Religion

[SearchingforMeaning]

Does anybody else get jealous of people who area able to believe in an afterlife? I wish that I could, as I genuinely believe that religious people are happier. I hope that there is some kind of afterlife. This would indeed be pretty shitty if this is all we get. I hope that if I do kill myself that I get something better than what I feel I deserve.

 

[glittergore]

Perhaps this is pessimism, but if I'm still the same person in the afterlife, then I hope there isn't one. In fact, I'm actively banking on there not being one. I understand the appeal completely, but it isn't just the world that's my problem, it's myself.

 

[ItsAllTooLate]

Absolutely. There are studies that found that the actively religious are generally happier people. Unfortunately I just can't bring myself to believe in something that has no real evidence. I just can't have faith. I hate it.

 

[Broken Chimera]

I used to believe in a religion but believing in their afterlife isn't all good. You start living on eggshells, always thinking that you haven't believed hard enough. Once I gave it up it was like a breath of fresh air. I didn't have to please a non existant spirit. My point is that just because you believe in something doesn't mean it's real. I'm more inclined to believe in the Summerlands than the Christian heaven and hell.

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

Absolutely. There are studies that found that the actively religious are generally happier people. Unfortunately I just can't bring myself to believe in something that has no real evidence. I just can't have faith. I hate it.

Not reacting to you, having an internal response to your words.

People on drugs are happy, too, until they stop having the desired effects or take them too far from being able to function in reality. I'd like to see brain scan comparisons of people on drugs vs those happy religious people.

I don't know which is worse, not having faith in something that isn't real yet free of a false foundation, or not having a foundation in the revealed reality. I don't know what to do without illusions. I didn't want them, but now that I'm free of them, free of false hopelessness...is that part of being human? Are humans fucked without lies?

I'm in existential crisis tonight. It's a bitch. Like every major philosopher since recorded philosophy seems to have come to (not that I'm claiming to be one), the answer is that there are no answers. Humans seem to need a sense of certainty and security in order to thrive; does that mean even that thriving is at the cost of being disabled in some other way, like through the sensory filtering of religion? It's a false lens through which to see the world and what created it and what comes after death, but how does one function when they take off the lens, can see more, and see there is no foundation and no protection? What sensory filter/drug am I still on that I'm still going? Why is it that the point is that there is no point? I don't hate being intelligent or analytical, I am glad to be free of religion and illusions, and I don't wish to be stupid and therefore more blissed, but the lies were more satisfying while I believed them. I guess Buddha was right when he said that enjoying suffering was not freedom from suffering, but I'm still suffering, and without the cushions. Perhaps I'm more alive, and alive sucks. Not knowing what comes next, and knowing that I don't know is stark, not comforting. What's the point of consciousness if it ends? What caused life to spark, when life needs to feed off of other life to keep going? Life is an inherent killer. Why consciousness if consciousness can't comprehend no longer being conscious? At least I can't yet comprehend it. When I do, I imagine if I feel comfort, that will be an illusion, too.

Now I have to make fun of myself: I'm just too complex!

*huff, dramatically walk away, probably trip on something on the way out, fall on my ass and get a damn hematoma

 

[foreverlikethestars]

been irreligious my entire life and recently noticed people who were religious around me seemed a lot better off mental health wise. theyve been helpful in giving me resources and things but i dunno, i really just can't take it seriously. id like to believe to give me something to cling onto but im struggling

 

[Life_and_Death]

Having religion doesn't always make it better. I'm wiccan and the basic belief is do what you want as long as no one gets hurt. That's it. You decided for yourself if there are gods/goddesses. Afterlife. Heaven and hell. What's right and what's wrong. As long as no one gets hurt.
My belief in the afterlife is there isn't one. I almost died back when I was little (like 7) it was an accident I was playing on a hay bale and slipped. Someone saved me but that's not the point of this. I was screaming and yelling for help but no one came. Finally my world went black. Where's the light they talk about? The angels? The golden gates? The fiery depths of hell? Nothing. I can't believe because there wasn't anything there. Maybe I just wasn't dead enough, idk. But I do know there's no chance in someone that's never seen getting me to believe in something I have.

 

[stillweary]

I had a near death (actual death?) experience after my last attempt. So, I do believe in an afterlife. But I still ended up back here, so I have a pretty severe mistrust of God despite experiencing an extraordinary love.

 

[Bct]

As someone who used to be religious, so far people believe someone who killed themselves will stay in hell. I know some people who wanted to suicide but decided not to do that because they were afraid of repercussions in afterlife. Some religions may not shun people who committed suicide but of course we won't know if their religion is right or not. I'm an atheist so any of their views are not matter.

 

[GerMann]

So, I do believe in an afterlife.

Could you give me a short description what makes you faith in this?

 

[TheSoulless]

I'm not religious and don't think there is an afterlife, but I hope there is. A place where everything is just like one wants.