Ask Americans what their religion is, and nearly 1 in 3 say this -- none. That’s according to the U.S. adults surveyed by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Mike Dulak grew up Catholic in Southern California, but by his teen years, he began skipping Mass and driving straight to the shore to play guitar, watch the waves and enjoy the beauty of the morning. “And it felt more spiritual than any time I set foot in a church,” he recalled.

Nothing has changed that view in the ensuing decades.

“Most religions are there to control people and get money from them,” said Dulak, now 76, of Rocheport, Missouri. He also cited sex abuse scandals in Catholic and Southern Baptist churches. “I can’t buy into that,” he said.

  • merc@sh.itjust.works
    2·
    9 months ago

    I just have more and more trouble believing that actual functional adults believe in this crap. My mom is one of them, and I keep boggling at her ideas.

    Like, if she misplaces her keys then finds them, she thanks her god for finding them for her. Never blames it for hiding / losing the keys, of course. She’s absolutely confident that her beliefs match what her god wants, despite hers being picking and choosing from the various holy books. Her church isn’t quite mainstream for her religion. Her beliefs don’t quite match her church. But, of course, she’s right.

    A family friend of hers is dying of dementia. He is non-verbal and can no longer feed himself. Soon he’ll have to be on a feeding tube because he’ll no longer be able to swallow. This, of course, is her god’s plan. He wants a nurse to have to handle his waste and feed him with a tube. But, naturally, her god doesn’t want those same medical professionals to assist someone in dying with dignity.

    She also literally believes stories that are less believable than fairy tales. Apparently some holy person didn’t eat or drink for years! This other one healed people! Another one predicted future events! We know these are true because other people from that religion verified it, and if you can’t trust people of her religion, who can you trust?

    How can an adult stop believing in things like Santa Claus and underpants gnomes, but keep believing in this religious stuff?