Do you think it's a "normal" occurrence that the older people get the more faith they have?

[boomboom]

Or do you believe the opposite?

[mitchtv]

1. Can't say for others

For me, the opposite is true

[NYCGirl]

2. Sometimes getting closer to death affects people. NT

[boomboom]

4. That's kind of my question

Do people get faith as they approach death? Some do only then. But so many others have it their whole lives or the majority of it. Does finally getting it at the end "save" them? I think it does.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. In my stepfather's case, he became very frightened

and fought off death as long as he could, because he believed that was the end. I know he was pleasantly surprised when he found out it wasn't....and yes, I know this to be so, from personal observation.

[illinoisprogressive]

3. no. I have less than when I was 20

[boomboom]

5. how come i wonder?

[waiting for hope]

6. Sooo True...

My parents are a prime example. Up until about 10 years ago, neither one had stepped into a church in the last 20 years - I remember going to Sunday school as a kid - but only very briefly. Both brothers and I played sports (mainly soccer) so that took up a bulk of our Sundays. It wasn't until both sets of grandparents started to pass away and then my Dad's sister passed - that was the turning point for them. They started to attend church, Baptist (the domination of my mother's childhood) and they have gotten involved in all kinds of church activities. I think it's the realization that the clock is ticking and trying to get it all right before meeting the Maker. It also explains why my Mom (my Dad isn't as passionate about it) is so convinced that Bush's supposed "profession" of faith is such a good thing for the country - I still am trying to convince her that you can't legislate morality. I'm fighting a losing battle ....

[boomboom]

7. I view Bush's profession of faith as extremely skeptical. Walk the walk, talk the talk, etc.

But a lot of my family and church believes in him. I don't. And I've prayed a lot about this. If I'm wrong, please change my heart. But after reading so many books about the "faith" of this White House, and the manipulation of believers nationwide, I see nothing Christlike in our president. I find that very very sad. Predicted, but still sad.

[waiting for hope]

12. I think he uses it like a tool to

win over the radical right - that's his pathetic 12% at the moment. They think he's going to bring the second coming and save us all. :scared: If he were a true Christian, he would have never gone into Iraq in the first place - you know, honesty, integrity, silly little moral issues like that.

[rwheeler31]

8. no

nt

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

9. I think people get more settled in whatever they believe

I had an uncle who was basically an agnostic, and I didn't see him change even when he got older and his health began to fail. He didn't go to church, and remained his crusty self to the end. I don't think he ever really mellowed. I have a friend, an in-law of my brother, who became a minister and changed his life around at the end of WWII. He has grown more sweet and full of Light and kindness.

Age just means you've had longer to practice and act upon your beliefs and perceptions.

[brer cat]

17. And feel more comfortable with the decisions made

earlier in life and experiences since. Both of my parents died peacefully, assured of their afterlife because of their beliefs. It isn't to any of us to suggest that their way was right or wrong. It was obviously right for them, and that is all that matters in the end.

[cosmik debris]

11. The older I get

The LESS likely I am to believe any bullshit, religious or otherwise.

I like to think that age has brought some wisdom. And with wisdom comes a better ability to tell truth from fiction. But it is all relative.

[Bobbieo]

13. Hey Cos - Me too!!!

[Hardrada]

15. My sentiments too.

& Do not go gentle into that good night.

[Freedomofspeech]

20. My thoughts excatly...

[Goblinmonger]

34. Exactly my initial thoughts to the OP, too.

My bullshit detector is more finely tuned every year that I am in existance. Oh, sure, sometimes I come across as a mean, cynical bastard, but at least I don't buy the BS anymore.

[rurallib]

14. I am nearing 60 and the Catholic indoctrination

I received as a child has steadily disintegrated into atheism or at least major skepticism.
My 2 older brothers who are both much less curious than I have slowly sunk into a form of better safe than sorry behavior. Trying to cover their asses.

[crim son]

16. In my case I was a strong believer when a child and into my teenage

years. Going to college and continuing to read history on my own after that, however, decimated not my faith exactly, but my belief that human beings can ever hope to understand that which they call God. I consider myself agnostic at the moment. Who knows what will happen in my heart over the next forty years.

[Sal Minella]

18. I was quite religious (Presbyterian) in my teen years and have slowly become agnostic

over the decades. I've been very concerned with life before death, and what happens after death is of little interest to me.

[applegrove]

19. Life gets difficult sometimes. People need to suss out strength in

various ways. So religion kicks in if you have the capacity for that. People also value being part of a community larger than themselves. Various good reasons to go to church. Just hope you pick one that isn't being used. These days you have to be careful of that. Nobody goes to church to become a pawn in a larger game. That is just a side effect of religion today. Not the purpose or aim of most religions.I'm talking in the Middle East too.

[NMMNG]

21. I believe the opposite n/t

[More Than A Feeling]

22. Great question, bb!

The most accurate answer for me would be "I'll let you know when I get there." I'm still youth-intoxicated, but I'm working on gaining perspective as fast as I can.

[Zhade]

23. Death approaches, so it's not a surprise, is it?

Some can't reconcile the idea of not existing anymore.

[More Than A Feeling]

24. That's one of the features of Buddhism I like the best.

It encourages the practitioner to meditate on his or her own death, and remind themselves daily that they are not immune to sickness, aging, and death. The hope is twofold: value every moment properly, and don't freak out quite so much when aging, illness, and death do occur.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

27. Value every moment

that is something that can be so elusive unless one makes a conscious effort, don't you think? And yes, remembering that death and decay are natural can help one not be distressed when they happen.

