1- Yes I do think I'm better off because I'm not living by a system that doesn't deliver. What I do now (and the results) are all based on evidence.
2- I'm not as "happy" as I was. My family (particularly my grandmother) pretty much hates me now. She thinks that because I don't believe in God, I'm the black sheep; Even while my cousins/sisters spend their life failing at school, doing drugs, etc, I'm still the bad one. Life sucks...doesnt mean that religion is right
I've made lots of mistakes in my life because I thought that "God" wouldn't let anything tragic happen to me, or that he'll allow good to follow bad. I'm so glad I don't live with that irrationality anymore.
i am so much better off being an atheist. no more staring at the sky waiting for some spook to take us all away, and no more living in fear of hell, and especially no more anticipating an eternity of singing praises to a conceited god.
it feels im better off and more honest, without these freaky superstitious beliefs. life is painful at times but damn it why should I be afraid of the painful stuff exercise and sex can be painful too so can math and learning. whats the big surprise about illness and death. sure poverty and hunger sucks but so does being controlled and deprived from growth from a society based on fear.
I have no doubt that religions can often make their followers feel better or live happier. Just like "white lies" can, until the truth comes out, that is. It is therefore in the faithful's interest to sell that Lie to everyone else so he does not need to ever wake up from the "dream" that is religion.
Even when I was a child, I never really believed in God, but Iet my parents bring me to church, etc. Guess I was an atheist without knowing it. But realizing it (thanks to Richard Dawkins) fully, that felt so damn good... Just had the impression everything was clearer, that the world around me suddenly started making sense, as if I had finally steped into reality, even though I wasn't much of a believer before that anyway. But the feeling of freedom was overwhelming anyway, so no, no regrets.
well honestly, I don't really care. I have been religous, but I don't know the moment when i became an atheist. Though i am only 12 years of age, there was a period when I jumped from religion to religion, and i realised it wasn't about belief at all, It was just about feeling good.then i just settled on having no label. In short, I'm not emotionally affected by this particular set of intellectual beliefs.I could care less if religion vanished tomorrow
I understand what you're saying. I also think that I handle sporadic events much better than other people. Also to touch on the actual conversion to Atheism, I actually was motivated to a large extent by the inconsistencies of theism in general. I simply had this feeling that a belief in God was a lie I needed to perpetrate to myself in order to keep religious family from being angry at me. Well, that and the whole system setting you up to fail from the getgo thing wasn't very appealing either
So true in the term deconversion. My family now knows and my parents have always been very open minded so they didn't react noticeably. My siblings were the ones who reacted, although we were only 14 and 16 so the best angry rebuttal was something about not being able to celebrate Christmas.
I have a twist for ya, I was an atheist until 10 years ago, I'm now Catholic, but what I want to say is there is a lot of confusion set on emotions, it's not about being happy or any of that, it's about a realisation that we are more than flesh and emotions, it's about a way of life, living in the spirit, and when that's done right, you know constant joy, not lows and highs.
ok, you seem to be saying that you cope better than theists dealing with emotions/feelings! that's what i got anyway.
simply we judge by our emotions, like you coping better than others says your emotions are different, not that you've freed your self and accepted reality.
Mourning is a hard thing even when you know God and know there's an after life.
so it's wrong to judge by emotions of people.
sorry about the first post to many things in my head and trying to cram them.
I said I seemed to cope better than the rest of my family. My emotions are different _because_ I understand it from a different perspective, one that cannot derive religiously.
I deconverted from Xtianity about 8+ years ago. I am happier now because I feel like I am facing life & it's challenges more honestly and with a clearer thinking mind. By that I mean, my mind is not clouded with the imaginary BS baggage that comes along with theistic/Christian ideas etc. I might make a video response to your video.
i feel much better about myself now that i'm an ahteist. when i first "deconverted" i did think about all my family memebers that had died and that i will never see again. it bothered me a little, but i think thats part of the shock you where talking about. im ok now, i have their memories and i know they did good things with their lives. i wouldnt go back for anything.
You will see them again, no doubt. You have closed your mind and your just admitting it through an atheist religion. Your religion is no different than the religious nut, you are in it's box and you are happy about it, way to go.
how many times do we have to say, "atheism is not a religion." it is one common belief. anything more than, "i dont believe in god," does not fall under the category of atheism. i have opened my mind, sir. i am free to imagine whatever my mind limits me to, while a christian is chained by his/her religion. if they are wrong, then their god is wrong. they just can't have that. while if an atheist is wrong, then we are just one more step being right. i hope this all makes sense.
Just because you say it's not a religion, doesn't mean it is so. You have stuck yourself in a belief system of no life beyond this world for any of us. That there is no Good Lord, that there is nothing beyond this world. That is a religion, you have put yourself in a box. Once you block your mind to being open....yup, that's a religion. Don't do it buddy, be open and free , don't lock yourself into others belief's, use your own soul for answers, man will take you down the wrong path.
you're right, just because i say it isnt a religion doesnt make it a religion. but i gave reasons why atheism isnt a religion. the hypocracy of you telling me not to be swayed by others beliefs and at the same time telling me what to think is astounding. my ahteism is a product of my own thoughts. no one person lead me to this path. it has been a long road with many different intellectual hurdles. i am open to other beliefes. so far atheism is the best. thanks "buddy"
In the beginning, I felt empty, because the knowledge that there is no 'supernatural God-like person' makes me feel moralless. But I got over it and I'm actually feeling just as good as when I was a Christian. I couldn't turn back to a Christian because of all the evidence that religions are false. Still, knowing there is no afterlife makes me feel empty, but it doesn't matter, because it doesn't for anyone, not for Christians and not for Atheists. :)
"knowing there is no after this life"? you KNOW this do you? You say religion is a lie but now you say you know? Atheisim is a religion, you traded one lie for the other, way to go...
