What Do The Faithful Have That The Rest Of Us Don’T?

[naomi24]

With no explanation, Goodlife is constantly telling the ‘poor’ atheists here that they have nothing – and today Khandro said exactly the same. I'm curious. Just what is it that these chaps think they have that the rest of us lack?

[Zeuhl]

Sore knees

[naomi24]

Haaa! Silly devil! :o)

[Zeuhl]

Easy access to children

[douglas9401]

Faith. In fact many are two faithed.

[Zeuhl]

a social circle of equally deluded people

[gness]

Douglas...☺

Blind faith and thank god I don't.

[Zeuhl]

the ability to suspend rational thought

[Tilly2]

A nice place to go to when they die.

[pixie373]

Gullibility

[Frank97]

Something to do on a Sunday morning.

[pixie373]

Nah. I go to work on a Sunday morning. I know! A sense of superiority.

[Zeuhl]

I was taught that there are 6 areas of Motivation:

external connection - yes; a circle of like minded people
internal connection - yes; a feeling of self esteem (superiority even)
certainty - having explanations (albeit made up by ?) for life's mysteries
variety - perhaps not, i don't know
personal growth - all that scripture study and growing 'insight'
external contribution - perhaps; good works and pastoral care

if an activity scores high for someone in at least 3 of the 6 areas it can be considered a compulsion.

So it's easy to imagine how religion can go off the scale for some people

[wolf63]

I never understood the phrase "God fearing Christian" if God is good why do they need to fear him?

Personally if religion helps a person on their journey through life then that is great. I bow only to the Feline God for they have shown that they can make my life miserable if I don't.

[pixie373]

But everyone else gets all that from real life. What is it that makes adults continue to believe? Wishful thinking, i suspect.

[paddywak]

A strong belief in fairy stories.

[jomifl]

Faith....in anything that cannot be proven.

[gness]

Oh, Wolf...I grew up fearing God....He was always angry with me. Thunder and lightening was God showing his anger at my wrong doing...didn't know what I did but I confessed to anything just to stop it.
It was my parents way of controlling me as the Catholic Church controlled them....such a waste.

[Nibble]

What do the faithful have? Gullibility

[shoota]

A need.