I think some of the comments suggesting you cobble together an “ersatz religion”[1] are misguided—it will always feel like a fake, inferior substitute for the real thing, because that’s what it is. Instead I suggest: read up on a wide variety of perspectives from different cultures and historical periods, and try to imagine how they feel from the inside. Then you might see that the very concept of “religion” is rather more fuzzy and contingent than you may have thought, and you’ll feel less of a sense that you’re missing something important.
This motivated me to start writing an explainer about “ersatzness” which I think is a useful concept in general. It’s not ready yet, but the above crudely-drawn visual aid conveys the essence of it.
I think some of the comments suggesting you cobble together an “ersatz religion” [1] are misguided—it will always feel like a fake, inferior substitute for the real thing, because that’s what it is. Instead I suggest: read up on a wide variety of perspectives from different cultures and historical periods, and try to imagine how they feel from the inside. Then you might see that the very concept of “religion” is rather more fuzzy and contingent than you may have thought, and you’ll feel less of a sense that you’re missing something important.
This motivated me to start writing an explainer about “ersatzness” which I think is a useful concept in general. It’s not ready yet, but the above crudely-drawn visual aid conveys the essence of it.