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Why people pray and go to church.synagogue,mosque....?

How often you go to church.synagogue,mosque....?

  • Few times a week

    Votes: 4 6.1%
  • Once a week

    Votes: 11 16.7%
  • Few times a month

    Votes: 2 3.0%
  • Once a month

    Votes: 1 1.5%
  • Few times a year

    Votes: 7 10.6%
  • Major holidays only

    Votes: 4 6.1%
  • Never

    Votes: 25 37.9%
  • I will never go

    Votes: 12 18.2%

  • Total voters
    66

Virtual ghost

Complex paradigm
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
19,769
I am asking myself this question for a long time and however I try to look at this, the entire thing doesn't have too much sense. (to me)

So, why people do this?

Whet religion means to individuals on this forum ?
 

Mort Belfry

Rats off to ya!
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
1,238
MBTI Type
INTP
Because it's about expressing religion, it's about networking, it's about community.

You could just as easily ask why people visit MBTI forums when they could just sit down and read a book about it.
 

Virtual ghost

Complex paradigm
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
19,769
Because it's about expressing religion, it's about networking, it's about community.

You could just as easily ask why people visit MBTI forums when they could just sit down and read a book about it.

True.

But I am aiming deeper.

For example:
Why people need to express it?
Why do they even need something like this?
 

Eileen

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
2,179
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
6?
I go to church because, even though I am a vary doubtful person, being a part of community and participating in my rituals (that is, the rituals of my context, which is Christianity) makes me feel connected to the larger world. Going to church, for me, is a way to be intentionally collectivist (which I think makes me more attuned to others' needs).
 

Mort Belfry

Rats off to ya!
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
1,238
MBTI Type
INTP
I don't know how to decide between "Never" and "I will never go" on the poll. What is the criterion between the two?

I was thinking about opting for the "I will never go" option because it has the word "never" in it, but then the word "never" by itself has a certain unambiguous charm to it.
 

Condor

New member
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
109
MBTI Type
ISTJ
I am asking myself this question for a long time and however I try to look at this, the entire thing doesn't have too much sense. (to me)

So, why people do this?

Actually, I think you answered your own question in the fact that you'll never get an answer that makes sense to you.

It seems to me that each person's reason for attending or not attending would make sense for themselves, and not necessairly make sense to anyone else (nor should it have to).
 

SolitaryWalker

Tenured roisterer
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
3,504
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
True.

But I am aiming deeper.

For example:
Why people need to express it?
Why do they even need something like this?

Fundamental principle of psychology: All human activity is aimed at the end of generating positive sentiment.

In short, people simply wish to feel well.

Interacting with other people gives them direct affirmation. For example, they are rewarded by their community for behaving in a certain way. They strive to behave in a way that leads to their reward.

Secondly, one's intellect makes it obvious that some questions of life are difficult to answer. Man knows that some things in the world are undesirable. In order to feel well, he looks for reasons to believe that he will be alright. The religious community claims to know everything that man needs to know about the world and how he must behave in it. The community promises to bestow such knowledge upon the individual if and only if he behaves in a way community would like for him to behave.

Therefore, to answer all of your questions, people engage in the acts you have mentioned for two reasons. Because they see immediate gratification follow as an entailment of such acts (or the community rewards them for such behavior), secondly, it leads them to believe that doing as they do allows them to know exactly how they should live their lives.

This is the underlying rationale of a conventional person with regard to why he participates in religious activities. However, most people are not aware that this is what is driving them, as they simply do not reflect. However, if we were to explore their mindset thoroughly or challenge them to discover their true motivations, this is what we will have discovered.

Most people, however are not truly religious. They are simply doing as they are supposed to be doing because they do not know any better. People who do not think for themselves allow for their community to instruct them exactly how they should live their lives. Religious community provides exactly this service.
 

Virtual ghost

Complex paradigm
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
19,769
I don't know how to decide between "Never" and "I will never go" on the poll. What is the criterion between the two?

I was thinking about opting for the "I will never go" option because it has the word "never" in it, but then the word "never" by itself has a certain unambiguous charm to it.

In that case take it as: I will never go willingly.


This option is for people who are not passive about their atheism.
 

Virtual ghost

Complex paradigm
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
19,769
Actually, I think you answered your own question in the fact that you'll never get an answer that makes sense to you.

It seems to me that each person's reason for attending or not attending would make sense for themselves, and not necessairly make sense to anyone else (nor should it have to).

True.

But I am interested in position of others.
 

Virtual ghost

Complex paradigm
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
19,769
Fundamental principle of psychology: All human activity is aimed at the end of generating positive sentiment.

In short, people simply wish to feel well.

Interacting with other people gives them direct affirmation. For example, they are rewarded by their community for behaving in a certain way. They strive to behave in a way that leads to their reward.

Secondly, one's intellect makes it obvious that some questions of life are difficult to answer. Man knows that some things in the world are undesirable. In order to feel well, he looks for reasons to believe that he will be alright. The religious community claims to know everything that man needs to know about the world and how he must behave in it. The community promises to bestow such knowledge upon the individual if and only if he behaves in a way community would like for him to behave.

Therefore, to answer all of your questions, people engage in the acts you have mentioned for two reasons. Because they see immediate gratification follow as an entailment of such acts (or the community rewards them for such behavior), secondly, it leads them to believe that doing as they do allows them to know exactly how they should live their lives.

This is the underlying rationale of a conventional person with regard to why he participates in religious activities. However, most people are not aware that this is what is driving them, as they simply do not reflect. However, if we were to explore their mindset thoroughly or challenge them to discover their true motivations, this is what we will have discovered.

Most people, however are not truly religious. They are simply doing as they are supposed to be doing because they do not know any better. People who do not think for themselves allow for their community to instruct them exactly how they should live their lives. Religious community provides exactly this service.

I am aware of this and I agree with it.

The level in which I am interested is personal level.
 

Kasper

Diabolical
Joined
May 30, 2008
Messages
11,590
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
In that case take it as: I will never go willingly.


This option is for people who are not passive about their atheism.

Kay well I picked 'I will never go' cause it's true but I'm not an atheist, oh well.
 

The_Liquid_Laser

Glowy Goopy Goodness
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
3,376
MBTI Type
ENTP
I go to church weekly. The main reasons I go are:

To discuss spiritual topics with other people.
To worship.
To see my friends.
Overall it's a fun experience. It's usually the highlight of my week. :)
 

Mort Belfry

Rats off to ya!
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
1,238
MBTI Type
INTP
To discuss spiritual topics with other people.
To worship.
To see my friends.
Overall it's a fun experience. It's usually the highlight of my week. :)

That's interesting because everyone of those points is part of the cause of my methamphetamine addiction.
 

Eileen

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
2,179
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
6?
That's interesting because everyone of those points is part of the cause of my methamphetamine addiction.

Church doesn't fuck up your teeth or, for the most part, destroy your ability to function in society.

Meth -1!!!
 

Haight

Doesn't Read Your Posts
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
6,232
MBTI Type
INTj
I used to go once a day, Monday through Thursday, twice on Friday's, three times on Saturday, and on Sunday I/we would spend most of the morning and then come back for evening prayers.

As to why: Because G-d said so, of course.
 
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