I found that out about death when I left religion. It is like you are not worried about whether or not you will see them again and if they really did go off to a better place. To me, when someone I know dies.... I honestly know that they are at peace even without there being an after life. I know that all who pass away, while although sad, they are at peace. I hope that was understandable.
No, it doesn't make sense, they are at peace because they no longer have a consciousness? That makes no sense, the person or soul doesn't feel that peace so they are at peace? NO SENSE. You atheists are just as confused as the other religions. TRUTH, deal with it, find it WITHIN YOURSELF, not from what others tell you.
As far as the death bit goes, you said you handled it better. As an atheist I feel I handle death overall worse. Because as an atheist, I recognize death as a net loss. Religious people feel they'll meet again and it softens it. For me, death is akin to permanently removing that entity and taking away someone unique that I'll never get back again.
Also I understand about the religious funeral for atheist. That bothers me, but funerals ARE for the people alive.
I see, but how is death a net loss? I didn't exist before I was born, and I won't exist after I die. Seems like a return to normalcy to me, except that I have an impact on the world and the people in my life. Is the friendship, love, accomplishment, etc. that I provide outweighed by the greif caused by my death? That's the net effect.
I suppose if I died as an infant and caused my parents a lot of heartache that would be a net loss to them.
It's sort of dumb luck that I exist in the first place (in a geological/evolutionary sense as well as genetic), so it's like finding a $20 bill on the ground. You didn't have it before, and you didn't expect to find it, so if it blows away again, did you gain or lose anythig?
It's a cause of seperation. When you blow that 20 you often don't have any real connection to it.
Let's use you for example.
You aren't a twenty dollar bill, you ask meaningful quesitons, you care about those questions, and just as I found your video I can sympathize and have feelings towards that. But if you die, you no longer ask questions, I can no longer makes points towards you, you are essentially ripped from apart from my existence. Materially balanced, but the effect it has is key.
But you haven't ever believed in an afterlife, though, right? Of course death is going to feel like a loss, and it will be difficult no matter what you believe. My point is that believing in an afterlife doesn't really help. Most people don't actually fool themselves with that delusion, anyway, even if they say they believe. I'd prefer the truth to false consolation.
I guess, I would agree if it were true that people don't fool themselves. Since then, it wouldn't be any harder. But since I'm not nor ever have been religious I can't say. I can't really say whether people do or don't believe. I can only imagine they actually do to even live by their religion by any meaning.
But, I've never been religious, so I guess I can only compare as far as appearances. When you say they don't actually believe, is that based on your religious experiences?
It's based on the fact that people don't behave as if they know that there's an afterlife of everlasting joy awaiting them. People wear seatbelts, and pour money into medical research, and cry at funerals. They don't put every penny and every bit of effort into emulating their idea of Christ, even when others aren't looking. People generally don't behave the way one should expect them to if they actually think that death is just the passage into eternal bliss.
Well, wearing seat belts is just common sense. Even by religious standards, is there any religious guidance that says die faster than you already are?
I figure they must figure they're here for a reason.
Do you think it's really about social conformity instead?
Whenever I talk to people, people who know I'm blatantly atheist, they never say contradictory to their belief system even if to fit in with mine.
Even people in my family and extended family say it like they believe it.
And, I'm not trying to come off as if it's an argumentative tone to this. I really have no idea how most people think. So it's more inquisitive than it is argumentative.
Are your experiences with people who are still religious today that which makes you believe that they really don't believe? How religious are they?
When I people in my family, that included people who never go to church but have a belief about religion, but don't live in such a religious fashion. So perhaps it's 'cherry-picking'
I guess you could say they're just not certain about it, because I still say people don't behave as if they know heaven really exists and that the way to get there is by emulating Jesus and devoting their life to the Church and all that.
Thinking about that... given that they're uncertain, wouldn't that also mean that they aren't certain they're wrong. So death may look potentially hopeless, but they aren't certain, so it'd be more depressing with some confusion and maybe some little bit of hope.
Given what the questions you ask and seeing your pascals wager bit. I'd assume you might have been skeptical all your life since you seem fairly intelligent, and that generally leads to questioning.
Not to drag correlation of intelligence into it. Perhaps the greatest mathematician known was very religious, I'd be curious to find out the true nature of conviction though. (Euler)
In a practical way. Also, if you died as infant, that'd still by your original definition be a net 0 balance.
But I mean, as in, in religion death is simply biding time.
But, without religion, when someone dies, you lose them, they no longer exist. The balance of the world before regardless, they came into your existence and they left. Though you could make the same argument for people moving away that you lose contact with. Though death is absolute with no hope to attach to it.
Not only do I feel happier without a belief in god, I feel more liberated. Religion is one big guilt trip - the bar is deliberately set too high and you're made to feel sorry for being human.
I find it also motivates me to want to take control of my life and change things myself a lot more as I realize that help won't come from above.
So do you plan on smashing the skulls and cracking the ribs of the elderly because technically human life is worthless to you now. There's no difference in value between a glass jar and a child's life. You can't argue with that, you know with atheistic believes you can't really say you disagree.
I don't plan on inflicting suffering and pain any more than the next person, belief in god or not. I find it laughable that you would even suggest such a thing.
Are you revealing that you would in fact inflict pointless suffering if it weren't for your own belief in god? If so, then for the sake of the rest of us I hope you keep believing in your deity :P
i don get it, why is it that our own inventions keep our very own believes off away from god nd religion?does it make a better perfection with our own life?or does it make a good story of how u came this far?is it so hard to keep religion aside for a while but not forever as we use our inventions of self esteem our benefits for our less beliefs?why is it that the subjects from the beliefs of god become the subjects against of offward the beliefs of god but just external living ideas of our own?
