Is atheism a liberating and good experience?

[FutureAndAHope]

Hi,

I just read the first post, and some of the most recent so I am not 100% up on where you are at. But I will add my two cents worth to this thread. Before I was a Christian my life was a mess, I was fearful of my own shadow, fearful of meeting people, my life was far from happy. When I became a Christian I did not notice things change straight away, but as I grew to know God things improved. To the point that I am no longer afraid of people, I love meeting new people. Also one of the things God has done for me is he has used miracles to direct my life. As an example I found it very hard to meet a partner. But one day I was on a Christian dating website, and I prayed and said to God "there must be someone who could make a good partner for me, show me who". I prayed asking God for a search term to enter into the search box. A search term entered my mind. I entered the serach term into the search box. And a profile came up, the person look ok to me, and they were in my city, so I contacted them. I did not tell them I had asked God, but just got to know them, we got on really well together. We eventually decided to marry. I am now happily married with a son. So God provided me what I needed. God has done many miracles from me read some of them at http://www.futureandahope.net But the point I am making is I serve a real God who wants us blessed, I have no emotional issues in my life, I feel good about life, all is positive. I have a good job, a good family, and a mission to help people in life to obtain a full and complete life.

[Kirbmarc]

But one day I was on a Christian dating website, and I prayed and said to God "there must be someone who could make a good partner for me, show me who".

God is Hitch?

[pocaracas]

Before I was a Christian my life was a mess, I was fearful of my own shadow, fearful of meeting people, my life was far from happy. When I became a Christian I did not notice things change straight away, but as I grew to know God things improved. To the point that I am no longer afraid of people, I love meeting new people.

What were you before you were a christian?
How old were you when you did become a christian?

Your story sounds like you got a confidence boost from your belief. I've got nothing against that... but you should be made aware that it may very well have been all in your mind. Nonetheless, it worked out well for you.

[genkaus]

Hi,

I just read the first post, and some of the most recent so I am not 100% up on where you are at. But I will add my two cents worth to this thread. Before I was a Christian my life was a mess, I was fearful of my own shadow, fearful of meeting people, my life was far from happy. When I became a Christian I did not notice things change straight away, but as I grew to know God things improved. To the point that I am no longer afraid of people, I love meeting new people. Also one of the things God has done for me is he has used miracles to direct my life. As an example I found it very hard to meet a partner. But one day I was on a Christian dating website, and I prayed and said to God "there must be someone who could make a good partner for me, show me who". I prayed asking God for a search term to enter into the search box. A search term entered my mind. I entered the serach term into the search box. And a profile came up, the person look ok to me, and they were in my city, so I contacted them. I did not tell them I had asked God, but just got to know them, we got on really well together. We eventually decided to marry. I am now happily married with a son. So God provided me what I needed. God has done many miracles from me read some of them at http://www.futureandahope.net But the point I am making is I serve a real God who wants us blessed, I have no emotional issues in my life, I feel good about life, all is positive. I have a good job, a good family, and a mission to help people in life to obtain a full and complete life.

Sounds to me like you've never been a True Atheist™. Have you tried not deluding yourself with all this god nonsense?

[LastPoet]

Ladies and gentlemen, that's what to expect from religion: A conforting lie.

[Mister Agenda]

Nevertheless, one thing Dawkins mentions is receiving messages from people thanking him for liberating them. Indeed, it baffles me how he sees atheism as a good thing for somebody who had faith to discover.

I am an atheist because it is the most harsh and universal truth I've found, not because it is a good or liberating experience. Indeed, my most euphoric and liberating experience came from believing in karma and Buddhist philosophy utilising things like meditation and lucid dreams (around the age of 15-17).

No one becomes an atheist in search of a good or liberating experience. Nonetheless, many people find becoming an atheist to be a good or liberating experience. There's no contradiction to be found here.

Even up to around the age of 10 I was raised Christian and happy that I had a higher power in stages 1-2 of Dawkins' scale. As I am now nearing stage 7, quite frankly I can't sleep at night, I don't eat properly, I don't exercise enough any more, I have panic attacks, pains in my neck, migraines, flashing vision etc. and I have little self-esteem or genuine feeling of empathy or compassion for others.

