Reply #7: I think it would be difficult go to church and not believe a word of it.

[Jim__]

We are all somewhat controlled by our circumstances. People who go to church are surrounded by believers. I think it is hard to be surrounded by people with a common belief, share most beliefs that these people have, and then not actually believe in one particular thing. Our environment has a lot to do with what we believe.

I sit next to someone at work who is very religious. He has doubts about his beliefs all the time, but when he talks to other religious people about those doubts, they help him to work on them, working on them with a view toward overcoming them.

Religion also entails a certain view of the world. To change your view is to literally have to change the nature of the world that you live in. I think it's hard to make that kind of change without talking to people about it. I'm not sure how most churches and most church communities would react if you told them you no longer believed.

I'm sure there are some people who do that. I just think most people in that situation (going to church every week) would try to believe.