I'm happier. When I look back on my time spent as a Christian, I see myself as a horse with blinders on. Getting rid of Christianity for me was like taking blinders off. It feels good to see religion for what it is, and to be open to all knowledge. The truth is much more fascinating than "god did it". I wouldn't go back to my old beliefs, not even if someone proved the god of the bible exists. I won't get into what I think of that prick of a deity. All in all, it's been wonderful.
Just believe in yourself! Most religous people believe in after life and believing god or worship god will bring internal life in paridise. And there for trying to make themselves better person for god to recongnize that. If you are great person so be it why have to prove to god that you are. Being atheist is great and to live my life freely not thinking someone or some supernatural being is constantly eyeing on me.
Most religous people just wants a savior so they believe in god.
I've been an Atheist for a good amount of time (18 years), but I think the answer still applies. I would not go back. This is not a phase. My mental processes of logic and reasoning have been heightened throughout the process and continue to be refined. The realities of existence hold so much more wonder and awe than they ever held when I was a Theist (and I'm not sure I ever really was one). I create my own purpose, I'm free from religious guilt and my Sunday's are my own.
Hell yeah, better off definitely. Its a nice feeling knowing that you can do something good without fear of being burned in hell for it. I don't have a purpose, but i didn't have one before either, i was just another sheep. I'll just have to make my own purpose i guess.
I'm happier, I carry no unearned guilt. I see more purpose in life than to be the servant of an invisible entity that doesn't exist. I do still feel the loss of a valued family member/friend when they have passed, that will never change. Any human feels loss when something/someone they value goes away. The losses don't affect my grip on reality though, since I have no proof of a god's existance and death doesn't change that fact.
If I'm not happy, I maybe doing something wrong, so I fix it.
i felt like knowing the world for the very first time , i really begun to live right then , i could see people for who they are , a complete view was finally possible for me , about society , human , science, brain... , and myself . the meaning of life suddenly was an gigantic festival buffet , and it was free as fuck ....
sure it is an amazing ride ever since , and i would never never never look back .
i felt like knowing the world for the very first time , i really begun to live right then , i could see people for who they are , a complete view was finally possible for me , about society , human , science, brain... , and myself . the meaning of life suddenly was an gigantic festival buffet , and it is free as fuck ....
sure it was an amazing ride ever since , and i would never never never look back .
i am the kind of person who would ALWAYS choose the red pill. completely regardless of topic i would ALWAYS grab the red pill, because if i wanted to be stupid and be happy about it i would start doing heavy drugs
i was raised going to church a very open church but yes i am happier im not blind to the fact that there isnt a heaven or a hell just dirt and adaption im 15 now and im happy my parents didnt raise me so up tight and religous believers. its hard 4 most kids my age to relate with me which i find disapointing cuz i feel there blinded by propoganda and band wagoning. i guess some people need a security blanket personally i like the cold.
I went to church as a child, never have had any detrimental actions happen in my life to 'stray away' from god.(molested, close death, accident,etc.) And Im an atheist. I feel no regrets, i feel very liberated everyday. I feel that it was actually a good thing as a child to go to church and as an adult can see both arguments. But when I was prolly 14 or 15 i decided that it was'nt for me, I'm 23 now and have NEVER regreted it a day in my life.
Well then you wouldn't really know what it's like. The point is that theists and even some atheists argue that religion is at least necessary or helpful if not true, that not believing in God leaves some "hole" that "needs" to be "filled" with "faith". I'm trying to find out if that's really true. I guess it would be relevant for you to tell me whether you're ever envious, or wish you could believe.
I never "became" an atheist as such. My parents brought me up to think and make my own decisions, and religion simply didn't convince me at any point. (BTW, it intrigues me how often it's assumed that atheists "lost" their faith at some point, but that's another discussion...)
So in a way, I can't answer your question. BUT, I feel happier knowing that I came to where I am by reasoned thought and debate, not because of what I was "told" to believe. I was never "told" to be an atheist.
I feel the question of whether it "feels" better to be an atheist or religious clouds the debate though. Many religious people say how much their faith comforts them and gives them strength. I don't doubt them. But then, so do some recreational drugs. And so would a belief that my sock drawer contains a million pounds/dollars etc. But what is TRUE matters to me, and - I believe - helps me to believe a more meaningful and productive life.
That's why I said the question was for people who once did believe in God but no longer do, so they know what it's like to be religious and think that they need spiritual comfort.
HANDS DOWN, VERY EASY QUESTION. Life is so so much better believing in the truth instead of some fairytale. My entire outlook, my joy in life, my connection with the world around me, my relationship with the people that I love has been GREATLY enhanced by my lack of a "God" in my life.
I've noticed that I tend to complicate this a little compared to other atheists. Their attitude tends more to resemble that of Professor Dawkins and Mark Twain, that death is hardly something to fear, since we were each of us dead for millions of years before we were born.
Personally, I am more inclined to say that we each live on in the impact we had on the world while we were here.
I am perhaps unfairly reading between the lines, but I infer that you handle his death better, not in spite of the fact that you and he spent a lot of time together, but because of it. Because his life had an impact on yours, he lives on in you and the things you learned from him.
Hello. To answer your first question, yes I think I am better off. I became a true atheist when I was about 15 years old, before that I stopped believing in god (I was brought up as a catholic), but I could not yet define my disbelief in an adult way. This I started to learn when I was 15. By my 18th birthday I was a fullgrown, from socrates to 'thus spake zarathustra'. Growing up enlightened my life and I really recommend philosophy for it's invaluable worth concidering the human spirit.
I don't know that I am happier, I don't even know that there was a specific point when I "became" an atheist. Although I can say unreservedly that I feel much better from having thrown off all the guilt ridden baggage of my religious upbringing.
Athiest here and happy with it. Now I can watch all the porn I want without the fear of being judged by a creepy insible man watching me (^.o) Just kidding but seriously I fear death anymore and really happy every day im here.
