4 ms·

So the question is, how does one maintain hope and joy while taking human depravity seriously? My answer is: by following Christ. Some of Garshin's peers could

by roca 4y ago

So the question is, how does one maintain hope and joy while taking human depravity seriously? My answer is: by following Christ. Some of Garshin's peers could see this but apparently Garshin himself could not.

fancybouncy 4y ago
aka fanatically telling yourself fairy tales until you blind yourself to reality
- starkd 4y ago
  And what's it to you? That you have to make snide commments about other people's belief systems? Why are you so hostile?
  - spicymapotofu 4y ago
    An empathetic or curious perspective would imagine that they had come to hold a negative attitude toward religion as a result of some experience. If you were asking in good faith, it certainly did not appear so.
    - starkd 4y ago
      Whatever. Their "some experience" is not relevant here. His comment is full of implicit aggression that is uncalled for.
      - morelisp 4y ago
        As opposed to OP's "Garshin's just sad because he didn't come to Jesus"? This entire subthread was bait, don't act high and mighty when someone bites.
  - wellanyway 4y ago
    Let's not pretend that preaching any religion, much less christianity, is a naive act devoid of any consequences or connotations.
- goldenchrome 4y ago
  Have you ever considered why fairy tales have persisted? Why do we see the same stories repeated time and time again? Why are tales retold in Disney and Marvel movies to the tune of billions in profit? It’s because the stories resonate, which is another way of saying they present an essential truth. They teach us something about ourselves that help us make better decisions. The lessons can be misinterpreted, abused, and used to manipulate others, but there’s a reason why those stories in particular persisted. This is even more amazing when you consider that these stories had to be passed down every generation for thousands of years through word of mouth. It’s a tenuous process. Only the most truthful stories will last through the ages. Therefore, there is value in telling yourself fairy tales because you might learn something. Even if you’re not religious, you’ve heard many of the stories already through pop culture. It isn’t clear that blinding yourself from reality necessarily follows from being religious.
  - paulryanrogers 4y ago
    > Have you ever considered why fairy tales have persisted? Why do we see the same stories repeated time and time again? Why are tales retold in Disney and Marvel movies to the tune of billions in profit? Yes. Nostalgia and profit. Pre-copyright works are in the public domain. And people will pay for familiar things, especially those that remind them of their youth. > ...there’s a reason why those stories in particular persisted. See above and also survivorship bias
haswell 4y ago
This is the path my parents took, and for whatever peace they personally experienced, it involved just dumping their unresolved traumas on their kids in the name of that deity, leaving us with lifelong emotional baggage to work through. The underlying ideas that could help someone deal with the realities of the world are philosophical intuitions that need no religion to practice. While not all implementations of religion look like my parents, it is no more perfect a solution than any other, and seems particularly susceptible to the same malevolence against which it claims to be an antidote. If you actually are curious about a non-religious path, Sam Harris’ work has resonated with me. The book “Waking Up” is an appropriately named and great starting point.

by roca 4y ago

fancybouncy 4y ago

aka fanatically telling yourself fairy tales until you blind yourself to reality

starkd 4y ago
And what's it to you? That you have to make snide commments about other people's belief systems? Why are you so hostile?
- spicymapotofu 4y ago
  An empathetic or curious perspective would imagine that they had come to hold a negative attitude toward religion as a result of some experience. If you were asking in good faith, it certainly did not appear so.
  - starkd 4y ago
    Whatever. Their "some experience" is not relevant here. His comment is full of implicit aggression that is uncalled for.
    - morelisp 4y ago
      As opposed to OP's "Garshin's just sad because he didn't come to Jesus"? This entire subthread was bait, don't act high and mighty when someone bites.
- wellanyway 4y ago
  Let's not pretend that preaching any religion, much less christianity, is a naive act devoid of any consequences or connotations.
goldenchrome 4y ago
Have you ever considered why fairy tales have persisted? Why do we see the same stories repeated time and time again? Why are tales retold in Disney and Marvel movies to the tune of billions in profit? It’s because the stories resonate, which is another way of saying they present an essential truth. They teach us something about ourselves that help us make better decisions. The lessons can be misinterpreted, abused, and used to manipulate others, but there’s a reason why those stories in particular persisted. This is even more amazing when you consider that these stories had to be passed down every generation for thousands of years through word of mouth. It’s a tenuous process. Only the most truthful stories will last through the ages. Therefore, there is value in telling yourself fairy tales because you might learn something. Even if you’re not religious, you’ve heard many of the stories already through pop culture. It isn’t clear that blinding yourself from reality necessarily follows from being religious.
- paulryanrogers 4y ago
  > Have you ever considered why fairy tales have persisted? Why do we see the same stories repeated time and time again? Why are tales retold in Disney and Marvel movies to the tune of billions in profit? Yes. Nostalgia and profit. Pre-copyright works are in the public domain. And people will pay for familiar things, especially those that remind them of their youth. > ...there’s a reason why those stories in particular persisted. See above and also survivorship bias

haswell 4y ago

This is the path my parents took, and for whatever peace they personally experienced, it involved just dumping their unresolved traumas on their kids in the name of that deity, leaving us with lifelong emotional baggage to work through. The underlying ideas that could help someone deal with the realities of the world are philosophical intuitions that need no religion to practice. While not all implementations of religion look like my parents, it is no more perfect a solution than any other, and seems particularly susceptible to the same malevolence against which it claims to be an antidote. If you actually are curious about a non-religious path, Sam Harris’ work has resonated with me. The book “Waking Up” is an appropriately named and great starting point.