Religion when getting older

1. 61

   American Viewposted 12 years ago

   I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older; then it dawned on me - they're cramming for their final exam.
   
   George Carlin
   
   Do you think people turn to God as they get older?

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      wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Disregarding children as they are indoctrinated whether they want it or not, every church I have ever been in had an very high percentage of +60 year old people relative the percentage available in society.
      
      Fear of death is a powerful incentive when it knocks on your door or is even just around the corner.

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      Baileybearposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      what happens to the ones that get Alzheimer's?

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         wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         They get to be reborn every morning when they get up.

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            Michael Willisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            LOL
            Altho', Alzheimers is not a funny disease to go through.

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            1. 95

               wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Although I've never had to deal with Alzheimers I'm sure you are right - it is my biggest fear in growing old. 
               
               Without a little laughter, though, how do we ever get through what hurts so badly?

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            Baileybearposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            if they can't remember their own family, how on earth will they remember all that doctrine?

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               dutchman1951posted 12 years agoin reply to this

               alzheimers, would not allow them to think like that. I think they would be just neutral, no thoughts at all, but confusion. not relating to what is around them their enviorment, they can not think as a process, the disease takes it from them, robs them of a quality of life.

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            kirstenblogposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            OMG LMAO so hard I think I pee'd a little

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      Jeramiposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I think that as we get older,  and our hormones begin to settle down, we see everything from a diferent prospective.
      
        regardless of who we are.
      
        We see things we didn't see before, because we were looking at something else at the time.

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   Emile Rposted 12 years ago

   Oh my gosh. Without a doubt. My father in law laughed at religion for his whole life. When he turned seventy he got religion. It's so bad now, I can't stand to be around him; but it isn't such a bad thing. He feels good about himself and it gives him something to do. Trying to convert us heathens.

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      dutchman1951posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      scared of unknown, Death.
      
      thinking, hedging the odds in case, nothing more

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         Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, but I think fear of the unknown is what motivates religion. An insatiable curiosity is what motivates spirituality. We're all aware of something, we just react differently. (I haven't figured out what motivates those who rule everything out completely)
         
         I read an article about indigenous peoples having a greater probability of having what they labeled an 'explorer' gene. Which made my mind wander through the question of whether genetics causes people to react differently to the question. It's certainly the possibility of the ultimate journey into uncharted territory.

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            dutchman1951posted 12 years agoin reply to this

            to me, well that is possible, but to me it is freedom of the mind, they have some processed information and conviction from life and learning and have freed themselves of fears.
            
            so the journey is what it is to them, nothing hidden around the next corner.
            they accept the death and are at peace with that.
            
            others panic, they need insurance, so they look for the insurance..
            
            But yes, fear of the unknown will motivate a person  to act, if it is strong enough inside them they will be obsessive about it,. you are correct I think.

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3. 72

   Diane Insideposted 12 years ago

   I have an uncle who now in his late sixties and four heart attacks later, and a alchoholic, sober for many years now, has been going to church, religiously. lol
   
   At one time he would not be caught dead in a church, now it just sounds weird to hear my mother say just the other day. "I'm making a bible cover for Raymond?"
   
   What?  Raymond has a Bible? 
   
   Yes nearing death makes many turn to God.  I also think it has something to do with wanting to surround yourself with people who show sympathy and support, which can be found in churches all over the country. 
   
   To tell the truth, growing up I always thought that man was a scrooge, and a mizer to say the least.  He was my moms brother so I respected that but, lets just say I really didn't want to be around him much.
   
   So now it's hard to forget how he was when my mom goes on about how he now goes to church.

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4. 66

   aka-djposted 12 years ago

   It's interesting that so many nay-sayers turn before they die.
   Some would call it fear of death, which is fair enough, for many, BUT, it goes to show just how uncertain they were about their disbelief all their lives!
   
   One thing is for sure, they will be better of than NOT believing!
   If there's nothing after death, they win.
   If there IS, they also win!
   
   It's only the non-believers that risk too much. Their's is only a 50:50 gable!
   
   
   disclaimer. Hopefully they choose wisely when they "get religion". They are not all the same.

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      dutchman1951posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Pascal came up to this reasoning I believe, after much tribulation trying to find the answer. A Life long search.

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      Baileybearposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      except one can't force themselves to believe

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         aka-djposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         No-one forced me to "anything".
         I chose to believe quite freely!
         No fear of death ever entered my mind at the time.
         I was 20, and little, if any interest in God, or anything spiritual.

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            Baileybearposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            to me that would be like trying to believe santa claus is real

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               aka-djposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Did you meet him at age 20?
               