PLEASE tell your friends, spread the word about this video, or more importantly these questions. I want to know if there is a SINGLE atheist out there who wishes he or she could go back!
iam a former catholic and an atheist since almost 2 years now..
personally i feel happier than ever and i found that my life has more meaning since i become an atheist.. i mean, accepting that this is the only life that you get and that when youre dead youre dead i appreciate far more every moment..
also i find it more satisfactory doing good things now because i know that iam doing it because i want to, not to impress some guy whos gonna judge me after i die :)
And when I tell Catholics that their doctrine, the way of teaching is not entirely correct, to put it softly, they all get upset and often hostile.
Catholicism will not lead you anywhere that would help you to understand the Gospel, in most cases, MOST! Not saying that ALL Catholics are wrong, but here, you are a typical product of a Catholic Church, because there is not a shred of knowledge of Christianity in your words. You've never known the truth.
It has been about a year since I admitted to myself that I no longer believed in god. I am a much happier and more stable and honest person now. I don't credit my disbelief with this change, it was part of the change. I grew up.
I see my atheism as an intellectual advancement in my development. I look back at what I used to believe as a theist, and it all seems so childish now. I wouldn't want to go back, and even if I did, I don't think the mental gymnastics would be possible, short of physical brain damage.
What kind of purpose does religion offer anyhow? I think it's liberating to know my purpose is up to me; I get to choose how to make use of my life. If the God of the Bible did exist, I wouldn't grovel before that asshole anyway.
I've been an atheist for over 25 years, and when I did believe, I was a moderate Catholic and an inquisitive teenager. When I first came to realize that I was an atheist, I think there was a part of me that missed the mythology. But I think that's because even though I had let go of the belief, I still had a bit of the old Catholic mindset that saw the world in supernatural, eternal terms.
But now that I've left that mindset behind too, I'm MUCH happier being an atheist.
I've been an atheist for at least 15 years, and I feel more enlightened by not needing to add God into the equation anymore. The world makes perfect sense without Gods or the supernatural.
As far as being happier, now that is a tough question, because I just don't know. Would I be happier if I were a drug addict escaping some of life's crap? I don't know.
i feel better now that i am an atheist. i question things more now, and i feel like i have learned a lot since i left christianity. i also think i am more moral, and i think about my actions more, because i know that i cannot be forgiven for the things i do with just a prayer.
i'm much more proud to be an educated atheist than a blind believer. i started with my atheism before i went to college anyway, though...so educating myself was easier because i had an open mind.
Excellent video. I'm disqualified from answering as I've been atheist for a LONG time. But I think you'll find from those who are "over the shock" that they wouldn't go back if they could.
Losing belief in the afterlife gave me a whole new appreciation for life. The fact that I'm alive experiencing this is amazing and I'm grateful for every second I get. I know this is the closest thing to heaven I'll get so I make the most of it. I may fear the pains of death but not what happens after.
Brings to mind my favorite Mark Twain quote:
"I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it"
I have two answers to this:
1- Yes I do think I'm better off because I'm not living by a system that doesn't deliver. What I do now (and the results) are all based on evidence.
2- I'm not as "happy" as I was. My family (particularly my grandmother) pretty much hates me now. She thinks that because I don't believe in God, I'm the black sheep; Even while my cousins/sisters spend their life failing at school, doing drugs, etc, I'm still the bad one. Life sucks...doesnt mean that religion is right
panamanian911 1 year ago
I've made lots of mistakes in my life because I thought that "God" wouldn't let anything tragic happen to me, or that he'll allow good to follow bad. I'm so glad I don't live with that irrationality anymore.
Wlushbough 1 year ago 2
The simple answer is yes. My life is better, has more meaning, etc. I regret all the time wasted as a theist.
SanRafaelSwell 1 year ago
i am so much better off being an atheist. no more staring at the sky waiting for some spook to take us all away, and no more living in fear of hell, and especially no more anticipating an eternity of singing praises to a conceited god.
RoyalMessup 1 year ago
it feels im better off and more honest, without these freaky superstitious beliefs. life is painful at times but damn it why should I be afraid of the painful stuff exercise and sex can be painful too so can math and learning. whats the big surprise about illness and death. sure poverty and hunger sucks but so does being controlled and deprived from growth from a society based on fear.
rosekiller123 1 year ago
I have no doubt that religions can often make their followers feel better or live happier. Just like "white lies" can, until the truth comes out, that is. It is therefore in the faithful's interest to sell that Lie to everyone else so he does not need to ever wake up from the "dream" that is religion.
ZaoseWins 2 years ago
an anwer at 0;25
yes
if something needs to be done
its up to me to do it
god isnt going to save 1 damn person if god dose exist all he dose is lead sheep off a cliff into the world biggest meat ginder
deadmen117 2 years ago
Even when I was a child, I never really believed in God, but Iet my parents bring me to church, etc. Guess I was an atheist without knowing it. But realizing it (thanks to Richard Dawkins) fully, that felt so damn good... Just had the impression everything was clearer, that the world around me suddenly started making sense, as if I had finally steped into reality, even though I wasn't much of a believer before that anyway. But the feeling of freedom was overwhelming anyway, so no, no regrets.
Seshat666 2 years ago
I feel smarter being an atheist. It's tough to explain.
KennyKrub 2 years ago
well honestly, I don't really care. I have been religous, but I don't know the moment when i became an atheist. Though i am only 12 years of age, there was a period when I jumped from religion to religion, and i realised it wasn't about belief at all, It was just about feeling good.then i just settled on having no label. In short, I'm not emotionally affected by this particular set of intellectual beliefs.I could care less if religion vanished tomorrow
arachnophile01 2 years ago
I understand what you're saying. I also think that I handle sporadic events much better than other people. Also to touch on the actual conversion to Atheism, I actually was motivated to a large extent by the inconsistencies of theism in general. I simply had this feeling that a belief in God was a lie I needed to perpetrate to myself in order to keep religious family from being angry at me. Well, that and the whole system setting you up to fail from the getgo thing wasn't very appealing either
Ghostfiles 2 years ago
And does your family know now? If so how did they really react?
