Well, a number of Bible stories have characters given literal superhuman strength, but as the religion matured superman stories gave way to promises of peace and future rewards. Religion can offer a believer a structured path to acceptance of horrible tragedy or loss. It is not necessarily the best coping method. Very often the religion's promises ring hollow when really faced with suffering or loss.
Thank you, Pete. I've noticed that too. Also, I've come to the conclusion that if something works for you then it works for you. However, that doesn't mean that it necessarily works for me. Also, I've noticed that when a person is really sold on their belief system, then unfortunately, they believe that their belief system is the all-encompassing solution and truth for everyone. Although, I can understand their perspective and their stance (even though that doesn't mean that I always like it 😄) because I was once that way myself.
Also, that just brought back a memory of shortly after I had come into the organization, I had serious doubts about my struggle and my experience in the JW religion. Therefore, one day, I saw this one guy who was a bit older than I was (and maybe in his mid 20s or early 30s, because I was in my late teens) at a bank, and who was married to this one baptized JW, but he wasn't baptized yet, and therefore, was obviously not considered strong in the truth. Therefore, I decided to say to him while in the bank that I didn't think that the 'truth' was for me. (Thinking that I would get a sympathetic ear and some sort of camaraderie and support from him.) However, to my surprise, 😮 I think that he got a bit defensive and perhaps put on the spot, because he ended up giving me this little speech about how: Sure, the truth was for me because the truth is for everyone. 😵
Therefore, with another effort of trying to get out of this religion during the early stages of when I was in it, I experienced another dousing of my efforts. lol 😄
In my experience, strength comes from the sober yet optimistic recognition that we, and those we love, are here for a little while and then make room for others after us.
Over the years, I have come to look at things that way too. However, perhaps my sense of self, or perhaps my ego still kind of believes on some level that there's more to us, and that with our complexities and out distinctiveness and out personalities, that there's more to us than just birth, life, and then death. 😕
There is no cosmic conspiracy, no fated destiny, no great injustice in life being transitory. No one has wronged us. No one has robbed us immortality. No one owes me a perfect world.
It's interesting because not too long I saw a movie on, I think Netflix, where this one character was threatened with death, and she said something like: Well, if I die, then I will be back in the situation that I was in before I was born. And I must admit, that left a kind of 'practical' impression upon me.