               Please stop equating one with the other.
               
               Does it have to degenerate to this all the time?

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                  Baileybearposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  no, I've never met god. I convinced myself I had a 'personal relationship' with god, whatever that means. 
                  I don't like the god of the bible who kills people for stupid reasons.

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                     aka-djposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     People die.
                     God said sin will kill you.
                     We sinned, we die. (as a race, I mean).
                     
                     This same God you say "kills people for stupid reasons" also saves people, loves people and sustains people.

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                        earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        So you say. It doesn't matter what you claim god does that is right.
                        
                        The bible also shows clearly that the biblical god is a basket case.
                        
                        Killing and wiping out an entire people is not going to help with the brownie points DJ.

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                           aka-djposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Come on.
                           Answer the question.
                           
                           I know you think God is psychotic, so I won't even go there with you.
                           
                           What order do you give for my list? Surely you have one!

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                              earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                              What did you want me to answer DJ, you know I NEVER ignore answering.

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      C.V.Rajanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      aka-dj,
      
      I agree with you.
      
      C.V.

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      simeonvisserposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      To the contrary, someone who posts as much about religion and faith in an online online forum as you comes across as the pinnacle of uncertainty. I was inactive at HubPages for a bit, I come back, and you're still posting religion as before This does not appear as someone who is confident in their faith.
      
      Who are more uncertain: those in the years before their death or those that feel the need to convince everyone to their world view for their entire life? I thought so.

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         Baileybearposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         it's like they're trying to reassure themselves

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            dutchman1951posted 12 years agoin reply to this

            re-indoctrinate, repeat it over and over, to be secure in it
            
            no mater what or where the truth lies, just memorize the talk points , over and over.

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      getitriteposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It is only the fear.  That's all.  Your beliefs are CERTAINLY a delusion.
      
      
      
      This is the nonsensical arrogance that causes conflict.
      
      
      
      Any God that would set up a system like that...and watch his creation squirm...while providing no evidence for his existence is COMPLETELY immoral.
      
       
      
      What about your gamble that there is no Allah.  Before you get comfortable, don't forget, you might die and find out Allah is God---so convert now to be on the safe side.  It's you non-believers, in Allah, who are risking too much.
      
      
      
      In other words choose Christianity...and face incredible odds that you may be wrong.  dj, you don't have much more of a chance than atheist do, with those odds.

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         earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I'd say the odds are so far out to be meaningless!
         
