Some of us atheists seem to believe that if religion cannot effect miracle cures–regenerate limbs, make Covid-19 go away–then it is false and useless.
But I don’t get that from the believers. Few if any of the believers I know expect that of their religion or their God. Instead, when facing difficulty, what I perceive is that believers find their religion gives them strength and comfort. It doesn’t take away the difficult circumstance; it helps them deal with it. Sure there are snake handlers and snake oil salesmen, but they seem to exist on the margins, at least around here these days.
I’m an atheist but also a Daoist, and I get great comfort from Daoism. It teaches me that the universe is not hostile; and that while my pain and my inevitable demise may seem like catastrophes to me, they are really no big deal in the grand scheme of things. It teaches me to be at peace with what is.
Question: What in your religion, or non-religious philosophy, gives you comfort in these difficult times?