EX Catholic recent Atheist....hard time coping with reality.

[CTR8008]

Growing up a Roman Catholic you are taught the bible is the literal "truth" of life. Very recently from years of a state of delusion not questioning my "faith" I sat in a boring lecture class wondering if there was an alternative way humans came to roam the planet. My innate biased justification was "God" created humans.....but a sense of ostensibly started to jab at my conscious. For days this primary question of "is there another way?" bothered me to a psychotic degree. I finally gave in and hit the internet...a simple video of the great Richard Dawkins helped me understand evolution by natural selection. (sadly I was not taught the facts of evolution due to my education in a catholic school that barley taught any biology.) As I gazed upon the evidence Dr. Dawkins mentioned, my "faith" in creation began to fade....The more scientific evidence I began to learn and research the more interested I became in many fields such as cosmology, neurology, geography, ect. My ignorance in science was filled with the sensation of bronze aged mythology...As I become aware of the fabrication of an afterlife a thought of the meaningless stockpile of particles we temporary hold affects my grasp on caring about anything that matters....Ive come to the conclusion when our neurons stop firing our state of self awareness ceases into a void of nothingness....im barely happy anymore due to this realization. This may be a symptom of withdrawal from my previous ideologies of mythical thinking. Did anyone else have a similar experience within their first time rejecting religion?
How do you cope?

[The Valkyrie]

Growing up a Roman Catholic you are taught the bible is the literal "truth" of life. Very recently from years of a state of delusion not questioning my "faith" I sat in a boring lecture class wondering if there was an alternative way humans came to roam the planet. My innate biased justification was "God" created humans.....but a sense of ostensibly started to jab at my conscious. For days this primary question of "is there another way?" bothered me to a psychotic degree. I finally gave in and hit the internet...a simple video of the great Richard Dawkins helped me understand evolution by natural selection. (sadly I was not taught the facts of evolution due to my education in a catholic school that barley taught any biology.) As I gazed upon the evidence Dr. Dawkins mentioned, my "faith" in creation began to fade....The more scientific evidence I began to learn and research the more interested I became in many fields such as cosmology, neurology, geography, ect. My ignorance in science was filled with the sensation of bronze aged mythology...As I become aware of the fabrication of an afterlife a thought of the meaningless stockpile of particles we temporary hold affects my grasp on caring about anything that matters....Ive come to the conclusion when our neurons stop firing our state of self awareness ceases into a void of nothingness....im barely happy anymore due to this realization. This may be a symptom of withdrawal from my previous ideologies of mythical thinking. Did anyone else have a similar experience within their first time rejecting religion?
How do you cope?

Welcome to the light side.

Myself, I gave up on Catholicism when I was 13, though I had not really believed for a few years before then (so I've now been clean for 16 years).

What you're feeling is actually common. I would recommend listening to a few podcasts by Seth Andrews, the Thinking Atheist. Also, see if you can find other atheists to talk to directly.

Me, I went through the same thing when I realised my mortality. What helped me was realising that mortality makes this life far more valuable to us than to those who think it's a stepping stone to another life.

I don't know if there's an afterlife, claiming to know there isn't one would make me as dishonest as those who claim to know there is.

Just live your life as the best person you can be.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

Hi welcome!

I never felt depressed. Just relief.

I'm glad there isn't an afterlife because I knew people who've died who weren't xtians and I used to think about them burning in hell all the time, it was very difficult to cope. And I always worried about those nonxtians who're still alive and I would pray for god to make them believe so they wouldn't end up in hell. I worried about myself ending up in hell AND in heaven because towards the end I was convinced god was one evil asshole.

So you get the idea XD. I think Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials had this "hell" or purgatory where a lot of kids were at. They died, but they couldn't die, they really were still alive but living in this horrible place. The protagonist freed them and they turned into atoms, and returned to the universe to be recycled. That's what death is. And it's not that bad, staying alive forever is not something our minds are built for. And it's what makes what you have right now precious. What more reason do you need to be happy with what you have?

[CTR8008]

Growing up a Roman Catholic you are taught the bible is the literal "truth" of life. Very recently from years of a state of delusion not questioning my "faith" I sat in a boring lecture class wondering if there was an alternative way humans came to roam the planet. My innate biased justification was "God" created humans.....but a sense of ostensibly started to jab at my conscious. For days this primary question of "is there another way?" bothered me to a psychotic degree. I finally gave in and hit the internet...a simple video of the great Richard Dawkins helped me understand evolution by natural selection. (sadly I was not taught the facts of evolution due to my education in a catholic school that barley taught any biology.) As I gazed upon the evidence Dr. Dawkins mentioned, my "faith" in creation began to fade....The more scientific evidence I began to learn and research the more interested I became in many fields such as cosmology, neurology, geography, ect. My ignorance in science was filled with the sensation of bronze aged mythology...As I become aware of the fabrication of an afterlife a thought of the meaningless stockpile of particles we temporary hold affects my grasp on caring about anything that matters....Ive come to the conclusion when our neurons stop firing our state of self awareness ceases into a void of nothingness....im barely happy anymore due to this realization. This may be a symptom of withdrawal from my previous ideologies of mythical thinking. Did anyone else have a similar experience within their first time rejecting religion?
How do you cope?

