in the church, the crazier things are.
And make no mistake, they will kill you. The best part of adulthood for me was getting out of the church, as a kid I was horrified every day with these absolute lunatics.
Also can confirm on the weird offshoot of Pentecostalism that is “Assembly of God.”
To this day - if you were to ask certain extra dipshit Trump-loving bigots and racists who I have known all my life who enjoyed their time at the specific “Assembly of God” church I was forced to attend as a kid, they will still swear that “speaking in tongues” is some sort of mystical God language that is legit and not silly.
It’s one of the many reasons I’m happy to say I am no longer a believer in any sort of religion.
I still respect people’s peaceful welcoming traditions and the “fellowship” that some religious people are able to kindly engage in as an indirect result of their personal religious beliefs, but for me - I think Stephen Fry put it best when he said this about God.
My sister got involved in a Pentecostal church and I became fascinated by speaking in tongues. It was such obvious bullshit, and she could never explain it (“The pastor says it’s the divine spirit, bla bla bla…”). So I looked it up.
In the Bible “speaking in tongues” was like a universal translator. The Christians were preaching to a multilingual crowd. There was a mighty wind (lol) and flames appeared over the preachers’ heads.
From Acts: “And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.”
But now because this is a fairy tale that didn’t happen, it’s morphed into gabbling nonsense that no-one understands.
My mom recently changed to a non-denominational church because the local Assembly of God (the church she raised me in) is somehow getting it wrong.
Her new pastor has a degree from Liberty University. I am intimately familiar with the teachings of the A/G. I honestly don’t even want to know what the new church is telling her.
Speaking in tongues was a source of constant amusement for me, and probably the only thing I enjoyed about the church. “Shambala lala guu!”
Then, someone else used their Magic Bird powers to “translate”.
Republicans claim public school teaches our kids to be atheists. That would be so based if it were true.
Children should be taught faerie tales are fiction.
Ironically, I went to Assembly of God school, which definitely impacted me and resulted in my atheism.
Also, my relatives were Baptist and totally wacko for Jerry Falwell, who founded Liberty.
They don’t speak in tongues, but they do share a lot with Assembly of God, like their Apocalyptic obsession. My family was positive they were going to be swept up into Heaven by angels while the Jesus army murders everybody. Should be pretty cool.
Claming demonic attacks without the popes approval? Well that’s sounds like a reason for a excommunication…
They’re probably not Catholic. This is peak American evangelical crazy right here.
I dated a religious girl for three years. Her mom was a pastor at a small church. She was a regular practicing Christian. Definitely had some habits and customs I wasn’t used to. I mostly just nodded along and was polite.
Never really caused us problems long term. We ended up breaking up after our jobs pulled us in different directions. We’re still good friends and we regularly keep in touch.
Someone claiming to have a GF on 4chan - especially in 2026 - is extremely sus. Sounds fake and/or gay to me. Don’t take it too seriously.
It’s a spectrum. Yeah most are normies but in the bible belt and suicide belt regions of the US you get some certified wackjobs who think every obvious fuckup is a “supernatural attack”.
Don’t ask who I’m quoting that phrase from.
Who are you quoting that phrase from?
in the bible belt and suicide belt regions of the US you get some certified wackjobs
Some of the most certifiable radicals I’ve had the dubious honor of meeting were in California and NY. The center of the county has it’s share, but for the most part it’s just background noise. You listen to church radio because it’s what’s on. You celebrate Christmas because the city puts up a big tree and throws some public parties.
People can be superstitious with or without a formal religious membership. And they can be Christian outside of the red states.
Most are normies? I’ll need some kind of source for that, my life experience says otherwise.
So does mine, but you have to take into account where you live. Are Christian people psychos there or is it an industrialized (agricultural) area where Christianity is being used to pacify all the social psychosis that comes with poverty, unusable healthcare, and drug addiction. Do all Christians want war in the middle east or do you live in a town with a military base that desperately needs to meet recruitment quotas.
You’ll find when you get out of those areas there are Christians that are less psycho than thinking dehydration was the devil messing with them and also some who are far worse.
But does she think her parents are nut jobs, it would be a rare family whose child completely agrees with the views of the parent especially when the views of the parent are so, er, disconnected from reality.
My parents are religious nuts, doesn’t mean I am.
plenty of people think their parents are nut jobs, and plenty of them don’t and think their parents are flawless gods.
IME that correlates highly with basically how adult/independent you are from your folks. some folks never leave the nest their entire lives, at least emotionally and often financially. blows my mind how many 30/40 something ladies I meet… who are still ‘daddy’s little girl’. I’m sure there are plenty of dudes like that too.
my folks basically cut me off after college, but also I thought they were nut jobs when I was like 5 years old, because they are. they had all sorts of weird, delusional, and stupid beliefs, and had nothing to do with religion… they were just average americans.
I once managed to get heatstroke in a air-conditioned car in the middle east. May not have been demonic possession, but sure as shit felt like it xD the heat down there is metal af. Ten minutes outside is life threatening. Put some things into perspective for my Scandinavian ass.
Throw a brick out the window and dive after it, never to be seen again.
Well … a lot Christians love to suffer. It’s rooted in the faith that life is suffering
It’s not that life is suffering it’s that God puts challenges in a Christian’s life to test their faith, the more challenges the more holy they are. They also teach that the unholy would persecute them out of “jealousy”
It’s why the Christofascists WANT to be persecuted. It validates their delusions.
No, that’s Buddhism. Christians like to make other people suffer. Ideally immigrants, minorities and queers, but they will settle for anyone. Their own children usually.
It’s Christian, too, as said throughout the Bible. Their relief from suffering is in the afterlife.