To be precise, it doesn't make sense to say "conversion to atheism", but rather "deconversion from Theism"
GBart 2 years ago
So true in the term deconversion. My family now knows and my parents have always been very open minded so they didn't react noticeably. My siblings were the ones who reacted, although we were only 14 and 16 so the best angry rebuttal was something about not being able to celebrate Christmas.
Ghostfiles 2 years ago
Hey man sorry about your loss!
Life and death the big questions!
I have a twist for ya, I was an atheist until 10 years ago, I'm now Catholic, but what I want to say is there is a lot of confusion set on emotions, it's not about being happy or any of that, it's about a realisation that we are more than flesh and emotions, it's about a way of life, living in the spirit, and when that's done right, you know constant joy, not lows and highs.
my two cents, take care.
TheKorban 2 years ago
I have no idea what you're talking about.
GBart 2 years ago
ok, you seem to be saying that you cope better than theists dealing with emotions/feelings! that's what i got anyway.
simply we judge by our emotions, like you coping better than others says your emotions are different, not that you've freed your self and accepted reality.
Mourning is a hard thing even when you know God and know there's an after life.
so it's wrong to judge by emotions of people.
sorry about the first post to many things in my head and trying to cram them.
Take care.
TheKorban 2 years ago
I said I seemed to cope better than the rest of my family. My emotions are different _because_ I understand it from a different perspective, one that cannot derive religiously.
GBart 2 years ago
I deconverted from Xtianity about 8+ years ago. I am happier now because I feel like I am facing life & it's challenges more honestly and with a clearer thinking mind. By that I mean, my mind is not clouded with the imaginary BS baggage that comes along with theistic/Christian ideas etc. I might make a video response to your video.
nogogma 2 years ago
i know this is off topic but nice loerica dude where did u get the armour?
TheSuperCanuck 2 years ago
e-bay of course! I've had to adjust and reinforce it a bit, because I think it was built as a costume, not to be used in actual battle.
GBart 2 years ago
i feel much better about myself now that i'm an ahteist. when i first "deconverted" i did think about all my family memebers that had died and that i will never see again. it bothered me a little, but i think thats part of the shock you where talking about. im ok now, i have their memories and i know they did good things with their lives. i wouldnt go back for anything.
brent35023 2 years ago
You will see them again, no doubt. You have closed your mind and your just admitting it through an atheist religion. Your religion is no different than the religious nut, you are in it's box and you are happy about it, way to go.
blite13 2 years ago
how many times do we have to say, "atheism is not a religion." it is one common belief. anything more than, "i dont believe in god," does not fall under the category of atheism. i have opened my mind, sir. i am free to imagine whatever my mind limits me to, while a christian is chained by his/her religion. if they are wrong, then their god is wrong. they just can't have that. while if an atheist is wrong, then we are just one more step being right. i hope this all makes sense.
brent35023 2 years ago
Just because you say it's not a religion, doesn't mean it is so. You have stuck yourself in a belief system of no life beyond this world for any of us. That there is no Good Lord, that there is nothing beyond this world. That is a religion, you have put yourself in a box. Once you block your mind to being open....yup, that's a religion. Don't do it buddy, be open and free , don't lock yourself into others belief's, use your own soul for answers, man will take you down the wrong path.
blite13 2 years ago
you're right, just because i say it isnt a religion doesnt make it a religion. but i gave reasons why atheism isnt a religion. the hypocracy of you telling me not to be swayed by others beliefs and at the same time telling me what to think is astounding. my ahteism is a product of my own thoughts. no one person lead me to this path. it has been a long road with many different intellectual hurdles. i am open to other beliefes. so far atheism is the best. thanks "buddy"
brent35023 2 years ago
In the beginning, I felt empty, because the knowledge that there is no 'supernatural God-like person' makes me feel moralless. But I got over it and I'm actually feeling just as good as when I was a Christian. I couldn't turn back to a Christian because of all the evidence that religions are false. Still, knowing there is no afterlife makes me feel empty, but it doesn't matter, because it doesn't for anyone, not for Christians and not for Atheists. :)
bangNL94 2 years ago
"knowing there is no after this life"? you KNOW this do you? You say religion is a lie but now you say you know? Atheisim is a religion, you traded one lie for the other, way to go...
blite13 2 years ago
I found that out about death when I left religion. It is like you are not worried about whether or not you will see them again and if they really did go off to a better place. To me, when someone I know dies.... I honestly know that they are at peace even without there being an after life. I know that all who pass away, while although sad, they are at peace. I hope that was understandable.
TheHarbinger09 3 years ago
No, it doesn't make sense, they are at peace because they no longer have a consciousness? That makes no sense, the person or soul doesn't feel that peace so they are at peace? NO SENSE. You atheists are just as confused as the other religions. TRUTH, deal with it, find it WITHIN YOURSELF, not from what others tell you.
blite13 2 years ago
" TRUTH, deal with it"
That's exactly what this video is all about.
GBart 2 years ago
I've always been an atheist.
As far as the death bit goes, you said you handled it better. As an atheist I feel I handle death overall worse. Because as an atheist, I recognize death as a net loss. Religious people feel they'll meet again and it softens it. For me, death is akin to permanently removing that entity and taking away someone unique that I'll never get back again.
Also I understand about the religious funeral for atheist. That bothers me, but funerals ARE for the people alive.
Elektribe 3 years ago
I see, but how is death a net loss? I didn't exist before I was born, and I won't exist after I die. Seems like a return to normalcy to me, except that I have an impact on the world and the people in my life. Is the friendship, love, accomplishment, etc. that I provide outweighed by the greif caused by my death? That's the net effect.
I suppose if I died as an infant and caused my parents a lot of heartache that would be a net loss to them.
