Religious extremism driven by anxiety ?

I personally have taken quite a bit of philosophy many years ago. In fact, I passionately love it and when I am finished working on my current degree that is just about finished, I am going back to school to pursue it. I have found that while I do in fact believe in a high order to this maddness called existence and a creator, I find that many of the atheists I have known happen to be very extraordinary people. In fact, I do not find much of a problem coming to common understanding and grounding in most things with them. Perhaps this is because I do in fact strive towards a life that is non-vi... [More]

I personally have taken quite a bit of philosophy many years ago. In fact, I passionately love it and when I am finished working on my current degree that is just about finished, I am going back to school to pursue it. I have found that while I do in fact believe in a high order to this maddness called existence and a creator, I find that many of the atheists I have known happen to be very extraordinary people. In fact, I do not find much of a problem coming to common understanding and grounding in most things with them. Perhaps this is because I do in fact strive towards a life that is non-vi... [More]

In all honesty, living my life in my "religion" (as people call it) has not brought me total comfort, in many ways it has isolated me. I have a friend who has become more isolated than I have, and he also struggles with anxiety attacks and depression, and it is not his religion that comforts him whatsoever. He argues with God all the time, yet he still believes in God and submits to that authority even though he has some chronic illnesses. For a true hardcore Christian, it is not a mindset that brings you comfort, it is actually a mindset that brings you discomfort because hardcore Christians ... [More]

I'd say that all extremism is driven by anxiety, not just religious. Strength in numbers only reinforces belief, when you feel like you're the only one who has your beliefs, then you have serious doubts, regardless of how right that belief feels.

I'd say that all extremism is driven by anxiety, not just religious. Strength in numbers only reinforces belief, when you feel like you're the only one who has your beliefs, then you have serious doubts, regardless of how right that belief feels. I agree to that. :-)

In all honesty, living my life in my "religion" (as people call it) has not brought me total comfort, in many ways it has isolated me. I have a friend who has become more isolated than I have, and he also struggles with anxiety attacks and depression, and it is not his religion that comforts him whatsoever. He argues with God all the time, yet he still believes in God and submits to that authority even though he has some chronic illnesses. For a true hardcore Christian, it is not a mindset that brings you comfort, it is actually a mindset that brings you discomfort because hardcore Christians ... [More]

Reminds me of the saying "There are no athiests in foxholes". When you are facing certain death, sometimes adopting an otherwise irrational belief is the only comfort people can find. I actually have a T-shirt that says "foxhole atheist". In my experience it seems that people forget religion when the bullets start to fly and then later on when they have time to think about what happened get religious.

Friend, NO religion still existing is what the original (ex-)Jewish Christians practiced. No offense, but over the past 2000 years, we've even suppressed many of the original teachings, distorted others, invented new ones, and disregarded important teachings. No offense meant, of course. No offense taken. There is truth to that.

This. Apparently my anxiety levels are insanely above average, but I'm about as unreligious as a person can get. My only anxiety is when I get close to a religious person. I also check my wallet and count the silver.

"The moment has come to realize that the toxic emotional dynamics of the world's great religions are destroying our world and our future. " Barbara Hand Clow http://www.handclow2012.com/astroflash.htm