Do I practice religion?
No—I don’t.
But I understand why some do.
Religion offers narrative, metaphor, ritual; it answers pain with parable, and wraps suffering in sacred language. I see its ontological function, its symbolic depth. It hands people a story to hold onto when the world splits open.
But I practice a different gospel: the science of being human.
Not salvation through faith—but integration through awareness.
Not heaven later—but coherence now.
I don’t bow to altars, but I do host internal congregations. Sorrow and curiosity. Rage and reverence. They sit beside each other like misbehaving parishioners in my mind. And I don’t silence them. I let them speak. That is my communion.
We are wired for meaning, not just survival. And meaning is not always found in answers—but in the act of asking. In reassembling our narratives from the rubble of unspoken histories and buried contradictions.
Coherence isn’t about perfection or peace. It’s about not lying to yourself anymore. It’s about being able to say: “Yes, I feel betrayed and grateful. Yes, I love them and need space. Yes, I want healing but hate how it looks on Instagram.”
If that sounds like a heresy, maybe it’s because it’s sacred.
📌 Scientific Backing
Research supports that constructing personal meaning—whether through religious metaphor or secular narrative—is fundamental to psychological well-being. Narrative therapy, for instance, fosters emotional integration by helping individuals externalize and reframe life experiences through symbolic storytelling and role play, promoting both healing and coherence (Keisari, 2024).
🔗 Citation
Keisari, S. (2024). Bringing a path to life: the integration of narrative therapy and playback theater in individual therapy. Zeitschrift für Psychodrama Und Soziometrie.
Dad Joke:
Why did the neurodivergent atheist get kicked out of church?
Because every time the preacher said “Can I get an Amen?” he replied, “Only if it’s trauma-informed.”
#defiance #coherence #narrative #integration #UnboxedMasculinity
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