@kara_dreamer@witches.town I have some thoughts about this, which also hook into thoughts about adopting "media distortions of deities" that I mentioned to @indi a couple of days ago, and which I maybe need to write out in longer form.
short form: from my observations, unless a person is lucky enough to get into a good religious community that isn't abusive or soul-stunting when young, it seems most people's beliefs/practice/relationship with religion will change over time.
@kara_dreamer@witches.town through a rationalist perspective, all deities are fictional. the "weight" of a given religious figure means nothing if one can't make a personal connection with it, and it's the personal connection that *matters*.
part of the reason Catholicism has been so successful as a meme-set is its ability to absorb and adapt local belief systems, and also the options it gives for close personal connection; compare "personal saint" with "totem animal," fr'ex.
@kara_dreamer@witches.town (this is also separating the concept of "deity worship"/spiritual practice from the concept of religious community, which is a different-but-related memeset and not one I have enough familiarity with to have anything like an informed opinion. ;) )
@kara_dreamer@witches.town people who can be described as true believer Christians usually say they feel they have a close, personal relationship with either Jesus or Jhvh, and those relationships are often based on emotional elements that aren't present in the given text of the Bible or whatever; it's based on being able to personify Deity into the role of "friend/confidant/protector" on a personal level.
gods come from our imagination. belief comes from our hearts. we get to make it up as we go. :)