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What to do with "the anger"?

  1. Have you/do you feel angry towards religion, and those who are religious? I experience a lot of frustration and resentment towards my parents.
    2a) How do you confront such anger/get over the anger?
    2b) How do you transform the anger into something productive?
Susie 4 Jan 4
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9 comments

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I was given a private school education for my first 7 years. 1 episcopal, 6 catholic. I appreciated much my father for paying for that school and when I wanted no more for my family allowing me attend public school. I became atheist by my own devices. By the time I met the first communist I was already without god. I learned to control my anger to the point I am not angry more than 2 or 3 minutes. I am one of those my blood boils and my heartbeat race toward war. I used to live with the mantra "Before Peace There Must Be War". Not anymore. Think about what is good in your life and if it is going to be affected with you continuing being angry. Most likely your parents did what they thought it was best for you. I am good controlling my feelings, I am a passive aggression kind of guy during arguments. And pretty early I had already decided where I am going and when the argument is going to stop. I don't break things, I got a big loud mouth but I no longer need to scream. I feel happy and I am not going to give the "bitch", any "bitch" the satisfaction of interrupting my happiness. Does not means that if need to I won't throw the first punch. I still consider myself dangerous because I grew up among danger despite my schooling. Control is the key. Remember anger is Poison. Hard to detox.

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  1. Yes. It started when I realized I'd been lied to with regards to Young Earth Creationism. What I knew even then, though, was that everyone that I knew personally involved in it was sincere in their belief about it. So I couldn't really allow my anger to focus on them. That wouldn't make sense, nor would it do any good.

The same quickly became true with regards to Christian theology and Christian ideas of earthly supernatural manifestations, particularly faith healing. I know there are liars and such, but again in most of these cases the people through whom I'd learned of these things are deeply sincere.

In one sense, it all made me recognize how easily messed up the minds of all people are. But it doesn't do any good to be a misanthrope, and it wouldn't make sense to get angry at humanity, either, because this damaging impetus to believe basically random stuff is a byproduct of our evolution and a part of how we must as a species survive and cope with a difficult reality—in short, it is comes from our need for collective intellectual freedom.

So, I find few clear vents for it; the occasional exceptions being the subset of apologists who do or really should know better.

2a) I don't know; I'm just trying to live with it. See above for how I try not to let it destroy others.

2b) This is helpful with (2a), I'm harnessing it to try to learn as much as I can and to encourage others to think clearly and love fully. There are many other ways... Sometimes, I make really loud music! 🙂

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I mostly take it out on the children...Seriously though. I'm a teacher and I always do my best to encourage logic, rationality, skepticism, and tolerance in my lessons.

Me too, and if I help them along the way a bit by saying "Can you imagine some people actually believe that?" then hey-ho.

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I don't feel angry about religion or the religious. I accept it as part of the context of their lives, and therefore something I cannot change, so I let it go. I try to not be angry about things I cannot change. Saves me from a lot of stress.

Some people can change though. Look at this site.

@GoldenDoll 'Some' can (and do), and some won't. I think I know the people in my life who fit into the latter category.

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I just don't get into it or tell them it's my choice.

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You got to pray for them.. just kidding.. I'll have to give it some thought and see if I can come up with a decent comment 🙂

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When you think about it, most everyone is literally in the same position you are, some just don't realize it. They've been lied to and want an honest explanation. However, when dealing with those who have something to hide like religions and countries, you'll only obtain something that is just like them... unrealistic. The only thing you can do is call them out when given the opportunity, however, it'll most likely go down as if you're talking to a wall since they "know" the truth.

"god grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Yeah let's all wait for god to grant us anything.

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I used to be angry, I've learned to be angry at religions and not the religious. The majority of the religious are victims that could benefit from help. There is a minority that I truly believe fake there religious beliefs to manipulate people for their own gain and at the cost of those they indoctrinate I save my anger for them.

Dav87 Level 6 Jan 4, 2018
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Good question!

In my experience, when you finally break that bond with theism, it is natural at first to fell anger. I see this most often with younger people.

The problem is the anger isn't very constructive for you personally if you don't channel that in some direction. For me, it was diving into the origins Christianity and understanding the evolution of all religions and weighing it against the scientific evidence.

After that was over, I had to work on myself. That is a life long endeavor because as an agnostic/atheist we don't have the luxury of blaming god or the fates.

Wish I said this...agreed

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