Hocus Pocus

Faith

One way to show that you have doubts about your faith is to get very upset when your children explore other faiths. Not only ought they follow the exact same branch of your faith but demonstrate a commitment to it. They must be made to feel very guilty for not attending church every week. Disown them, or at least threaten to if they mention absconding from the religion passed down to them at birth.

A messenger from god would never be a fraud and most certainly not have delusions of grandeur. Messengers can con themselves into believing in the grand role they must play. Some have sacrificed the remainder of their life in the hope that their death will add greater meaning to the life they lived. Their legacy weighs heavy on them. The legacy outweighs a few more years of bounty. Sacrificing oneself is not a great rarity though. Protesters have doused themselves with petrol and set themselves alight. Others have signed their death warrant when making a stand against the government. Many died trying to defeat an enemy. Therefore, you will need a bit of mystery and intrigue to make sure your early death is not ignored. Somehow you need to demonstrate, provide proof of some sort that god sent you on this vital mission.

Your religion may be popular now, but all religions started off as tiny groups and like random pop artists started to get more prominent. Most faded away but a few managed to stick it out and beguile large numbers.

What about those with no faith? Some attend church to see a good friend get married. Some to say a farewell. It doesn’t feel so bad eating from the after-funeral buffet if you have endured a bit of reflection at the service prior. Aside from these events, a church is not much more than a well-positioned feature of the town. I have asked people if they are worried by the possibility of being sent to a hell because they have failed to follow various teachings. Many simply shrugged their shoulders and indicated that it is of no great concern. A few suggested that the world is hell anyway. I got a sense that for these people it was not something that worried them much. They have no fear of eternal damnation. It does seem somewhat unfair to be sent to a hell if you live a virtuous admirable life in a country which is out of reach of such religious knowledge. Or born without the capability to understand and end up tortured.