GBart 3 years ago
It's sort of dumb luck that I exist in the first place (in a geological/evolutionary sense as well as genetic), so it's like finding a $20 bill on the ground. You didn't have it before, and you didn't expect to find it, so if it blows away again, did you gain or lose anythig?
GBart 3 years ago
It's a cause of seperation. When you blow that 20 you often don't have any real connection to it.
Let's use you for example.
You aren't a twenty dollar bill, you ask meaningful quesitons, you care about those questions, and just as I found your video I can sympathize and have feelings towards that. But if you die, you no longer ask questions, I can no longer makes points towards you, you are essentially ripped from apart from my existence. Materially balanced, but the effect it has is key.
Elektribe 3 years ago
I suppose so.
But you haven't ever believed in an afterlife, though, right? Of course death is going to feel like a loss, and it will be difficult no matter what you believe. My point is that believing in an afterlife doesn't really help. Most people don't actually fool themselves with that delusion, anyway, even if they say they believe. I'd prefer the truth to false consolation.
GBart 3 years ago
I guess, I would agree if it were true that people don't fool themselves. Since then, it wouldn't be any harder. But since I'm not nor ever have been religious I can't say. I can't really say whether people do or don't believe. I can only imagine they actually do to even live by their religion by any meaning.
But, I've never been religious, so I guess I can only compare as far as appearances. When you say they don't actually believe, is that based on your religious experiences?
Elektribe 3 years ago
It's based on the fact that people don't behave as if they know that there's an afterlife of everlasting joy awaiting them. People wear seatbelts, and pour money into medical research, and cry at funerals. They don't put every penny and every bit of effort into emulating their idea of Christ, even when others aren't looking. People generally don't behave the way one should expect them to if they actually think that death is just the passage into eternal bliss.
GBart 3 years ago
Well, wearing seat belts is just common sense. Even by religious standards, is there any religious guidance that says die faster than you already are?
I figure they must figure they're here for a reason.
Do you think it's really about social conformity instead?
Whenever I talk to people, people who know I'm blatantly atheist, they never say contradictory to their belief system even if to fit in with mine.
Even people in my family and extended family say it like they believe it.
Elektribe 3 years ago
And, I'm not trying to come off as if it's an argumentative tone to this. I really have no idea how most people think. So it's more inquisitive than it is argumentative.
Are your experiences with people who are still religious today that which makes you believe that they really don't believe? How religious are they?
When I people in my family, that included people who never go to church but have a belief about religion, but don't live in such a religious fashion. So perhaps it's 'cherry-picking'
Elektribe 3 years ago
I guess you could say they're just not certain about it, because I still say people don't behave as if they know heaven really exists and that the way to get there is by emulating Jesus and devoting their life to the Church and all that.
GBart 3 years ago
Thinking about that... given that they're uncertain, wouldn't that also mean that they aren't certain they're wrong. So death may look potentially hopeless, but they aren't certain, so it'd be more depressing with some confusion and maybe some little bit of hope.
Elektribe 3 years ago
Didn't help me any.
GBart 3 years ago
Was your belief 'strong' when you were religious?
Or were you always kind of skeptical?
Given what the questions you ask and seeing your pascals wager bit. I'd assume you might have been skeptical all your life since you seem fairly intelligent, and that generally leads to questioning.
Not to drag correlation of intelligence into it. Perhaps the greatest mathematician known was very religious, I'd be curious to find out the true nature of conviction though. (Euler)
Elektribe 3 years ago
I imagine it was stronger than average... that's hard to gauge though.
GBart 3 years ago
In a practical way. Also, if you died as infant, that'd still by your original definition be a net 0 balance.
But I mean, as in, in religion death is simply biding time.
But, without religion, when someone dies, you lose them, they no longer exist. The balance of the world before regardless, they came into your existence and they left. Though you could make the same argument for people moving away that you lose contact with. Though death is absolute with no hope to attach to it.
Elektribe 3 years ago
I feel like the same person, just with more freedom. No more church, no more fearing that i will be rejected into heaven i just feel better.
MusicFreak1337 3 years ago
Not only do I feel happier without a belief in god, I feel more liberated. Religion is one big guilt trip - the bar is deliberately set too high and you're made to feel sorry for being human.
I find it also motivates me to want to take control of my life and change things myself a lot more as I realize that help won't come from above.
jtbovis 3 years ago
So do you plan on smashing the skulls and cracking the ribs of the elderly because technically human life is worthless to you now. There's no difference in value between a glass jar and a child's life. You can't argue with that, you know with atheistic believes you can't really say you disagree.
usedcarparts 3 years ago
I don't plan on inflicting suffering and pain any more than the next person, belief in god or not. I find it laughable that you would even suggest such a thing.
Are you revealing that you would in fact inflict pointless suffering if it weren't for your own belief in god? If so, then for the sake of the rest of us I hope you keep believing in your deity :P
jtbovis 3 years ago
i don get it, why is it that our own inventions keep our very own believes off away from god nd religion?does it make a better perfection with our own life?or does it make a good story of how u came this far?is it so hard to keep religion aside for a while but not forever as we use our inventions of self esteem our benefits for our less beliefs?why is it that the subjects from the beliefs of god become the subjects against of offward the beliefs of god but just external living ideas of our own?
Imtiaz383 3 years ago
I'm happier. When I look back on my time spent as a Christian, I see myself as a horse with blinders on. Getting rid of Christianity for me was like taking blinders off. It feels good to see religion for what it is, and to be open to all knowledge. The truth is much more fascinating than "god did it". I wouldn't go back to my old beliefs, not even if someone proved the god of the bible exists. I won't get into what I think of that prick of a deity. All in all, it's been wonderful.
BananaHurricane 3 years ago
I feel no diffrence. Life is life.
