Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This thread is about the Call that some seem to receive to follow a religious lifestyle. Sometimes it is literally overnight. Over the years I have known two people who in less than a fortnight went from agnostic/mild church goer to almost fanatical over their religious beliefs. For one it was temporary (a few years), for the other a life change. What is the trigger that leads some men and women to leave their old lives behind and lead a life devoted to religion. I don't want to get too metaphysical here, but is the cause some form of illumination or enlightenment? Do they wake up one night with their room bathed in a bright light. Or is it something completely different. Perhaps just something in the brain “clicks”, (or receives a signal depending on your belief).Or it could just be they make a life decision for themselves.
And yes I realize that the obvious answer is that they are “inspired by God”, however I'm looking for a bit more information here. Why is it that many are quite pious and regularly visit their place of worship, while others completely throw over their old life and join a monastery etc.,. Feel free to toss in any theories you might have.
There is no such thing as "The Call". There are merely people who are so blinded by religious fervor that they will take any random thought they have and attribute it to the will of their imaginary friend.
Why did you capitalize the word call, like it were a proper noun? It can be a very or a noun, but never a proper noun.
For the many that go from uber-fundie to agnostic or atheist I can explain that, they used their mind to think, and questioned the absurdities they had been taught since early childhood and were taught to never question.
I guess going the other way (your question) means they do the opposite, they stop thinking, they stop questioning.... a terrible thing for anyone to do to themselves, self-depreciation at it's worst, for once you surrender the mind to the irrational all is lost.
I think it's the fact that we're all searching for something, however my search has come to an end. I'm satisfied now being agnostic after many "zealous" years as a Christian. In my case, I was raised to believe in God and I tried and tried for so many years to hold onto that belief and make myself into an uber Christian because that's all I ever knew.
I can sort of relate to an overnight "change", except it really doesn't happen overnight. Chances are the thoughts of becoming religious has been in someone's mind for a long period of time, or even the thoughts of becoming non-religious, as in my case. I've learned that it's a very precarious thing, this religious battle that rages within all of us.
As easily as it seems someone has been "converted" overnight, it can all change to deconversion in what seems like a short amount of time.
Personally, with fundamental Christianity, I've witnessed conversions like you mentioned at church when someone goes to the alter and gets "saved". It's in an instant, but it doesn't usually stick. Being in that type of worship atmosphere can work your senses into a frenzy and it's very easy to get caught up in the praising of something we hope is greater than ourselves. But it's false, it's fly-by-night emotions that calm way down after you step out of the worship service and you're right back to reality.
I've been on that high, and it's like any other false high, it only lasts for a little while. We've got all these people believing in something that most likely doesn't even exist so how did this start? Why is religion so darn important? Isn't it satisfying enough to say "I don't know" and leave it at that? It sure does save one a lot of struggle and heartache to just admit you don't have a clue. Just saying.....religion is ridiculous.
The Bible says that there are some that god "foreknew" -- meaning a very intimate knowledge, or relationship with. Of those, he predestined them, and he then called them, and justified them.
It is a very real thing. No one seeks after God, the Bible says. In our natural state we are all against God. How that works for everyone? I can't say. For me, it was an intense desire to know God and to know about God--beginning in my mid teens and continuing 20 years until now.
For some, I think they are infatuated with a lifestyle, or relationship they have with others in the religion, and they "join up" for a time. In time, we find out if it was real or just an interest in religious things.
This thread is about the Call that some seem to receive to follow a religious lifestyle. Sometimes it is literally overnight. Over the years I have known two people who in less than a fortnight went from agnostic/mild church goer to almost fanatical over their religious beliefs. For one it was temporary (a few years), for the other a life change. What is the trigger that leads some men and women to leave their old lives behind and lead a life devoted to religion. I don't want to get too metaphysical here, but is the cause some form of illumination or enlightenment? Do they wake up one night with their room bathed in a bright light. Or is it something completely different. Perhaps just something in the brain “clicks”, (or receives a signal depending on your belief).Or it could just be they make a life decision for themselves.
And yes I realize that the obvious answer is that they are “inspired by God”, however I'm looking for a bit more information here. Why is it that many are quite pious and regularly visit their place of worship, while others completely throw over their old life and join a monastery etc.,. Feel free to toss in any theories you might have.
Perhaps an answered prayer during a particularly difficult time in their life.
Witnessing something that they perceive as miraculous. Those are the first two things that come to my mind.
I've got 4G, unlimited data plan, but I didn't get roaming for outside the US, and no calls.
Well, see?--and the Pearly Gates are outside of the U.S. (They're definitely outside of Jersey, I can tell you that much.)
On the plus side, so are The Burning Intestine-Ripping Flaming Gaseous Horror Filled Poop Piles of Hell. Which means I can't get charged for the Devil texting me even if I decide not to answer him, like I otherwise would have (don't ya hate that?). BOOLYA!
This thread is about the Call that some seem to receive to follow a religious lifestyle. Sometimes it is literally overnight. Over the years I have known two people who in less than a fortnight went from agnostic/mild church goer to almost fanatical over their religious beliefs. For one it was temporary (a few years), for the other a life change. What is the trigger that leads some men and women to leave their old lives behind and lead a life devoted to religion. I don't want to get too metaphysical here, but is the cause some form of illumination or enlightenment? Do they wake up one night with their room bathed in a bright light. Or is it something completely different. Perhaps just something in the brain “clicks”, (or receives a signal depending on your belief).Or it could just be they make a life decision for themselves.
And yes I realize that the obvious answer is that they are “inspired by God”, however I'm looking for a bit more information here. Why is it that many are quite pious and regularly visit their place of worship, while others completely throw over their old life and join a monastery etc.,. Feel free to toss in any theories you might have.
When we had clinicals in a mental institution, I met numerous patients who claimed to have received "The Call."
Hyperreligiosity can be a form of mental illness, and many horrendous crimes have been committed based on "The Call."
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
