This is not meant to offend & is more sociology than religion...

[Nicholas]

How can otherwise intelligent people allow themselves to continue the behavior patterns from the brainwashing of their youth; or even worse – as adults allow themselves to be convinced of something that is not there?

 

Brainwashing has quite a negative connotation. Can you not cede that one can be both intelligent and hopeful?

 

Does one brainwash their child by claiming a man comes down the chimney and rewards good behavior with consumer goods?

 

Most intelligent people grow to figure out that, in terms of God's relationship with man, we filled in a lot of the blanks. Some people, when they figure this out, throw the whole lot of it out--like a child who, pissed off that you lied to him about Santa, never attends Christmas celebrations again.

 

Others seek to reinvent themselves as intelligent, faithful adults. This involves looking more at the how and why than at the what. It's clear from looking at human history across many isolated planes that the belief in a higher power is universal and not just an elaborate conspiracy.

 

Often times people view religious people as gamblers, betting all of their money on God's existence. That's a narrow-minded view, I think. Even if God is our invention, plenty of people choose faith as a way to organize and substantiate and promote compassion, love, and forgiveness.

 

I like the twelve-step example. A belief in God has helped many people conquer addictions. It helps them take control of their life and recognize how their destructive behavior hurts people and themselves. So, is the addict more deluded on drugs or on God?