Eddii3 3 years ago
Just believe in yourself! Most religous people believe in after life and believing god or worship god will bring internal life in paridise. And there for trying to make themselves better person for god to recongnize that. If you are great person so be it why have to prove to god that you are. Being atheist is great and to live my life freely not thinking someone or some supernatural being is constantly eyeing on me.
Most religous people just wants a savior so they believe in god.
honeyhotsauce 3 years ago
I've never believed in any god. Looking at what religion has to offer and who the people are that think they know what god wants?
It only made my disbelief stronger.
sonykroket 3 years ago 2
I've been an Atheist for a good amount of time (18 years), but I think the answer still applies. I would not go back. This is not a phase. My mental processes of logic and reasoning have been heightened throughout the process and continue to be refined. The realities of existence hold so much more wonder and awe than they ever held when I was a Theist (and I'm not sure I ever really was one). I create my own purpose, I'm free from religious guilt and my Sunday's are my own.
vryc 3 years ago
Hell yeah, better off definitely. Its a nice feeling knowing that you can do something good without fear of being burned in hell for it. I don't have a purpose, but i didn't have one before either, i was just another sheep. I'll just have to make my own purpose i guess.
RealityBend 3 years ago
I'm happier, I carry no unearned guilt. I see more purpose in life than to be the servant of an invisible entity that doesn't exist. I do still feel the loss of a valued family member/friend when they have passed, that will never change. Any human feels loss when something/someone they value goes away. The losses don't affect my grip on reality though, since I have no proof of a god's existance and death doesn't change that fact.
If I'm not happy, I maybe doing something wrong, so I fix it.
LaughingMand8D 3 years ago
I'm not happier. However,I think I am more proactive with my life.
I don't think I handle death much better but I don't handle it much worse either.
I don't want to go back. Thinking of this as my one life has made me a bit more of a risk taker and I like that.
cavejourney 3 years ago
i felt like knowing the world for the very first time , i really begun to live right then , i could see people for who they are , a complete view was finally possible for me , about society , human , science, brain... , and myself . the meaning of life suddenly was an gigantic festival buffet , and it was free as fuck ....
sure it is an amazing ride ever since , and i would never never never look back .
b88104044 3 years ago
i felt like knowing the world for the very first time , i really begun to live right then , i could see people for who they are , a complete view was finally possible for me , about society , human , science, brain... , and myself . the meaning of life suddenly was an gigantic festival buffet , and it is free as fuck ....
sure it was an amazing ride ever since , and i would never never never look back .
b88104044 3 years ago
Check out PaulHarrison1976's story!
farvision 3 years ago
Just finished watching the series. Fascinating story! I can't wait til it becomes a movie.
GBart 3 years ago
i am the kind of person who would ALWAYS choose the red pill. completely regardless of topic i would ALWAYS grab the red pill, because if i wanted to be stupid and be happy about it i would start doing heavy drugs
yamimakaiz 3 years ago
i was raised going to church a very open church but yes i am happier im not blind to the fact that there isnt a heaven or a hell just dirt and adaption im 15 now and im happy my parents didnt raise me so up tight and religous believers. its hard 4 most kids my age to relate with me which i find disapointing cuz i feel there blinded by propoganda and band wagoning. i guess some people need a security blanket personally i like the cold.
kwmattman 3 years ago
I like my windows open, not closed. It may be cold sometimes, but it opens you to what's outside.
sypher113 3 years ago
I went to church as a child, never have had any detrimental actions happen in my life to 'stray away' from god.(molested, close death, accident,etc.) And Im an atheist. I feel no regrets, i feel very liberated everyday. I feel that it was actually a good thing as a child to go to church and as an adult can see both arguments. But when I was prolly 14 or 15 i decided that it was'nt for me, I'm 23 now and have NEVER regreted it a day in my life.
bigcoltsfan18 3 years ago
"I feel that it was actually a good thing as a child to go to church and as an adult can see both arguments."
I can see that. Which argument the other one is (in "both") is essentially arbitrary though.
GBart 3 years ago
I feel liberated. I honestly have no regrets.
Mathenaut 3 years ago
what if I've never believed in god?
saturdaysavior 3 years ago
Well then you wouldn't really know what it's like. The point is that theists and even some atheists argue that religion is at least necessary or helpful if not true, that not believing in God leaves some "hole" that "needs" to be "filled" with "faith". I'm trying to find out if that's really true. I guess it would be relevant for you to tell me whether you're ever envious, or wish you could believe.
GBart 3 years ago
my life is the same
cafeta 3 years ago
I never "became" an atheist as such. My parents brought me up to think and make my own decisions, and religion simply didn't convince me at any point. (BTW, it intrigues me how often it's assumed that atheists "lost" their faith at some point, but that's another discussion...)
So in a way, I can't answer your question. BUT, I feel happier knowing that I came to where I am by reasoned thought and debate, not because of what I was "told" to believe. I was never "told" to be an atheist.
EASYTIGER10 3 years ago
I feel the question of whether it "feels" better to be an atheist or religious clouds the debate though. Many religious people say how much their faith comforts them and gives them strength. I don't doubt them. But then, so do some recreational drugs. And so would a belief that my sock drawer contains a million pounds/dollars etc. But what is TRUE matters to me, and - I believe - helps me to believe a more meaningful and productive life.
EASYTIGER10 3 years ago
That's why I said the question was for people who once did believe in God but no longer do, so they know what it's like to be religious and think that they need spiritual comfort.
GBart 3 years ago
Oh,
HANDS DOWN, VERY EASY QUESTION. Life is so so much better believing in the truth instead of some fairytale. My entire outlook, my joy in life, my connection with the world around me, my relationship with the people that I love has been GREATLY enhanced by my lack of a "God" in my life.
stevenpeteslc 3 years ago
It's definitely not just you.
I've noticed that I tend to complicate this a little compared to other atheists. Their attitude tends more to resemble that of Professor Dawkins and Mark Twain, that death is hardly something to fear, since we were each of us dead for millions of years before we were born.
