Why is it ok for people to believe in some fake things and not others?

[moriah]

155. Fringes compared to the main branch.

But aside from cherypicking 25-year old quotes from the branch that deviated from standard practice in response to the Great Awakening/evangelism (noted by programmed worship vs unprogrammed mostly silent meetings -- IMHO they're hardly the same denomination)...

Some people, whether you want to call them weak or whatever, need to believe in something beyond themselves. Even if they acknowledge full well that it's a belief that can't be proven, that its purpose is utilitarian, that it surrounds the mysteries of things we likely will never fully understand until we experience them (death, etc) and especially in that context is more for the comfort of the people still here than those who have departed.... they still need to believe there's SOME method to the madness called life, or there's no point in continuing to play the game.

Others have the exact opposite reaction. If something exists that is powerful enough to prevent tragedies or if we're supposed to believe there's some purpose served by people starving or getting struck with horrible diseases, they'd quit the game because the DM had to be a sick and twisted fuck, so there's no point.

The thread title is essentially "why is it okay to believe in a god of your understanding when there's no proof". Aka, questioning why it's okay for people to have faith in anything.

And yes, governments have attempted to enforce atheism just as they have attempted to enforce varying brands of theism. It's backfiring majorly right now in Russia because faith thrives on governmental persecution, and the whiniest/most rigid/most inclined to think suffering on earth is cool thrive the most on any perception of it. The pseudo-intellectual mocking of people who have any faith at all, however, accomplishes the same thing, particularly amongst those who are ultra into the "persecution brings you closer to God" gig.

But for me personally, having decided at one point the philosophy I was going to believe because it was the only one I could believe and still play the game (essentially that we choose our birth parents and are given a "sneak peek" of a few of the challenges we'll face beforehand, and choose that life for some spiritual lesson we want to learn this life), suggesting that isn't OK to believe when I know full well it's probably bullshit but it's what has kept me playing the game IS harmful. Or at least somewhat insulting.