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Does anyone have any evidence or good reason to think that the pandemic is causing people to doubt or flee from their religious or "spiritual" beliefs? All I see is either trusting god or "the universe" and therefore following public health recommendations isn't necessary, or trusting god or "the universe" but it's still a good idea to follow public health recommendations. I don't hear anyone other than the small percentage of atheists coming out with the notion that there is no hint of anything out there that has helped with this in anyway. I don't understand how a global pandemic like this wouldn't cause many doubts. But I'm just not seeing it sway people. Anybody?

MichaelF 6 June 30
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37 comments

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6

Personally, I think people will come out of the pandemic clinging to whatever they had before it started. If they were a believer, they will cling to that and claim God got them through it. Non religions people will use it as further proof their isn't a god, or that if there is, he's a real asshole for putting us through it (so why would he be worth following?).

The only place you might see some movement is in people who were already questioning their beliefs. But at any given time, that is likely to be a statistically small percentage.

5

There are quite a few Mormons who left during the shut down because being away from the influence of the church during that time allowed them to start thinking more clearly. It wasn't the virus itself that changed their mind but just the loosening up of the church's ability to control them.

Interesting, and makes sense.

I used to be Mormon, and everything is so structured, you don't have time for options. I'm glad a few have seen the truth.

5

I haven't seen any evidence to indicate people are "losing their religion" because
of the pandemic.

4

I think they’re still keeping ‘that secret’ to themselves … as they would any other doubt regarding their religion.. But - it has to be building. And, youth … those they go after hardest … they will remember, I hope..

I’ve often wondered about the Jews of Germany, no doubt begging to ‘a god’ … and nothing but more death and suffering. Did they continue to ‘believe?’ Or did they fall back in line after the death of millions. The one’s I’ve met learned.

Varn Level 8 July 1, 2020

There was a prisoner in a concentration camp in Austria that wrote "If there is a god, he will have to beg for my forgiveness." Yes, I am sure some had doubts through that horror.

As I understand it, one must believe in a Uni-God to be Jewish. One can be of Jewish ancestry but not the religion. Reformers see it a bit different but belief in this God is still vital. I am heritage.

4

Events are typically viewed through a filter, and the externals surrounding the pandemic have tended to calcify ideology. If your filter is tuned toward unquestioning faith, recent events will likely amplify such. If, on the other hand, your belief system abjures religion, and you view human actions and decisions alone as the key to everything from combating a global pandemic to addressing climate change, you are likely going to be encouraged by the positive results from countries that did not necessarily require a religious endorsement for their decision making.

I like the way that you have put it.

The elephant and the Polish problem

4

People not only won't doubt their faith in the face of the pandemic, they'll use it to reinforce their faith. The faithful have honed their rationalization skills to a razor's edge so they never have to question their GOD no matter how indifferent he seems to be to the suffering of mankind.

They'll just look on it as a test of some sort or the work of Satan. When it's over they'll praise him for not allowing more people to have died.

If it never ends that'll be Satan's fault too.

4

I've seen no evidence of this. In fact typically the fearful mental children that believe in that sky daddy tend to cling even tighter to their archaic beliefs to bring comfort in times like these.

redhog Level 7 June 30, 2020
3

Unfortunately, but the churches here are not doing this

bobwjr Level 10 July 1, 2020
3

Don't know why it would alter their delusions, as the 10,000,000 plagues that have come previously didn't.

3

Brainwashed minds are great at denial.

They are indeed great at denial.

No they're not 😉

3

Not around here. My neighbour just recently said to me, "we're living in end times regardless of what I say". I replied "an excuse for anything christian". ...and smiled. The president goes on national TV and has a moment of silence followed by prayer and thanks god. A President shouldn't be biased towards 15% of people in this country. Yet those who are secretly praying in groups are infecting each other and spreading. Damnnnn

3

It seems to me that whenever something good happens religious people give God all the credit but they never blame God for the bad stuff.

Elissa Level 5 June 30, 2020
3

Religious fanatics don’t believe in science so why would they believe in evidence or not.

2

The holocaust did turn a significant number of individuals away from theism. It became clear to many Jewish people that prayers were utterly useless in the concentration camps. Yahweh has abandoned them. They were understandably shocked and angry by divine indifference. The sensible reaction was to abandon God. Many did. Existentialism flourished after the second world war. Organised religions did falter and they still do.

Natural catastrophes do not seem to have the same impact on faith. A tsunami killed nearly half a million of human beings in a matter of minutes. Many believers conclude the gods are angry. Nobody prays for the disappearance of tsunamis or tornadoes. The survivors actually thank the god who has spared them. They manage not to find it bizarre that their merciful god did not spare those who perished.

I am not therefore surprised that in the USA (and elsewhere)so many insist on attending en masse religious ceremonies in spite of public health warnings of the to spread and catch the virus. Faith has never moved mountains but it so often destroys common sense.

2

I think many religious folk, forget the saying "God, helps those, who help themselves." Meaning be proactive, and don't rely on God! If they did that a bit more, maybe they would see the truth. There is no God!

2

I doubt it. From past observations, people oddly became more religious during crisis.

The Aztecs abandoned their deities when it became apparent they weren't helping them get over the diseases the Spanish brought.

On the other extreme, Christian believe that God tests their faith by bringing hardships as in the story of Job. Covered in boils, all your sons and cattle died? God is testing you.

God is an evil psycho. Keep the faith, baby!

2

If child rape and genocide didn't do it... Besides, there were plagues from God in the Bible (and a lot of them think hurricanes are caused by men sticking their penises in other men) so no, I doubt a single person lost their faith because of Covid...

Right on. My bet is that if any turn, it will be the ones who get it and even then who knows . . . . it depends on the individual person and what they are made of.

2

Not really seeing an impact either way. People tend to construct “closed systems” in terms of core beliefs, and find “evidence” to confirm what they already believe in their life experience.

2

Most people are still delusional and cannot think rationally. I don't believe anyone can be persuaded to come to the conclusion that there is no God. One has to come to that realization on his or her own, by thinking rationally and logically. Education helps but the final leap to reality and reason cannot be forced onto anyone . It has to be a self realization.

Agree. But I think that seeds can be sometimes be (verbally) planted that might ultimately help them come to that realization.

@Sammy2005 Some people yes. The hard-core evangelicals and hard-core Muslims and of any religion will not get it.

2

Nope still delusional

bobwjr Level 10 July 1, 2020
2

Many people go to church out of habit.
They go because their parents brought them, and they have been doing it their whole lives.
This social distancing will break that habit for many of them.
Many will decide, when they are allowed to go back to church, they would prefer to just stay home on Sunday and either watch a church service on TV, or sleep in and watch nothing at all.
That's huge.

BD66 Level 8 July 1, 2020
2

What I hear is that this is fulfillment of the doom and desolation prophesied for the endtimes.

2

No evidence of anyone turning away from their faith in god as far as I can see. I still see people posting religious messages of how god will give them strength to get through this pandemic if they keep their faith in Jesus the redeemer! There have been politicians campaigning for churches to reopen during lockdown because they say the people need the comfort that worshiping together brings...Its crazy how unshakable their faith in god is!

2

Give it a little time. Clear evidence my not be at hand regarding the pandemic, but it is well established that many people leave their faith because of the untimely loss of a loved one. A lot of people are dying, and many more will have horrific disabilities for the rest of their life.

1

I think it might cause some people to doubt and or flee from their religious beliefs,, I'm trusting public health officials, for my advice, and not religious ignorance.

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