Do you think people who look for changes outside of themselves, shortcuts to personal progress?

Question

I ask this while thinking of the major religions and the New Ager's. They seem to all believe this magical thing is going to happen and bring then to a higher state, which they have done nothing for or gained on their own merits but that like a zap of electricity their all going to be complete and like these highly spiritual beings. New Ager's have the Christ-Consciousness, Christians jesus-pagan, and etc etc.

Why do people always attempt to take shortcuts to human progress? Why do they want everything handed to them on a silver platter and self defeat themselves as if they can arise to the occasion and bring themselves to higher nature of being and intellect? Why evade what matters the most, your own self? I mean really though if most of what constitutes you as an individual is temporal, and you have not obtained a higher ideal of being, what makes you think that you can generally become anything of value? What is it that invokes others to seek shortcuts when there are none?

What are you all seeking outside saviors for, when only salvation is within you? You are saying yourself from your own poverty of ignorance. Why make jesus and others into these things which attain for you, rather than follow in their example and attain yourself? Why seek shortcuts?

Answer 1

It's in the same context as those who want to lose weight and will go out and buy pills, hypnotics, try every diet from grapefruit to SlimFast, in the foolish belief that they can still lose (& maintain) a healthy weight, when there is no other way other than decreasing the amount of food you eat and increasing your excercise. It's the same thing.
Myself? I consider myself Agnostic, not Atheist, because I do belive that there is "something" out there, but I just have too many questions, and all the major religions have too many past (& current) abuses to make me gravitate more towards one than another. If I'm wrong when I die, I'm prepared for that consequence, but in that same vein God (if there is one) will hopefully know my heart and know that I've tried to live a moral, just life and that I've never disrespected any religion (consciously), and have always wanted to believe in God(s), but couldnt until those questions are answered and unlike many I refuse to believe as an insurance policy for the "possible" after-life, or for a "Social Club".

Answer 2

Shortcuts just make the road shorter for more endurance in the after... I suppose. While some of your ideas are interesting, others are not... Do you demean my ability to raise fire under your feet if I disagree with you?