            58. Man was created after the other animals
                   Gen 1:25,26,27
                  Man was created before the other animals
                   Gen 2:18,19
              59. Seed time and harvest were never to cease
                   Gen 8:22
                  Seed time and harvest did cease for seven years
                   Gen 41:54,56/ Gen 45:6
              60. God hardened Pharaoh's heart
                   Ex 4:21/ Ed 9:12
                  Pharaoh hardened his own heart
                   Ex 8:15
              61. All the cattle and horses in Egypt died
                   Ex 9:3,6/ 14:9
                All the horses of Egypt did not die
                   Ex 14:9
              62. Moses feared Pharaoh
                   Ex 2:14,15,23; 4:19
                  Moses did not fear Pharaoh
                   Heb 11:27
              63. There died of the plague twenty-four thousand
                   Num 25:9
                  There died of the plague but twenty-three thousand
                   1 Cor 10:8
              64. John the Baptist was Elias
                   Matt 11:14
                  John the Baptist was not Elias
                   John 1:21
              65. The father of Joseph, Mary's husband was Jacob
                   Matt 1:16
                  The father of Mary's husband was Heli
                   Luke 3:23
              66. The father of Salah was Arphaxad
                   Gen 11:12
                  The father of Salah was Cainan
                   Luke 3:35,36
              67. There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David
                   Matt 1:17
                  There were but thirteen generations from Abraham to David
                   Matt 1:2-6
              68. There were fourteen generations from the Babylonian captivity
                  to Christ.
                   Matt 1:17
                  There were but thirteen generations from the Babylonian     
                  captivity to Christ
                   Matt 1:12-16
              69. The infant Christ was taken into Egypt
                   Matt 2:14,15,19,21,23
                  The infant Christ was not taken into Egypt
                   Luke 2:22, 39
              70. Christ was tempted in the wilderness
                   Mark 1:12,13
                  Christ was not tempted in the wilderness
                   John 2:1,2
              71. Christ preached his first sermon on the mount
                   Matt 5:1,2
                  Christ preached his first sermon on the plain
                   Luke 6:17,20
              72. John was in prison when Jesus went into Galilee
                   Mark 1:14
                  John was not in prison when Jesus went into Galilee
                   John 1:43/ John 3:22-24
              73. Christ's disciples were commanded to go forth with a staff   
                  and sandals
                   Mark 6:8,9
                  Christ's disciples were commanded to go forth with neither
                  staffs nor sandals.
                   Matt 10:9,10
              74. A woman of Canaan besought Jesus
                   Matt 15:22
                  It was a Greek woman who besought Him
                   Mark 7:26
              75. Two blind men besought Jesus
                   Matt 20:30
                  Only one blind man besought Him
                   Luke 18:35,38
              76. Christ was crucified at the third hour
                   Mark 15:25
                  Christ was not crucified until the sixth hour
                   John 19:14,15
              77. The two thieves reviled Christ.
                   Matt 27:44/ Mark 15:32
                  Only one of the thieves reviled Christ
                   Luke 23:39,40
              78. Satan entered into Judas while at supper
                   John 13:27
                  Satan entered into him before the supper
                   Luke 22:3,4,7
              79. Judas committed suicide by hanging
                   Matt 27:5
                  Judas did not hang himself, but died another way
                   Acts 1:18
              80. The potter's field was purchased by Judas
                   Acts 1:18
                  The potter's field was purchased by the Chief Priests
                   Matt 27:6,7
              81. There was but one woman who came to the sepulchre
                   John 20:1
                  There were two women who came to the sepulchre
                   Matt 28:1
              82. There were three women who came to the sepulchre
                   Mark 16:1
                  There were more than three women who came to the sepulchre
                   Luke 24:10
              83. It was at sunrise when they came to the sepulchre
                   Mark 16:2
                 It was some time before sunrise when they came.
                   John 20:1
              84. There were two angels seen by the women at the sepulchre, and
                  they were standing up.
                   Luke 24:4
                  There was but one angel seen, and he was sitting down.
                   Matt 28:2,5
              85. There were two angels seen within the sepulchre.
                   John 20:11,12
                  There was but one angel seen within the sepulchre
                   Mark 16:5
              86. Christ was to be three days and three nights in the grave
                   Matt 12:40
                  Christ was but two days and two nights in the grave
                   Mark 15:25,42,44,45,46; 16:9>
              87. Holy ghost bestowed at pentecost
                   Acts 1:8,5
                  Holy ghost bestowed before pentecost
                   John 20:22
              88. The disciples were commanded immediately after the           
                  resurrection to go into Galilee
                   Matt 28:10
                  The disciples were commanded immediately after the           
                  resurrection to go tarry at Jerusalem
                   Luke 24:49
              89. Jesus first appeared to the eleven disciples in a room at   
                  Jerusalem
                   Luke 24:33,36,37/ John 20:19
                  Jesus first appeared to the eleven on a mountain in Galilee
                   Matt 28:16,17
              90. Christ ascended from Mount Olivet
                   Acts 1:9,12
                  Christ ascended from Bethany
                   Luke 24:50,51
              91. Paul's attendants heard the miraculous voice, and stood     
                  speechless
                   Acts 9:7
                  Paul's attendants heard not the voice and were prostrate
                   Acts 26:14
              92. Abraham departed to go into Canaan
                   Gen 12:5
                  Abraham went not knowing where
                   Heb 11:8
              93. Abraham had two sons
                   Gal 4:22
                  Abraham had but one son
                   Heb 11:17
              94. Keturah was Abraham's wife
                   Gen 25:1
                  Keturah was Abraham's concubine
                   1 Chron 1:32
              95. Abraham begat a son when he was a hundred years old, by the 
                  interposition of Providence
                   Gen 21:2/ Rom 4:19/ Heb 11:12
                  Abraham begat six children more after he was a hundred years
                  old without any interposition of providence
                   Gen 25:1,2
              96. Jacob bought a sepulchre from Hamor
                   Josh 24:32
                  Abraham bought it of Hamor
                   Acts 7:16
              97. God promised the land of Canaan to Abraham and his seed     
                  forever
                   Gen 13:14,15,17; 17:8
                  Abraham and his seed never received the promised land
                   Acts 7:5/ Heb 11:9,13
              98. Goliath was slain by Elhanan
                   2 Sam 21:19 *note, was changed in translation to be       
                    correct.  Original manuscript was incorrect>
                  The brother of Goliath was slain by Elhanan
                   1 Chron 20:5
              99. Ahaziah began to reign in the twelfth year of Joram
                   2 Kings 8:25
                  Ahaziah began to reign in the eleventh year of Joram
                   2 Kings 9:29
              100. Michal had no child
                    2 Sam 6:23
                   Michal had five children
                    2 Sam 21:8
              101. David was tempted by the Lord to number Israel
                    2 Sam 24:1
                   David was tempted by Satan to number the people
                    1 Chron 21:1
              102. The number of fighting men of Israel was 800,000; and of   
                   Judah 500,000
                    2 Sam 24:9
                   The number of fighting men of Israel was 1,100,000; and of 
                   Judah 470,000
                    1 Chron 21:5
              103. David sinned in numbering the people
                    2 Sam 24:10
                   David never sinned, except in the matter of Uriah
                   1 Kings 15:5
              104. One of the penalties of David's sin was seven years of     
                   famine.
                    2 Sam 24:13
                   It was not seven years, but three years of famine
                    1 Chron 21:11,12
              105. David took seven hundred horsemen
                    2 Sam 8:4
                   David took seven thousand horsemen
                    1 Chron 18:4
              106. David bought a threshing floor for fifty shekels of silver
                    2 Sam 24:24
                   David bought the threshing floor for six hundred shekels of
                   gold
                    1 Chron 21:25
              107. David's throne was to endure forever.
                    Ps 89:35-37
                   David's throne was cast down
                    Ps 89:44