I was a Christian up to about 16, and a theist up to about 35. When I realized that at some point I had stopped believing in God altogether, the easement of my cognitive dissonance was pleasant and liberating. I don't see how either of our anecdotes carries more water than that different people can experience similar things differently, and our experiences are our own, neither good nor bad just because someone elee had a different one. I'm sorry you're experiencing mental problems, and since my empathy is entirely unimpaired, I hope you pull through and find a modicum of balance and happiness in your life.

Honestly the main thoughts that go through my head now are, "if I had a gun, I could blow my head off".

You should immediately seek counseling. Seriously. Talk to someone qualified as soon as you can. I'm worried about you. I don't understand why you feel this way, but please don't do it.

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I agree with Dawkins as a de-facto atheist, but his idea that he is liberating people and providing people a good experience by taking away their faith is ludicrous.

Judging from this thread, that experience is far more common that yours. Dawkins seems to have gotten that impression honestly, from all the people telling him so.

I thought it was fairly obvious trusting in a higher power gives you a higher self-esteem. The euphoria I have felt from spirituality is something I haven't been able to get close to through-out my 8 years of agnostic-atheism.

There is no conflict between being an atheist and practicing spirituality unless you take it narrowly as interacting with supernatural entitites. Atheism is an opinion on a single topic, it won't get you any more by itself than theism will by itself.

Yeah you are getting there. I wouldn't say I want to pick up organised religion again, but certainly some vague parts of Buddhist philosophy have stopped me from wanting to blow my head off in the past. I just need a fix of some description, normal life is incredibly boring to experience.

Many atheists are 'bare-bones' Buddhists who practice meditation and contemplation without buying into reincarnation or spiritual entities. If it helps you, go for it.

Well yeah... I mean some of the concepts that areas of Buddhist philosophy refer to are beautiful ways to think of the universe, at least metaphorically. But I always felt it had a grasp on physical ideas too; cause and effect. Indeed, I saw no reason for areas of Buddhist philosophy and science to co-exist in the past. The Dalai Lama has a great belief and control of his mind, without the need of drugs.

There's nothing wrong with metaphor, as long as you understand that it's metaphor. You don't need to cut yourself off from the parts of Buddhism that make sense to you. Be a Buddhist, it's fine.

[naimless]

I accept my faith in a higher power was delusive. At the same time I accept my euphoria was delusive, and the wonderful things that happened to me as a result of that (which includes my belief in Buddhist philosophy which worked for me).

I still experienced it though. I can't relate to someone who hasn't. I have tried but it is like a heroin addict trying to relate to someone who has found their fix in green tea.

[Mister Agenda]

And Daniel, I don't expect to "change" people, but when an opportunity for advice or support presents itself (in real life or the internet) and is given and is summarily dismissed, I accept that someone wants to remain as they are, at least at that moment.

Well that's because he isn't seeking advice, he's asking if other people have experienced what he has experienced. You're the one who saw it as an invitation to "give advice".

Telling people you're contemplating suidide or don't see a reason to go on living IS an invitation to give advice.

If you're contemplating suicide and don't want advice, you keep it to yourself.

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I accept my faith in a higher power was delusive. At the same time I accept my euphoria was delusive, and the wonderful things that happened to me as a result of that (which includes my belief in Buddhist philosophy which worked for me).

I still experienced it though. I can't relate to someone who hasn't. I have tried but it is like a heroin addict trying to relate to someone who has found their fix in green tea.

I believe there WAS someone upthread who described going through a similar experience, did you see that post? If not you might want to check (sorry I don't remember which page) and have a conversation with that poster.

[Kirbmarc]

I still experienced them though. I can't relate to someone who hasn't. I have tried but it is like a heroin addict trying to relate to someone who has found their fix in green tea.

The most important thing is that you can find a way to fight depression and your suicidal thoughts. Even if that way is religion. Your life is more important than your beliefs.

That said, I'm quite sure that religion isn't the only way you can experience euphoria. You made an explictly reference to heroin addicts. They can recover from their addiction, and so can you, if you want it.

By the way, I have to repeat what Mister Agenda wrote. If you feel suicidal, you should ask for qualified, professional help (the kind that you can't find in an Internet forum) as soon as you can. Those thoughts are extremely dangerous, but with help anyone can overcome them.

[naimless]

As far as I'm concerned the thread has satisfied my objective of finding others with a relatively similar experience of atheism.

Just chipping in when I feel a misinterpretation of what I said needs to be clarified.