Spirituality is just a coping mechanism

reply to post by unityemissions


I think it's a coping mechanism for a lot of people that have some serious problems in their "everyday life".

I've seen a lot of examples of people using all the spiritual beliefs and practices TO ESCAPE reality. Making some kind of fantastical world around them thinking they are some especial beings - when the truth is they cannot cope with the failures they are facing in their current life.

I consider myself an spiritual person, as I belive we are much more than a physical body, etc. But in now way I let my "spiritualism" get in the way to function in my everday life.

I like what one of my friends always says- "we need to live with one foot on the earth and one hand in the sky"-

But sadly, a lot of "spiritualists" give spiritualism a bad name.

What if strong rationalism is a coping mechanism?

I started a similar thread but was a bit more blunt than this one!

Why do you wan't to believe in an afterlife!

After reading posts from mine I guess it gives people relief in believing in something like life after death or spirits etc...

Originally posted by 547000
What if strong rationalism is a coping mechanism?

Uh...that's the point of this thread! Rationalizing is a coping mechanism based on false beliefs!

I'm fairly solidified in my thoughts on this matter. Spent a lot of time thinking about this. Any sort of supernatural belief system is folly. It's a way to ease the suffering one feels when consciously or unconsciously thinking about death. It also helps someone to build narcissism when they just can't handle life.

As for being altruistic, compassionate, empathetic, and so forth...this could be seen as being spiritual, and I think these are wonderful ideals. So my title was off..

It's not that spirituality is a coping mechanism, it's that fantastical belief systems which have no basis in reality are but a coping mechanism.

I have no use, whatsoever, to believe in sky gods, or heavenly realms, or an afterlife, or angels, or demons, or any other absudity. I don't even believe in the inherent goodness of man, or the great evil that is humanity.

I think we are as we are. Animals that have evolved as somewhat distinct to all other life on earth, while still holding much of our roots with all of life.

[edit on 18-4-2010 by unityemissions]

yes all this is true. most of spirituality is most a coping mechanism. a way to get a few sort of answers, enough to make the big dark black cloud that hangs above our head "who am I, where am I, what happens after I die." to not look so bad.
making the prison cell more tolerable

yet at its root core, if someone cuts away the BS and just gets to the deep message in it all- find out those answers, get that truth no matter what it costs. to chop off your arm to get it is worth it if that is what it takes.

or simply go looking within to find the self you believe to be there.

that is actually the only spirituality. looking for something real in a sea of false- and almost no one on earth does it, which is why no one answers these questions, just swims in the deep dark ocean- alone, but desperately clutching to ideas and other people who share those ideas, to pretend that they in fact are not alone in the abyss.

Well, I mean what if rationalism as a school of thought is a coping mechanism? Probably a system of viewing things from a strictly material perspective because people have yanked your chain around too often, so you believe nothing you can't directly perceive could be and call it all rubbish?

reply to post by 547000


What would rationalism be a coping mechanism for? Rationalism is just relying on reason to deduce the truth of situations. Should we rely on something else? I'm all for intuition, but don't think this is necessarily seperate from reason. I consider intuition to be supra-logical. It seems to integrate the subconscious mind with our conscious reasoning.

So I ask, what would rationalism be a coping mechanism against? Irrationality is the only answer I can come up with. If this is the case, so be it!

People usually become highly attracted to rationalism to explain things after being misled many times. With the philosophical school of rationalism, you just say that which is not rational is nonsense. But many people have moments which are not rational. It's a coping mechanism to make sense of reality, but we have no reason to assert reality is indeed rational. Can you rationally show there is no afterlife or God or anything not immediately perceivable? Nope, you have to a priori assume it's nonsense if not objectively verifiable. Doesn't sound very open-minded to me. Sounds like a way of coping with ideas you don't agree with or think is rubbish.

Human beings have always had to find a reason for "what is". Is "what is" physical or spiritual, logical or unlogical, controllable or uncontrollable. I believe every post and repost I have read for this thread is true to each that wrote it or read it. Can the posts be "termed" opionions? They can and at the same time they can be labled as truths... but under who's definition. More than ever in this society and time in history we as societal members, we have to be more learned and knowlegable, quotable, powerful, more wealthy, and defendable in what we think or do. yata-yata-yata. Over the years one thing I have read is "be opened minded". If so then why should any popular thought be defended so rigourously? You know what you are taught or experienced and what is misunderstood has to be labled somehow. So to cope people have to find thier own way and beliefs. Unless you are a "sheep" and follow the flock meaning not thinking for yourselves. I believe there is no right or wrong way and we are narcisitic to believe any other way. Do what you feel is right and screw what anyone thinks as long as you keep it to yourselve or be judged by someone else. *snicker*

Originally posted by 547000
Can you rationally show there is no afterlife or God or anything not immediately perceivable? Nope, you have to a priori assume it's nonsense if not objectively verifiable. Doesn't sound very open-minded to me. Sounds like a way of coping with ideas you don't agree with or think is rubbish.

Yes, I can and so can anyone else.

Concept of God = one's ideals.

Ideals change over time, so to does their concept of God.

It's quite obvious to me that God is an illusion created in the mind of an inherently insane species.

[edit on 18-4-2010 by unityemissions]

Originally posted by broncyt
I believe there is no right or wrong way and we are narcisitic to believe any other way. Do what you feel is right and screw what anyone thinks as long as you keep it to yourselve or be judged by someone else. *snicker*

Bolded to emphasize contradicion.

What seems to you, is? What if I told you I KNOW God is real based on my personal experiences and God's existence is only personally knowable?

Either you would claim I'm a liar or insane because you don't want to believe such things could be real. It's nonsense to you.

reply to post by 547000


Not to I only, don't make this personal. I'm going off of a study which was done, and also on personal observation after reading this study.

Then is not my point of rationalism being a coping mechanism to make sense of a world that may or may not be rational still valid?

reply to post by 547000


I guess it depends on your perspective. From my point of view, reality is quite rational. Everything has reason. What we perceive to be random, comes about merely from a lack of correct perception and logical analysis.

reply to post by EnlightenUp


Yes, EnlightenUp, I see what you mean. I read through this post just now...
Musing in life, death and consciouness and felt compelled to respond to it. Many hear only what they want to hear, and nothing else.

reply to post by autowrench


This is true of everyone. We're all blinded by our beliefs. We must first believe, then hear. Doesn't make it true.

Originally posted by unityemissions
Not to I only, don't make this personal. I'm going off of a study which was done, and also on personal observation after reading this study.

What study was this ?
And what processes did they go through to reach their conclusions ?

reply to post by Benji1999


It was on ATS just a few months ago. I searched several times for it, but no dice. Will try some more and update if I find it.

reply to post by unityemissions



Thanks.

It must have escaped my notice, but I'll have a look around to see whether I can find it myself.
I'm just curious, as it sounds quite interesting.

[edit on 18-4-2010 by Benji1999]