Personally, I am more inclined to say that we each live on in the impact we had on the world while we were here.
lazyperfectionist1 3 years ago
I am perhaps unfairly reading between the lines, but I infer that you handle his death better, not in spite of the fact that you and he spent a lot of time together, but because of it. Because his life had an impact on yours, he lives on in you and the things you learned from him.
lazyperfectionist1 3 years ago
I always doubted. I wanted it to be true so much. I guess I just couldn't put up with the cherade anymore.
jbourget32 3 years ago
Hello. To answer your first question, yes I think I am better off. I became a true atheist when I was about 15 years old, before that I stopped believing in god (I was brought up as a catholic), but I could not yet define my disbelief in an adult way. This I started to learn when I was 15. By my 18th birthday I was a fullgrown, from socrates to 'thus spake zarathustra'. Growing up enlightened my life and I really recommend philosophy for it's invaluable worth concidering the human spirit.
NibbitsForLife 3 years ago
I don't know that I am happier, I don't even know that there was a specific point when I "became" an atheist. Although I can say unreservedly that I feel much better from having thrown off all the guilt ridden baggage of my religious upbringing.
dydx62x 3 years ago
Athiest here and happy with it. Now I can watch all the porn I want without the fear of being judged by a creepy insible man watching me (^.o) Just kidding but seriously I fear death anymore and really happy every day im here.
ladyboyloads 3 years ago
PLEASE tell your friends, spread the word about this video, or more importantly these questions. I want to know if there is a SINGLE atheist out there who wishes he or she could go back!
GBart 3 years ago
iam a former catholic and an atheist since almost 2 years now..
personally i feel happier than ever and i found that my life has more meaning since i become an atheist.. i mean, accepting that this is the only life that you get and that when youre dead youre dead i appreciate far more every moment..
also i find it more satisfactory doing good things now because i know that iam doing it because i want to, not to impress some guy whos gonna judge me after i die :)
avrajam 3 years ago
And when I tell Catholics that their doctrine, the way of teaching is not entirely correct, to put it softly, they all get upset and often hostile.
Catholicism will not lead you anywhere that would help you to understand the Gospel, in most cases, MOST! Not saying that ALL Catholics are wrong, but here, you are a typical product of a Catholic Church, because there is not a shred of knowledge of Christianity in your words. You've never known the truth.
Check out Paul Washer's sermons!
miks8 3 years ago
It has been about a year since I admitted to myself that I no longer believed in god. I am a much happier and more stable and honest person now. I don't credit my disbelief with this change, it was part of the change. I grew up.
jamesspills 3 years ago
Atheism for many years now. I have always been a happy guy. Being an atheist does not make me less so. :)
In fact, I am probably happier having declared it recently to some people. Hard "being in the closet" regarding my atheism, as it were.
So, overall, I am happier now.
AzmodanKijur 3 years ago
I see my atheism as an intellectual advancement in my development. I look back at what I used to believe as a theist, and it all seems so childish now. I wouldn't want to go back, and even if I did, I don't think the mental gymnastics would be possible, short of physical brain damage.
damialni 3 years ago
Back when I believed, I was under the blissful curtain of ignorance.
However; breathing the fresh air of knowledge and drinking from the oasis of thought has brought power, life, liberty, and purpose.
Proud to be an atheist.
TheJacolyte 3 years ago
Very well put.
GBart 3 years ago
I am so much happier as an athiest! ;-)
ness120 3 years ago 2
stopping to believe kinda gets the purpose away of people's lives. If they can live while having no purpose is another question
Zarkonirk 3 years ago
What kind of purpose does religion offer anyhow? I think it's liberating to know my purpose is up to me; I get to choose how to make use of my life. If the God of the Bible did exist, I wouldn't grovel before that asshole anyway.
GBart 3 years ago
I've been an atheist for over 25 years, and when I did believe, I was a moderate Catholic and an inquisitive teenager. When I first came to realize that I was an atheist, I think there was a part of me that missed the mythology. But I think that's because even though I had let go of the belief, I still had a bit of the old Catholic mindset that saw the world in supernatural, eternal terms.
But now that I've left that mindset behind too, I'm MUCH happier being an atheist.
CousinoMacul 3 years ago
I've been an atheist for at least 15 years, and I feel more enlightened by not needing to add God into the equation anymore. The world makes perfect sense without Gods or the supernatural.
As far as being happier, now that is a tough question, because I just don't know. Would I be happier if I were a drug addict escaping some of life's crap? I don't know.
baconeater 3 years ago
I am FAR happier now that I am an atheist. I don't miss theism in the slightest bit.
TomConger 3 years ago
I may be speaking too soon, but I'm starting to wonder if I'll get any negative answers at all...
GBart 3 years ago
i feel better now that i am an atheist. i question things more now, and i feel like i have learned a lot since i left christianity. i also think i am more moral, and i think about my actions more, because i know that i cannot be forgiven for the things i do with just a prayer.
AJ78910 3 years ago 2
i'm much more proud to be an educated atheist than a blind believer. i started with my atheism before i went to college anyway, though...so educating myself was easier because i had an open mind.
C0ct0pus 3 years ago 2
Excellent video. I'm disqualified from answering as I've been atheist for a LONG time. But I think you'll find from those who are "over the shock" that they wouldn't go back if they could.
philhellenes 3 years ago
I meant AT LEAST a year.
GBart 3 years ago
Losing belief in the afterlife gave me a whole new appreciation for life. The fact that I'm alive experiencing this is amazing and I'm grateful for every second I get. I know this is the closest thing to heaven I'll get so I make the most of it. I may fear the pains of death but not what happens after.
Brings to mind my favorite Mark Twain quote:
"I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it"
J33zyCr33zy 3 years ago
I AM VERY, VERY MUCH HAPPIER!
ktorch 3 years ago