Is Religion More Efficient?

[Bob84]

1 hour ago, Nahm said:

Learning brings clarity. Pain is inescapable but suffering is illusory.

One could even go as far as saying its self inflicted. (Regardless of noone wanting to hear this truth)

[Loreena]

@Nahm If you experience pain then how come suffering is illusory?

[Nahm]

@Loreena "Pain is stubbing your toe. Suffering is mental; what if I stub my toe again? OMG What if people I love stub their toe? What if my toe becomes infected? What if I have to have my leg amputated??? Should I start a group against stubbing toes?????" 

[Loreena]

@Nahm hmm okay. 

[Nahm]

9 hours ago, Bob84 said:

One could even go as far as saying its self inflicted. (Regardless of noone wanting to hear this truth)

Ya. Fo sho.

Took me around 3 years to really change that. You?

 

Also, it's pretty weird how that works isn't it?    The rejection of the solution. So much suffering and procrastination when all roads lead to the same place. We are where we are I guess.  

Edited March 14, 2017 by Nahm

[Bob84]

@Nahm about a year. After a few awakenings, where i realized that even the awakenings where ego. Then i let go off all and accepted nothing as the default. (a lot of suffering and death of my dad and pets speed up the process exponentialy)

I guess theres also the not wanting to be responsible thing. Its easyer to blame stuff for your suffering. Instead of being honest with yourself. 

When you want to change something you must always start with yourself. The rest will follow. Everyone knows this, but forgets. Like why did you go to school and learn stuff . 

P.s. pain could also be experianced as pleasure, its called bdsm 

[Deep]

On 3/12/2017 at 9:36 AM, Venus said:

So why do they seem to have these results without putting in the work? Could it just be it seems this way because I can't see what they're like on the inside, or is there there actually a few key things that happen to be in just the right place because of how religion works and what it does for someone?

(This is assuming there isn't a/the God they believe in)

Some people get good results from religion because their temperament is suited for religion. In Hinduism, there is a pathway to become enlightened called Bhakti yoga. Bhakti means devotion and yoga means to join. The devotion could be to a God or special cause. Majority of religious people practice Bhakti yoga including Christians. If one practices it with love, they will see no separation between themselves and God. There is nothing wrong with believing in an external God as long as they don't fight over it. 

On the flip side, there are people who are miserable internally. It puts a lot of pressure on them to be a "good" person. 

[eskwire]

@Venus I live in the Bible Belt and have also noticed this.

Not being able to see their insides is a big part of it. In Christian circles, secrecy is key. People pretend they don't drink, they aren't gay, and they aren't angry.

It's part of the culture to be easy-going and forgiving. 

When I see their 5 divorces and junky houses, I wonder about their mental state. Seems like a lot of repression.

The advice I've received about how to deal with problems from these people is to repress issues. "Don't complain, be grateful, forgiveness is just a decision." Their outlook is toward peace, but the methods to get there are so overly simplistic. They think they just decide to be peaceful because they have free will.

And, in a way, they do decide to be peaceful because that's what they decide to project and enforce. 

That's my take on it, anyway. I found myself bewildered by this earlier, too. 

Edited March 15, 2017 by eskwire

[Saba]

Efficiency and truth are two very different things. Efficiency implies that there is an end that is trying to be reached: what is that end? What end is religion *more efficient* as a means to get to? 

Comfort is not the same as personal development. In fact, it is more likely it's stark opposite. Discomfort puts you in the way of personal growth. Truth can be uncomfortable.

Believing delusions and illusions will indeed make you "comfortable" because you will never have to search for truth on your own. 

If comfort/satisfaction is what you want, then no judgement -  but fast food, a 9-5 job, a steady girlfriend/boyfriend and unlimited Bandwidth and Netflix should do it.