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            recommend1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Just what are you doing posting up babblical facts !!!  why can't you stick to random generalisations, self-conceited expoundings about how god talks to you and some slightly erotic relationship with a dead guy who may or may not have existed !  If you are going to go for objectivity I will stop following your posts here for my occasionall  amusement any more

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               earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Just making the case for religion.
               
               Do you think the religionists will go and gird their loins and dive in here?

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                  recommend1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  I hope they do,  ungirdled religionists Ugh !! 

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                     earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     That would be un Girded religionists. An ungirdled religionist is too terrifying an image for me to entertain.

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            Baileybearposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            but there are no contradictions - brotherochanlan said so! 

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               earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Well, I know this is shocking....... he may be wrong!

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            getitriteposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            

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               earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Exactly!

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                  Baileybearposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  what does he say?  no contradictions, just sloppy interpretations 

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                     earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     Yep. Sloppy interpretations is what he said. I only put up the scripture, I thought he did all the interpreting!

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                        Baileybearposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        why doesn't the bible just get to the point, rather than having to be 'interpreted'?

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                           earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Being a mostly incomplete hotchpotch of stories that disavow each other, the more they are unravelled the sillier they get, so they have to be interpreted to fit the religious model of whichever religion the "believer" believes in.

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   earnestshubposted 12 years ago

   I have been close to death plenty of times, it is a real buzz actually!
   Every corner looks like impending death in motorcycle racing. It didn't frighten me into believing in fairies.
   
   I also died on the table during a 5 hour surgery. No rushing off to god for me then either. It never crossed my mind then or at any other time when I thought my number was up.
   
   When my graft would not take, I faced death again daily for over a week, same deal, no little helper needed, in fact I remained in good spirits.
   
   Sorry DJ, in my experience it just doesn't happen.
   
   I don't need a god when I die, not that scared.

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      aka-djposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Of course YOU don't need any god.
      I have come to accept that this is your choice.
      But, as the OP pointed out, many  (not all) do turn to the Spiritual at the point of passing.
      To me, it shows how little REAL certainty they had about their "lack" of belief all their lives previous.

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         earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         It says the same to me. I don't run those doubts.

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   C.V.Rajanposted 12 years ago

   I think as we grow older, we also grow some amount of wisdom. Our wisdom points out to us, as we see our past life full of ups and downs, that everything happened were not purely within our control. Every hope we had at the prime youth when nothing looked impossible, did not materialize into realities, despite our best efforts and best self-conviction.
   
   As we grow older, we realize that science does not have all the answers and all that we believed as scientific need not really be so and some of them might just end up as beliefs! We understand that for many questions about life, love, relationships, death, existence or absence of God, pleasure, pain, self-will, fate etc which we felt comprehensible, were not all too clearly comprehensible; many doubts linger; many original convictions get diluted; more new doubts arise; we get more exposed to our ignorance to solve the problems of the world with the knowledge of material world.
   
   So we look where our ancestors were looking at for answers, explanations and guidelines. We turn to Bible (or such religious scripture). Our wisdom now says, "after all, there are answers here too. I only failed to notice or acknowledge it earlier."

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      getitriteposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Some good points.  But I just don't see where defaulting to the position of "Goddunit" is very wise at all.

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   earnestshubposted 12 years ago

   My experience of getting older is quite different to this.
   
   The more I see and learn as I get older, the more ridiculous belief in myths become.

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