In Reply to: Re: Whoah! posted by Thinker on February 04, 2008 at 18:22:11:
You said: "One example is the way I see former drug users get off of drugs, only to get addicted to something else, keeping the adage alive: Once an addict always an addict. But it's anethema to suggest they're still addicts. Since all of us could at one time be called "religious fanatics" the tendency for us to find new replacement dogmas after leaving is probably quite high."
In fact, many people that get off drugs get into cults or fanatical religions. I noticed that as angry as I was towards any sort of "God" concept especially with "Jesus" in it, I was still drawn to workplaces and to support groups (ha ha- for addictions) that would feel so familiar. Why did I stay on that merry(or Nary)-go-round?
It took a lot of crash and burns to stand, and I am far from halleluia healed.
Speaking of Merry go rounds, they make you dizzy and sick but you keep getting back on them, over and over again.
I tried to get religion when I first left, and it just felt so similar to the Family experience, often from other equally abusive or similarly abusive situations where I subjected my power to the will of others. In alcoholics anonymous, people surrender their will to God, and if they don't believe in a religious God, the God can be the "group of drunks". I'd hear thing like "If my sponsor told me I could fly and that I was to jump off a ten story bldg, I would do it because I don't know shit. I need to learn to shut up and listen and follow direction."
Then I'd say: "If my sponsor told me I could fly and that I should jump off a ten story bldg, I'd ask her to show me how....Then when she went "SPLAT", I'd say- "Well, that didn't work"
I was seen as "rebellious".
flashback-flashback-flashback to The Family
I joined some churches and just couldn't believe them. I actually tried to.
I've come to a secular humanist conclusion of how I view the world.
I hope for me this is growth.
At the same time, I respect people that don't think like I do because many of them are family and friends. Like my life partner. What a mixture. She was raised with Jewish and Christian influence and chose Christian. Her daughter is Christian, the son in law is pagan. We're an interesting mixture, but what I love about us is that we all RESPECT each other in spite of our difference.
I'm fortunate when it comes to this.
In cults there is no tolerance for differences except when it comes to what can be gained by pretending..