What you are feeling is very understandable.

Many people lose trust in a religion not because of its principles, but because of the behaviour of some followers. When you see people:

• sitting in mandir for hours,
• doing many rituals,
• but then acting with ego, lying, or being harsh in daily life,

it naturally creates anger, hurt, and doubt.

From a Jain dharma point of view, a few important things:

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1. Jainism never says “I am great”

True Jain teachings actually say the opposite:

• Ahankar (ego) is a big bandhan (bondage).
• Real greatness is in seeing your own faults, not in showing others’ faults.
• “Michchhāmi Dukkaḍaṃ” – asking forgiveness – is a central Jain practice. It means:

“If I have hurt anyone by thoughts, words or actions, I ask for forgiveness.”

So what you are saying – > “It’s better to be a normal human who accepts his mistakes rather than claiming to be great”

This is exactly what Jain dharma also teaches. Accepting one’s own mistake is true religion.

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2. Followers are human, teachings are ideal

Jain dharma sets very high ideals:

• Non‑violence in thought, word and action
• Truthfulness
• Non‑stealing
• Control over desires
• Non‑possessiveness (aparigraha)

Most of us, whether Jain or non‑Jain, are far from these ideals.

So:

• A person can sit in mandir for hours and still have anger, ego, or dishonesty.
• That shows their weakness, not a fault in the principles.

It is like someone wearing a doctor’s coat but not knowing real medicine. The coat does not make them a true doctor.

Similarly:

• Clothes, rituals, sitting in temple, fasting – alone do not make a person spiritual.
• Inner change – less anger, less ego, more honesty, more compassion – is the real sign.

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3. Your hurt is valid

You trusted them. You saw them as different, higher, more sincere. Then you felt:

• “They are also lying.”
• “They claim to follow rules but don’t live them truly.”

This brings disappointment and loss of faith.

In Jain view:

• Causing this type of bhranti (confusion) or nirāsha (disappointment) in others by hypocrisy is also not good karma.
• So your pain is not “wrong”. It is a genuine reaction.

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4. Don’t throw away what is good, because some used it wrongly

If some people use:

• religion for status,
• rituals for show,
• rules for ego (“I am more pure than you”),

that is misuse.

But in Jain dharma, the core ideas are still very simple and beautiful:

• Try to hurt less – even in thoughts and words.
• Try to be more honest with yourself.
• See your own faults before judging others’.
• Gradually reduce anger, pride, greed, and deceit.

You do not need to become Jain, do big rituals, or sit in mandir for hours to live these values.

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5. Being a “normal human who accepts mistake” is highly respected in Jainism

In Jain moral thinking:

• Accepting “I was wrong”
• Feeling true pratikraman (regret and resolve to not repeat)

is considered much higher than just performing ritual without inner change.

Even a non‑Jain person who:

• is honest,
• tries to be kind,
• admits mistakes,
• and improves slowly,

is seen as walking on the same path of dharma.

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6. How you can move ahead (without blind faith)

If you wish, you can:

1. Keep your honesty

Continue being the kind of person who accepts mistakes. That itself is dharma.

1. Separate “Jain people” from “Jain principles”

- If some followers disappointed you, hold them responsible. - But don’t punish yourself by rejecting every good value (non‑violence, truth, humility) just because they didn’t live it properly.

1. Take only what feels genuine and practical

From Jainism, you can keep very simple things: - Try to speak a little more softly. - Think once before hurting any living being. - Be honest with yourself about your intentions.

No label is required for this.

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In summary:

• Your feeling that empty show and false greatness are wrong is 100% in line with Jain dharma.
• Jainism itself respects the person who admits mistakes more than the person who only does outer rituals.
• You don’t have to trust any group blindly; you can walk your own honest path, taking only those principles that truly make you kinder, calmer, and more truthful inside.