[Evoman]

25. I haven't seen that at all.

Most of the older people I know, who weren't religious when they were young, are not religious now. Some of the older people who I know that are believers grew up in another time, when it wasn't as okay to be atheist.

And...okay, I'm going to say this as politely as I can, and I really don't mean any offense....but the smartest, wisest old people I know are atheist, or agnostics, while the old people that are religious...well, I'll just say that they are the kind of people aren't interested in learning anything new.

I also think that a lot of older people respect religion a lot more than the young ones, but don't necessarily believe it. For example, I met a fellow about 4 years ago when I used to volunteer more regularly at the Humane Society. I was sure he was a christian, because his wife made it quite clear in a number of way. He also went to church every Sunday. When it slipped in conversation (he asked me if I went to church, because I had signed up for dog walking duties on Sunday morning) that I was an atheist, he came in close and whispered (as far as I recall, something to the effect of), "Young fellow, I'm with you..I just go out of habit...haven't believed in most of that stuff for 20 years" and then gave a wicked laugh.

[MistressOverdone]

26. Hmmm

With your caution in mind, I won't bristle. But the people at my church are most definitely not rocking into the sunset in their chairs. I live in a university town. Many of them are PhD's and are renown in their fields. One old fellow we just lost (he passed away) was considered the world's best authority on Spencer. I attend Sunday School sometimes and the conversations are lively and can get heated.

I am nearing 60 and I definitely have MORE faith than when I was younger because of life events. My parents, now dead, were split. My dad, who was studying to be a second career priest when Alzheimers struck, lost his faith completely. Or at least his ability to discuss it. When he died, he did keep crossing himself, so something was back there.

My mother was an agnostic church goer all her life. The day before she died she started praying and didn't stop until she lapsed into unconsciousness. She wanted it to be true, but her rational mind just got in the way. I don't know if she suddenly found Christ or she was hedging her bets!

I have personally been sick enough for a priest to come and took great comfort in it.

I think this is one of those questions with no set answers, but it is very interesting.

[TreasonousBastard]

28. I'm on your side, and...

there is no set answer-- we all mature differently.

I'm about the same age as you, and I have noticed that we often tend to review our lives around this time, with more reviewal as we get older. The face of death becoming more visible is only one factor, and perhaps more important are simply the thoughts of what might have been and what can be with the limited time and energy we have left.

Yes, many people simply retreat into the same patterns they have had all their lives. Some perhaps use their age as an excuse to cop an attitude that would have been frowned upon or had consequences earlier. And, we can't discount the effects of dementia, Alzheimer's and other mental problems as many of us age.

But, I believe that we are still essentially a spiritual species and look for something higher and deeper than what appears on the surface of this physical life. With age often comes the time and ability to reflect on one's experiences and seek that spiritual plane we haven't been to earlier. Blind faith is for the young and ignorant, but spiritual awakening is for the experienced and adept seeker.

[MistressOverdone]

30. Eloquently said.

[raccoon]

33. Well said, and I've noticed that's true of myself as I get older.

"what can be with the limited time and energy we have left" has become something I think about a lot, and also I'm
"seek(ing) that spiritual plane we haven't been to earlier."

I was raised Methodist, grew up believing in an afterlife for eternity (although I didn't believe in hell for eternity, having been through enough of it here on earth). About ten years ago I stopped believing in any sort of afterlife.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

29. Some of the liveliest, most intelligent old people I've ever know are

people I've met through church: a man in his late 80s who attends every demonstration there is and writes a monthly column on leftist politics, a couple, also in their late 80s, who volunteer for several charities and travel the world, an 85-year-old who takes a three-mile bike ride every day, a man in his late 70s who knows everything there is to know about both football...and opera, and many others.

I was in a book study group with a mostly 65+ crowd at my former church, and in one discussion, they said that reading some of the modern writers like Marcus Borg and John Shelby Spong allowed them to stay associated with the church, because they felt they had grown out of literalism and rigid dogma and appreciated the sense of community, the rituals, the freedom to believe what they wanted to , and the ease of making one's self useful in the typical parish.

[Evoman]

31. Have you ever met any "elder" atheists?

And this line,

" because they felt they had grown out of literalism and rigid dogma and appreciated the sense of community, the rituals, the freedom to believe what they wanted to , and the ease of making one's self useful in the typical parish" interests me.

Its strikes me as the kind of thing somebody says when they've lost, or are losing, their faith, but still want to retain the sense of community that the church provides.

I think that its a fair argument to make that people who say that kind of thing, have not gotten "more faith" as the OP said was the "normal" experience.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

32. Possibly, but it's not necessarily so

In the Episcopal church, there's an option during the confirmation ceremony for people who have already been confirmed to come up before the bishop and make a profession of renewed faith. I've seen old people do it.

I think a lot of the people who have read Borg and Spong see the experience as having led them to a more mature faith devoid of literalism and magical thinking.

[RebelOne]

35. I believe the opposite. I'm 68 years old

and I have zero faith in any gods. I was raised as an Episcopalian, but when I was in my 40s, I turned atheist. From that time on, my atheism has grown stronger.

[Random_Australian]

36. False dilemma. I believe neither.

I believe that people change with time. Some people will get more faith, some will get less.

As for a comparison of the rates at which this happens, I think that would be an indication of no more than the state of society.

[heidler1]

37. I'm 81 and even though still an Atheist I find giving my version of sound advise

to those in need is rewarding in that the feedback is better than encouraging failure. However my advice is always grounded in being human and expecting others to also be human. This includes accepting human behavior as being without sin, but frequently pretty stupid and at odds with ones own best interests.

[jgraz]

38. It's called "cramming for the final"