Why do people choose "alternative" religions? While I don't agree, I do understand tha enculturation leads people to the major religions such as christianity, but I'm always amazed at the forces that make people leave these religions and fall into alternative paths such as wicca, scientology, satanism, new age, etc.
I've been around many, many folks who changed up their faith. Usually they're maladjusted individuals who are seemingly incompatible with society, yet they crave an identity of their own -- something that sets them apart. It's not that they are trying to replace one religion with another because they need religion. Rather, I get the sense that it's identity they crave. They want to be special. This is often the same power I see at work in many crackpot subcultures (Illuminati, UFO, Nibiru, chemtrails, 9/11 conspiracy people). Most of these people never had an identity as a teen -- they weren't the jocks, the cheerleader, the popular kid, or anything really. They often were no one. By latching onto something obscure, they are able to feel "In the know" and are able to form a community with similar people and create a bit of circular validation within the group. They belong.
Yes, there's a significant amount of fantasy prone belief within their subculture (that's necessary to sustain the group) and this is sustained by everyone playing the same game and telling the same stories.
...just thinking out loud here. What do you think?
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There is another factor you may have not considered.
This may, at first, seem not totally connected, but bear with me.
Tribal people accept tribal "knowledge" **"This is what my tribe thinks/does." And does NOT think/do.** It is absorbed at a personal level, more intensely and inseparably than mere indoctrination. Yep, those you spoke of, jocks, cheerleaders, even gangs, they are all tribal.
And the tribal individual cannot see their own blindness. (hence religion, dogma, blind political allegiance, adherence to "idiotic" customs, total unreasoning abhorrence of "outside" beliefs)
Being human, we ALL have such blind spots!
Someone trying to convince us differently than our tribe, whatever their evidence, will only anger us. (Not you? 'Course not. Me neither)
One who (for whatever reason, -moving often, ostracism, noninvolvement in think alike groups etc.) did not get caught in that tribal mindset are sometimes able to view "normal" (mis?)conceptions with an unbiased viewpoint. (I suspect that is why most ppl raised without religion will never get sucked into it)
The created term "conspiracy theory" is not one word, but was introduced as a catch all to include every theory the user does not himself agree with.
So, as someone who rejects religion, in all it's guises, but has looked at the evidence involved in some of the "official stance" reports, I cannot know the truth, but certainly suspect we haven't been told it.
The only way I can see to get past our blind spots (yeah, we all have 'em, including... sigh, me) is to watch ourselves. (No fun! Much easier to point out other's prejudices)
Watch ourselves, see what pushes our "automatic rejection buttons".
THAT is where our OWN blindness lies.
njoy_life_2
Level 7
June 14, 2018
1
Very true!
Thinking, ... It is so utterly human to want to surround ourselves with those who think like us, but it is more to progress, (in society, or in our own growth) when we do so.
In discussions, a lot of them on this site, I've come to alter my views a bit, here and there.
A big thank you to those who disagreed AND discussed with me, for helping to gain another view. (I didn't always change or alter my view, but I'm better for having looked.
There's s saying, something about "a person who can examine a position without embracing it.... " ... I forget the whole thing, duh.Probably that has a lot to do with it.
People want to belong, and after they lose their childhood religious identity, they sometimes want to replace it.
birdingnut
Level 8
June 14, 2018
0
Enjoy being online again!
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