I knew someone who was very religious (catholic) who as a young man was a trawlerman.
In a very bad storm he was washed overboard and basically thought his number was up as despite being a strong swimmer could not fight the waves to get near the boat .
When he started to pray , he then was not only washed back toward the boat but a wave picked him up and threw him back onboard.
This was divine intervention as far as he was concerned and from then went from being a token catholic of Italian birth to a week in week out church go’er of unshakable faith.
He was a good man who’s family sat next to my dad (Irish catholic ) in church and despite his beliefs was not a bible basher and who’s religion was his business .
I personally think he was a lucky bastard.
But if peoples religious beliefs are a comfort to them, that’s fine by me .