I do miss pagentry and solemnity. I miss the happiness I had when I thought there was a god. That said, I am okay now living in reality.
I couldn't wait to get away from it. Once I turned 18 and my father couldn't make me go to church and catechism I was done. I checked out way before that, but once it was MY choice my choice was "fuck this". I never looked back and never regretted that decision.
I never really had a religious life to speak of, at least not as an adult. As a youngster, I was fairly active in my church, but then I figured out it was all baloney, and the thrill was gone. I don't miss the hocus-pocus nonsense, but I do miss the sense of community. I live in the Bible Belt; if you have no church affiliation you have no social life at all; you might as well be dead. Luckily I'm retired, because it's also difficult to do business here if you're "unchurched," and I have been encouraged to join a church for that very reason. But as I have a very low tolerance for intolerant, dogmatic bullshit, I can't see myself doing that. I would be sure to offend somebody every single time I opened my mouth.
Some agnostics and atheist say they wish they had their religion back. I have thought about that often but I don't think there is any going back. Our mind decides what e believe and once it don't believe, then it ain't going back. But I do think we have to get some "hype" from somewhere in order to remain motivated to live and achieve. We have to have something that drives us. For some it's family, football, sports, sex, love of music or art. Everybody has something.
I guess we should live to experience joy. Joy is short lived emotional happiness. What brings people joy? I guess everybody has his/her own catalyst.
Do you ever see the spectators at football games with their shirts off and the whole body painted in team colors? Now those folks are really into the experience of the game. The game means something big to them. The game adds to their reason for living.
No. i grew up in the 60's in a protestant home. mom told us to never even look at a catholic church. even tho they claimed to be methodist, she was agnostic, until she got older and i guess was afraid she'd go to hell unless she went to her boring church. fast forward, i went to a catholic church in my 30's w a friend, as irrational as it sounds, i felt like i would be struck by lightening for going into a catholic church. do i miss that? well, thinking about it, it is kinda funny, and i do love to laugh!
I don't miss it at all, I found it and the people for the most part to be so fake and condescending. I knew several of the people both in and out of church and even as a child knew it was like watching Sybil split personalities and all. I am much happier not having to listen to the BS being preached and told I am a sinner at every turn. I also don't missed being interrogated simply because I was not a good enough actress to hide my doubts of the veracity of their claims.
Mostly miss the music. Beautiful sounding hymns and organ music.
and the potluck dinners-don't forget the food!
Being religious was an easy way to feel superior to everyone else without justification or having to put in any effort to improve myself. But I don't miss it. I may not have that undeserved sense of being better than everyone else, but I'm more satisfied with who I am (I think I'm more understanding, generally kinder, less judgmental, etc.). I don't know that I'm any happier, but I don't think I'm more depressed either (at least not because of my change in worldview).
I am the same person I was when I believed, just a little smarter. I don't miss anything about it. I think I was always atheist but growing up in a sheltered tiny town, I didn't even know that you could question it. I remember listening to pastors give their sermon and thinking "this is full of holes".
No but I do envy the community that seems to be present in religious life. I recently was booked to work a baby shower and there were tons of people and there was a game that required people to gather as a team and sing nursery rhymes. I asked why everyone sound so amazing and they were all members of the choir at church. I am sometimes envious yet hopeful that people can build community around secular lifestyles/values too