Welcome to the light side.

Myself, I gave up on Catholicism when I was 13, though I had not really believed for a few years before then (so I've now been clean for 16 years).

What you're feeling is actually common. I would recommend listening to a few podcasts by Seth Andrews, the Thinking Atheist. Also, see if you can find other atheists to talk to directly.

Me, I went through the same thing when I realised my mortality. What helped me was realising that mortality makes this life far more valuable to us than to those who think it's a stepping stone to another life.

I don't know if there's an afterlife, claiming to know there isn't one would make me as dishonest as those who claim to know there is.

Just live your life as the best person you can be.

Thank you, I know it seems closed minded to make the assertion there is no afterlife but I guess its something I should be skeptic about logically. I just see no significance in humans...the genome shows us how frightfully close we are to other species and "junk DNA that bares no function or vestigial remnants no longer used...so what makes us so special to be rewarded with an infinite dimension if our ancestors didn't know of the teachings of Christ? The bible is a lie to keep the uneducated wishful and controlled.

[Captain Colostomy]

Yeah...dwelling on the loss of nothing(soul/afterlife/heaven, etc.) is hardly necessary. It is common, though, I believe. Just like cold turkey quitting other addictive substances, it takes time to adjust. A support group (like a forum! )and compassionate awareness of all things you do can help. Give it time, and smile! You aren't alone.

Welcome to AF, by the way!

[The Valkyrie]

Welcome to the light side.

Myself, I gave up on Catholicism when I was 13, though I had not really believed for a few years before then (so I've now been clean for 16 years).

What you're feeling is actually common. I would recommend listening to a few podcasts by Seth Andrews, the Thinking Atheist. Also, see if you can find other atheists to talk to directly.

Me, I went through the same thing when I realised my mortality. What helped me was realising that mortality makes this life far more valuable to us than to those who think it's a stepping stone to another life.

I don't know if there's an afterlife, claiming to know there isn't one would make me as dishonest as those who claim to know there is.

Just live your life as the best person you can be.

Thank you, I know it seems closed minded to make the assertion there is no afterlife but I guess its something I should be skeptic about logically. I just see no significance in humans...the genome shows us how frightfully close we are to other species and "junk DNA that bares no function or vestigial remnants no longer used...so what makes us so special to be rewarded with an infinite dimension if our ancestors didn't know of the teachings of Christ? The bible is a lie to keep the uneducated wishful and controlled.

I'm often asked "If there's no God, then why are we here?"

I always respond with, "Biologically, we're here to make little people and continue humanity. Individually, as far as I'm concerned, we're here to make this world a little better for those who follow us (I know, generally we're not doing a good job of it right now). As to a higher general purpose, we don't have one".

I agree that religion, in general, is a control mechanism. I hold that it was first a way to explain what we did not understand (thunder and lightning being signs of an angry god) and evolved (take that, creationists!) into the control mechanism it has been for the past several millennia.

[Logisch]

Thank you, I know it seems closed minded to make the assertion there is no afterlife but I guess its something I should be skeptic about logically. I just see no significance in humans...the genome shows us how frightfully close we are to other species and "junk DNA that bares no function or vestigial remnants no longer used...so what makes us so special to be rewarded with an infinite dimension if our ancestors didn't know of the teachings of Christ? The bible is a lie to keep the uneducated wishful and controlled.

I'm often asked "If there's no God, then why are we here?"

I always respond with, "Biologically, we're here to make little people and continue humanity. Individually, as far as I'm concerned, we're here to make this world a little better for those who follow us (I know, generally we're not doing a good job of it right now). As to a higher general purpose, we don't have one".

I agree that religion, in general, is a control mechanism. I hold that it was first a way to explain what we did not understand (thunder and lightning being signs of an angry god) and evolved (take that, creationists!) into the control mechanism it has been for the past several millennia.

What about those who have no desire to reproduce at all? Why are they here?

What if you exist simply because your existence is possible?

[The Valkyrie]

I'm often asked "If there's no God, then why are we here?"

I always respond with, "Biologically, we're here to make little people and continue humanity. Individually, as far as I'm concerned, we're here to make this world a little better for those who follow us (I know, generally we're not doing a good job of it right now). As to a higher general purpose, we don't have one".

I agree that religion, in general, is a control mechanism. I hold that it was first a way to explain what we did not understand (thunder and lightning being signs of an angry god) and evolved (take that, creationists!) into the control mechanism it has been for the past several millennia.

What about those who have no desire to reproduce at all? Why are they here?

What if you exist simply because your existence is possible?

Hence the reason I said "biologically". We've overcome some of our biological necessities so we can choose.

[Logisch]

What about those who have no desire to reproduce at all? Why are they here?

What if you exist simply because your existence is possible?

Hence the reason I said "biologically". We've overcome some of our biological necessities so we can choose.

Yeah, true, I suppose that biological purpose makes sense. Not like there isn't enough humans around to reproduce and keep the species alive hah. Valid point.

[Minimalist]

How do you cope?

It's easy now that we know they are all a bunch of child raping bastards.

The sooner you forget what the con men told you the better off you'll be.

Welcome aboard.