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Religion fills a social void, how do you get social belonging? Outside of this site of course

Canndue 8 Feb 24
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30 comments

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9

I have no need for "social belonging".
I generally do not like people.
I get whatever I need regarding social interaction right here.

I agree with every word you said, KK. 🙂

same. Maybe not "none", but I'm fine with social rarity.

@Marcel3405 Makes walking away in the middle of a boring conversation a lot less rude than if one does it in reality.
😀

7

I think for a lot of people, especially in small towns, churches provide a sense of community that may be missing from urban lifestyles. Yes, there are plenty of other ways of being social, but churches can be a good support organization. It's nice for people to help out when one of the members is sick or dealing with serious issues. It's just too bad they have to bring in all of the religious nonsense.

5

Religion doesn't fill a social void if you are sociable... Meeting at Church every Sunday for Mass is only one event... I have many friends and we get together often to socialize...

4

My wife got it from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. She would exchange letters with Annie and a couple of others on a regular basis. The highlight of her life was when they had the annual conference in Ann Arbor Michigan some many years ago...meeting the central figures of the Foundation was very exciting for her. One of the speakers was Dr. Jack Kavorkian...way before he got more famous and into trouble. Myself, as an Asperger's, I don't get enthused about social interaction.

4

In NH in the Newport/Lebanon region which I know really well you have meetup groups, Unitarian Churches, and a college town between Lebanon and Dartmouth. I lived in southern NH for many years but I dated a guy from Canaan and hung out in Lebanon. Much going on up there.

4

In the past I would dig into a Q&A community like this one or start a band. I don’t get social belonging outside this site very much anymore to be honest. There’s a podcast I listen to and the host has started playing games on Twitch for a couple hours every night, so that chat room is fun with a few friends. But other than that and here, I really don’t have much of a tribe left in sociable distance.

4

Don't know anything about your area but in Brevard County, FL we use Meetup and have something going on at least once a week, sometimes more. Some are just get togethers and some are to expand your mind. Takes some effort but most things that are good do!

BillF Level 7 Feb 24, 2019

Ditto on the meetup.com activities. Very diverse and plentiful things going on this side of the state as well.

3

I've had good luck with bars. There's a strong sense of community in many local taverns, and you can get a nice glass of wine too, so it's sort of like a secular communion. But much less restrictive. And there's usually a juke box. 🤓

3

I still have a great relationship with my mom even though she is a firm believer and I'm openly athiest. We respect each other when we talk about what we believe and what we do nt. I hope she thinks so. I also have a few atheist friends. Nonreligious people are not rare especially in my field. It does cut down my dating pool but it was already cut down to begin with. I'll never be a good religious wife. I also have a bunch of pets. They serve only one god. The God of death.

3

Religion can cause a void in social belonging as well. If you meet the standards of members, they are nice to you at church and avoid you every where else. I have had that happen to me on ocassion. Another reason I am now an Atheist.

3

I have no religion and sense no void. That is something I often hear said but I don’t believe that anymore than I believe in god. Belief in a falisay or god that does not exist is living in a void. Reality is not a void. IMHO

3

Book club, homeschool co-op, regular nights out with friends, working in the service industry and playdates for my kids.

3

I work in animal rescue. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, and most of the people doing it are wonderful.

2

My solitude is my favorite social escape!

@flithyMONKEYmen ?

2

Do some volunteering and you soon will have purpose and fulfillment in your life.

2

I hang out with my dogs, cats, snakes, etc. I go outside and talk to the birds and the coyotes. I play with my horses. I don't socially belong among humans (except may be online).

2

It's simple, never discuss religion with many beers in your belly ?

1

I belong to a bunch of dance meet up groups, a couple of music groups, and an atheist group.

1

Social belonging? What kind of sorcery is this?

1

Dungeons & Dragons

1

Keep busy, a busy person soon attracts plenty of people who want something. Now, sorry I must leave I have to go in search of a social void to escape into.

1

Yes it can void the social void, but the cost is too great. Find something you love and then join or start a club or gathering.

0

I attend a Unitarian Universalist . It gives me a sense of community and my granddaughter loves it.

0

I attend Buddhist meetings weekly and I pay my therapist to listen to me for an hour on Thursdays. That's it.

0

For years I lived in our house in east Texas and never saw anybody but my kids and my wife, all of whom had their own thing going. My wife cleans to religion and will not consider that it is stupid. When the kids got old enough to take care of themselves, I was really alone all the time. So about a year and a half ago about a car, and came to Houston to drive for Uber and Lyft. I have been doing that ever since. But the one thing I had planned on doing which was meeting someone and having some kind of social life has not happened.

I drive people around all day who have a life and who have friends and family, and I have nobody down here and no where to interact, that I know of where I will be accepted as an atheist. I am climbing the walls because I like to talk and I like to do things with someone and I hate doing anything by myself. So I just work and sleep. I keep hoping to be rescued from this by some enterprising woman who is in the same boat I am.

Houston's a big town. There are lots of places you could go to be social and make new friends. Lots of churches accepts atheists, like Unitarians and Buddhists. Join a club to meet people with similar interests. Get a p/t job. Join a gym. Just get off your ass and do something!

@jerry99 it's not all that fucking easy when you don't know where to go and you work all the time. So kiss my ass.

Hard to understand why you're not making friends.

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