Religions functions as coping systems

Now that so many philosophical and psychologist concepts have come into the public lexicon, it is obvious that religions function as coping systems, aiding individuals to deal with the vicissitudes of life by applying the thinking of the ancients. These methods were written down and prescribed, and worked well enough to get us to the present. But in the last hundred years, well, we humans figured out a few better ways and our population took off, like it was oil propelled, well energy propelled anyway. We have learned new coping methods, and reality requires acceptance, not coping.

But the coping system remained. Some have modernized, or in the process... Western Buddhism, The Stoics, but others not so much. Some have tried to regress too their unfounded roots like the radical Islams, orthodox jews, and have become problem religions. But all these remain coping systems, some that are trying to be more than they really are, but function as just coping systems, by insisting on supernatural concepts like gods. Religions are just coping systems, and this was/is a powerful realization.

I do not wish to disturb others coping systems, we all may need consolation, compassion, and all the positive benefits of a coping system until we learn to deal with reality. Reality is/can be brutal. We understand the appeal of escaping, numbing out, ignoring reality, but reality is not so bad when we recognize that much is beyond our direct control, and we are not responsible for that beyond our direct control, even when other try to force us to be responsible for that which is beyond our direct control.

The medical industry say "use only as directed" in response to addiction and addictive substances and diet failures. Failure to be able to stop us, once addiction has taken hold, is seen as a personal failure, when in fact the physical body has taken over from the rational mind. Addiction, for those of us who have beat any form is a tough struggle, and the body is right their waiting for an opportunity to grab the substance, action, or behavior back. The medical industry does not accept this as a fact, as that would make them responsible... and they understand that some things are beyond their control, so put it onto the patient. Be aware of this, it make dealing with the medical industry easier, knowing that they are two faced... and some thing are just beyond their capacities. We all just die in the end.

There is some good money to be made, in the mean time by trying to treat the problem, without any real ability to do much for real to reduce the problem. Treatment without success is just a failure to treat the real problem. Oh well, the dollars turn, and sometimes that is enough.

Yes religion is often aimed at removing the final sting... by lying to us. There is no afterlife, no heaven nor hell. When we die, it is final. That willingness to lye is not just a christian skill, but a common skill among the religious. Consider Christmas, and the lying to children, not ethical, I think. Christmas comments, my reply: I do not believe in lying to children. It kill conversation. The answer to "it is not lying", what else could it be?