OMG my mother has pulled a Constantine

[Nom_de_Plume]

So I just got off the phone with Mummy for mothers day. (she's 68 and hasn't been well of late)
She's all of a sudden "found" religion
?????? :shock: ??????
Gobsmacked doesn't being to describe how I'm feeling right now.
I have nothing further to say at this time, I need to process this data

 

[australopithecus]

Was it behind her sofa? That's where most things are. By 'religion' though I assume Christianity and not Hinduism?

 

[Nom_de_Plume]

Was it behind her sofa? That's where most things are. By 'religion' though I assume Christianity and not Hinduism?

Yes apparently she read a book by some oprah book club nutter called Women Food and God.
Now she's going to church today. Some born again (christ community church) one.
The weird part is my atheist heritage comes from her side of the family.....
My father's side is pavee, so that's like gypsy traveller religion which is a mix of druidypagany beliefs combined with a superstitious mix of catholicism.
I'm hoping she gets over it, but I think it's apparently quite common to start looking at ones immortal soul when face with your own mortality.
I know my grandparents didn't do this.... not sure why she is.
This has really tilted my world on it's axis today. I need to have a bit of a think on it, and figure out how I'm going to deal with her from this time on.

 

[atheisthistorian]

I'm guessing if she pulled a Constantine, then just like the Roman Emperor she has an unspoken ulterior motive for her conversion. It might be a search for community, or validation, or some feeling of acceptance. You might want to read this book yourself to get a clue what. In any case, it's only a matter of time before she either becomes disillusioned with religion or doubles down and rounds on you to get you to go. It might be nice to know what she was looking for so you'll be ready to offer her an alternative in either case.

 

[Nom_de_Plume]

I'm guessing if she pulled a Constantine, then just like the Roman Emperor she has an unspoken ulterior motive for her conversion. It might be a search for community, or validation, or some feeling of acceptance. You might want to read this book yourself to get a clue what. In any case, it's only a matter of time before she either becomes disillusioned with religion or doubles down and rounds on you to get you to go. It might be nice to know what she was looking for so you'll be ready to offer her an alternative in either case.

Ya I went and downloaded the expensive (19$) ebook for my kindle. I'll read it today.
It's just so weird to hear her talk like this...... all of my life she has insisted there is no god(s) and that followers of religions especially hard core christians and muslims were nutcases.
I feel like she's been replaced with some sort of replica that looks and sounds like my Mum but isn't.
it's very twilightzone.

 

[ImprobableJoe]

I thought that you meant that your mom bought a trenchcoat and became an occult anti-hero.

 

[Nom_de_Plume]

I thought that you meant that your mom bought a trenchcoat and became an occult anti-hero.

See now that I would have been totally fine with.

 

[australopithecus]

Yes apparently she read a book by some oprah book club nutter called Women Food and God.
Now she's going to church today. Some born again (christ community church) one.
The weird part is my atheist heritage comes from her side of the family.....
My father's side is pavee, so that's like gypsy traveller religion which is a mix of druidypagany beliefs combined with a superstitious mix of catholicism.
I'm hoping she gets over it, but I think it's apparently quite common to start looking at ones immortal soul when face with your own mortality.
I know my grandparents didn't do this.... not sure why she is.
This has really tilted my world on it's axis today. I need to have a bit of a think on it, and figure out how I'm going to deal with her from this time on.

I just had a quick look about this Oprah nutter. She encapsulates 2 things I hate; spiritualism and telling others how to eat.

 

[Nom_de_Plume]

I just had a quick look about this Oprah nutter. She encapsulates 2 things I hate; spiritualism and telling others how to eat.

I know, our family has always had a bit of a weight issue so maybe that's what attracted her initially to the book.
but then there was all this GOD jazz.
It's quite shocking to discover that my mother, someone I've always looked up to and admired, has somehow gotten snagged on this. I'm going to put it down to the fact that she's been ill. I'm having coffee with my sister (younger) this afternoon as she texted me in a panic about 20 mins ago and said...."what the fuck is up with Mum and this church shit?"
Can't really talk to Daddy about his as he's more agnostic/pagan, he's not sure if there aren't gods, one god is not optional as far as he's concerned but he might believe in many. The verdict is still out for him.
Once I hash this out with sis, I think we're going to try and get to the root of whatever her illness is, as she hasn't been very forthcoming about what exactly is wrong with her and I think that might have more to do with this whole religion thing than anything else.
*sigh* a bit overwhelming this.

 

[)O( Hytegia )O(]

I just had a quick look about this Oprah nutter. She encapsulates 2 things I hate; spiritualism and telling others how to eat.

She's one of the richest women in the World, a bon vivant, and one of the most generous philanthropists in history.
The "Being a Health Nut" and a Spiritualist are things that I could cope with.

 

[australopithecus]

So is Bill Gates, I still think Vista is fucking evil though. Doing good doesn't excuse the promotion of bullshit.

 

[CEbbesen]

So is Bill Gates, I still think Vista is fucking evil though. Doing good doesn't excuse the promotion of bullshit.

Bill Gates isn't known for doing that many good things.

 

[televator]

Oprah...It's over. She's lost. She will now assimilate into the moderate faith crowd that equate atheism with the extreme positions and absolutes of orthodox religion as she feels the need to defend her end of life rationalizations. You throw Oprah effect on top of that and there's no competing with that.

Best you can do is call yourself an "agnostic" around her.

 

[Dragan Glas]

Greetings,

So I just got off the phone with Mummy for mothers day. (she's 68 and hasn't been well of late)
She's all of a sudden "found" religion
?????? :shock: ??????
Gobsmacked doesn't being to describe how I'm feeling right now.
I have nothing further to say at this time, I need to process this data

You might like to read - and get your mother to read - the following book:

How God Changes Your Brain

And, no, it isn't what the title appears to promote: God.

As one Amazon UK reviewer says:

The title of this book may give some people the wrong idea. 'How God Changes Your Brain' discusses Newberg & Waldman's latest neuroscientific research into how the brain is affected by various spiritual practises - particularly meditation, prayer & contemplation of God or a positive secular image. The tone is objective & the authors are not interested in pushing either a religious or anti-religious agenda.

Whether or not God actually exists is not discussed. For the authors, whether someones' beliefs are factually correct is secondary to whether or not they are actually good for their physical & mental health. Which for the most part, they are - apparently different methods of meditation & prayer** have different, yet universally positive, effects on our neurological functioning & physical & emotional health. According to the authors, "even minimal religious participation is correlated with enhancing longevity & personal health". Conversely, there is a chapter on the damaging effect of beliefs in a punitive, wrathful God (increased stress & paranoia) but the main message is a positive one.

In other words, it shows that if one believes in something - God, a better you, etc - then this belief can have a positive effect on one's brain and, as a result, one's life.

Equally, their research shows that "fundies" tend to suffer from brain-damage due to strongly-held negative beliefs.

Your mother may realise that it's not God that matters - but that she believes in something positive.

**Please note that the reviewer's reference to "prayer" means "contemplative prayer" - not "intercessory prayer". The former is the western equivalent to the east's practice of meditation, which is why it has the same effect as meditation.

Kindest regards,

James