Our server costs ~$56 per month to run. Please consider donating or becoming a Patron to help keep the site running. Help us gain new members by following us on Twitter and liking our page on Facebook!
Current time: January 6, 2025, 8:36 pm

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Regarding the power of religion over emotions
#8
RE: Regarding the power of religion over emotions
^I am insane on both accounts then, medical and your definition haha.

(March 25, 2018 at 9:48 pm)Macoleco Wrote: As someone who used to believe in God and was a christian, I have a question, specially to ex-believers, now atheists.

I used to do the common religious activies such as praying, and believing I had a personal relationship with God. In many points through my life, I thought God had helped me, and thta he was always watching over me. These kind of believes and activities can cause some very strong emotions over a person.  Very positive emotions. It makes you feel safe, strong, energetic, and that you can accomplish anything in your life. It helps you overcome hardships, control negative emotions, etc.

After becoming an a atheist, all of these emotions are gone. Maybe not completely, but not to the same extent. Now I feel more insecure, since I know God is not protecting me. I dont feel like an accomplish anything, since I am not all powerful and God isnt helping me. It is now harder to have a positive outlook of life and the future since there is no God. This idea of God is extremly powerful, and I see almost no way of compete against it only with reason and force of will. 

I have been wondering if some ex-believers have reached the same level of "positive emotions" if you may call it, only by force of will and reason. 

Just as an anecdote, a few times I have pretended to talk to God as an atheist, and I feel some positive force on me. Perhaps I was so accustomed to this in the past, that it still lingers on me. And please, I dont want any believer telling me it is the power of God telling me to believe again.

Placebo ends when a person begins to doubt and rationalize. Placebo works to degrees.   Doubt seeks certainty. 

To give up on the truth because you doubted is not the purpose of doubt nor to doubt the truth after being shown clearly with proofs is not the purpose of doubt.

Doubt is just an indicator that you need further clarification and insight or a need to rekindle and remind yourself of what you know.

My question to you, is what advice are you seeking from people here? What do you want to hear? 

You don't like to believe in a supernatural force and creator, sure, but than you will believe people if they tell you can gain that will power and energy without reliable support and source and guidance?

I want you to do the same. Demand evidence on both sides.   When I was Atheist that horrible week I was, I sought to search evidence for all the foundations of what makes us human.

What makes an action praiseworthy? What makes a person praiseworthy? How do you inherit your actions? What accountability is there when we do good or bad, how does our personhood inherit the deed scores we score in a given day?   What makes you the same person as you were once before?

What makes you who you are? What is your foundational essence?
Reply



Messages In This Thread
RE: Regarding the power of religion over emotions - by MysticKnight - March 27, 2018 at 10:59 am

Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Inquiry regarding creationists neil 48 5527 February 18, 2024 at 5:09 pm
Last Post: The Valkyrie
  How has the church lost power through time? Macoleco 10 1353 September 28, 2017 at 8:46 pm
Last Post: Amarok
  Are you and your significant other a "real" power couple? Silver 19 3487 August 4, 2016 at 8:13 am
Last Post: ignoramus
  Religion hurts homosexuality but homosexuality kills religion? RozKek 43 12382 March 30, 2016 at 2:46 am
Last Post: robvalue
  The Bible & Science: The Ultimate Power Couple athrock 33 6226 February 11, 2016 at 7:45 am
Last Post: Alex K
  Terrorism has no religion but religion brings terrorism. Islam is NOT peaceful. bussta33 13 5594 January 16, 2016 at 8:25 pm
Last Post: The Grand Nudger
  Religion's affect outside of religion Heat 67 21636 September 28, 2015 at 9:45 pm
Last Post: TheRocketSurgeon
Rainbow Gay rights within the template of religion proves flaws in "religion" CristW 288 59785 November 21, 2014 at 4:09 pm
Last Post: DramaQueen
  The use of Religion to control, manipulate, and gain power MusicLovingAtheist 64 11108 September 29, 2014 at 5:20 pm
Last Post: Wyrd of Gawd
  Why is belief in a higher power required? Silver 165 65859 June 30, 2013 at 7:06 am
Last Post: Brian37



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)