Still struggling.

[MTL]

I'd say your brother thinks he can read the future, and he overestimates himself. Just because he abandoned rational thought in favour of comfortable delusion, it doesn't mean you will. And anyhow, the question of joining a religion is a separate one from if a "God" exists. I'd have no interest in any religion, even if they had any truth to them. You don't have to do anything you don't want to.

I imagine, most likely, your brother caved to pressure from family and friends and convinced himself he believed all the rubbish again.

I've been suffering from depression for the last 8-9 years. It was at its worst about 5 years ago when I felt suicidal all day every day. I improved somewhat but was much struggling, and I hit almost rock bottom again about a year or so ago. I got sent to the mental health team and got an excellent therapist, who helped me a lot, and now I'm coping fairly well. The depression is still there ready to jump on me at any time, but I'm in control now, and I can keep it in check much better.

Rob:

I'd say your brother thinks he can read the future, and he overestimates himself. Just because he abandoned rational thought in favour of comfortable delusion, it doesn't mean you will.

Exactly.  That's what I'm sayin'.

the question of joining a religion is a separate one from if a "God" exists.

Again, exactly right. 

This is what I was saying about Deism, General Dog:

Learn to allow for this possibility:

God may exist...sure, fine.

That doesn't mean that ANY of the world religions have it right, about Him.

In fact, they may all be leading us farther AWAY from the truth about God,
if there is a truth to be had.

In this way, Religion is actually heresy, if you think about it.

In other words:

God may exist,

but Religion is not only NOT the path to God,
but may in fact be the single biggest OBSTACLE between Man and God.

I compare God to an authentic designer boutique,
whose product is "TRUTH",

and then I liken Religion to the cheap knock-off tent around the corner,
siphoning off God's customer-base,
misleading people into thinking they're getting the genuine article,
selling a cheaply-made, rhinestone-studded piece of garbage, called "truth".

See the difference?

Religion doesn't serve God,
Religion serves Religion.

It isn't doing God any favours,
and it isn't doing Mankind any favours, either.

If there really is any God out there at all,
Religion does a better job than anything else,
of keeping Mankind and God away from each other,

by convincing people to believe that when they're serving Religion,
that they must therefore be serving God,

...when all they're doing is serving Religion.