Converting Longstanding Religious Belief

[JASKN]

The way I understand religious belief is that it acts, to varying degrees, as a false substitute for philosophical conclusions and/or psychological satisfaction. I imagine most here would readily say that long-term, everyone is better off dropping the faith and approaching life from a reality-based standpoint.

But I have wondered if there are people who would be better off living the remainder of their lives believing the lie. Specifically, my grandmother comes to mind. I have questioned her generally about metaphysics, and after 60+ adult years, her religious belief seems almost immutable. Would she really be better off spending the next three to five years, conceivably half of the life she has left, struggling to come to grips with the lies she believed for so long, learning about the truth, and building from there? Would it even be possible for her? Judging by the reactions she gave to my questions, it seems it would almost kill her to learn that God doesn't exist. And are there lots of people like my grandmother, or not?

That type of possible psychological trauma carries over to my second scenario. Another (middle-aged) person I know leads a newly-found rational life, but only so far. He still firmly believes in God, as he has his whole life, though for very shaky reasons (things like chance-happenings where only God could have been the cause). I am convinced nearly all middle-aged people have only to gain from dropping their faith. But this man's wife has terminal cancer (I know, right?), and they both believe they will see each other again in heaven. From what I can tell, it is providing huge emotional support for them both. Obviously, now is not the time to try to sway him from religion, but will there ever be a time? I would say, "Yes, in time," but I have not suffered any kind of loss like that.

So, "are there cases where faith is the better option," and I'll add, "long-term?"

[Mimpy]

For the cancer victim situation: I think it is more important to know the truth about what will happen after death than what you wish for it to happen. Suppose the couple believes they will meet in heaven. That leaves them with the false hope of this actually happening when we know it will not. Instead, if one knew that this was his spouse's only life to live and that after this, she would no longer possess the spirit he loved, then he would be more apt to make the time he had with her now better spent. If you know you are going to meet in heaven, then there really isn't a conflict, is there? Yes, you might be apart for a while while one of you is still alive, but what is a couple years when you will eventually be together for eternity? That is why I see such a mentality as incredibly detimental to one's capacity to experience what he can on earth.

On a side note: I once watched an interview with Ayn Rand after her husband had died. The host asked her something along the lines of whether she believed he was in heaven. She told him that if she had the slightest belief that he was in heaven, she would have killed herself the instant he had died. Yet nobody really does that, do they? The ones who do are considered crazy. Yet it makes so much sense. If the man I loved passed away and I knew I could see him in heaven, what use would it be to live on earth any longer?

[intellectualammo]

Suppose the couple believes they will meet in heaven. That leaves them with the false hope of this actually happening when we know it will not.

Yes, and acted upon that assumption can be even more of a tragedy. This actually reminds me of a small passage from Geothe's The Sorrows of Young Werther, (fortunately I have it on me at work) where Werther specifically says to Lotte (his lover whom is a married woman):

Husband--that is a word for this world, and for this world it is a sin that I love you[...] I will go on ahead to my Father. To Him I will complain, and He will comfort me until you come, and I fly to meet you and enfold you and remain at your side in the sight of Infinite God in one eternal embrace.[...]Close to the grave, all grows lighter. We shall be. We shall see each other again. Your mother...I shall see her, find her, and oh, I shall unburden my whole heart to her. Your mother. Your image.

This is a very meaningful quote to me for a number of reasons, but I do not want to fray this thread with tangents. I just wonder what the story would have been like, had Werther thought that there was no such place to meet her again.

On a side note: I once watched an interview with Ayn Rand after her husband had died. The host asked her something along the lines of whether she believed he was in heaven. She told him that if she had the slightest belief that he was in heaven, she would have killed herself the instant he had died. Yet nobody really does that, do they? The ones who do are considered crazy. Yet it makes so much sense. If the man I loved passed away and I knew I could see him in heaven, what use would it be to live on earth any longer?

Bingo. I remember that specifically too. I think it was Donahue or Wallace interview, probably the former. This is why, (if I were to speak in that language) even if you were to eventually meet them years from now again, I would think: why not go immediately, why wait, why wait for death?

So, "are there cases where faith is the better option," and I'll add, "long-term?"

In my opinion, no - not long term, short term, any term.

Edited November 12, 2007 by intellectualammo

[Prometheus98876]

I agree with the first two replies given so far.

I think that you should try to convince your grandmother that God does not exist. I do not think it would kill her. Though I suppose it is possible, if you think it is a significant risk, you might want to ignore my advice, if you do not think the risk worth the possible benefit. I think that if I was her it would be worth the risk on the basis I would rather the joy of living my last few years more rationally, and hopefully being more happy.

Also there is the fact that i assume she too believes in Heaven. Maybe if she knows her last few years are REALLY all she will ever have, she will feel more urgency to make the most of the time she has left, which might be a little longer if she lives those last few years better.