Religion is all the answers for the questions you asked but never found an answer for. Just shove religion in there. Works great, until you realize you didn't answer shit. You've replaced finding an answer with being comfortable not knowing the answer. It technically functions, since most questions we don't find the answers to right away are not important enough to require our attention. So we can safely ignore them until we die. But the questions still aren't answered.
People say religion is for the weak-minded. I think it's for the lazy-minded. It's good to admit when you don't know all the answers. But it's not good to be proud of never wanting to know them. This belief system also creates arrogance, as the religious believe they have answered The Questions with their god-of-the-gaps, and thus feel superior to the rest of the world. They come to think they are smarter, more moral of course, and uniquely blessed by divine providence. People who believe differently are just deluded!
This belief system progression perfectly explains why there are many people I personally know who believe the Earth is 6000 years old. They were told a load of bullshit by the church, and they believe it. Every question is answered by religion! Sure, the answer is incorrect, but it's an answer! So they know more than you. You'll never convince somebody with evidence when they make a special point of pride in Faith. Aka belief in total absence of evidence and defiance of all reason. When that is a virtue for them, what will an evidence-based approach profit you?
Gnosticism always felt to me like some half-in, half-out, weak bullshit. Deism too. Deism is just atheists trying to play-act that they're spiritual gurus. Same with zen buddhism a la Alan Watts. If you're just reading zen koans 'n' shit, well I've got a book of those I read when I'm on the shitter.
I'm spiritual as hell! I even read Siddhartha there!
/tips bedora
TL;DR if you're gonna be religious then go fully crazy with it and be the most retarded wanker you can be.
