Making s**t up doesn't help when you're in pain.

I can imagine how a person can go from being totally ignorant of the bible to believing it is the inerrant word of god.

Pain, loss, sorrow, fear, uncertainty, poverty - all are powerful vectors that might push the undirected, unfocused, indecisive or weak towards wishing for relief from their discomfort ... relief to be delivered to their doorstep with little further effort by the sufferer.

I tend to be sympathetic to the sufferer, because I've been there. Death of best friends, uncertainty, depression, panic, loss of love, lack of self esteem, alcoholism.

I also have a tough, task-master side to me that says: "suck it up!" "Rome wasn't built in a day" - "good things come to those who wait" - "persistence and determination alone are omnipotent". Yada. Yada. Yada.

There are concrete things you can do to minimize, eliminate or overcome pain, loss, sorrow, fear, uncertainty, poverty. It requires strength, vision, focus, planning, execution, persistence, and continuous, honest self-evaluation and redirection. You need to believe in yourself, and believe that you personally will stick with it over the years.

Making imaginary shit up doesn't help.