RE: IF you deconverted in midlife, can you help?
October 14, 2018 at 2:45 am
(This post was last modified: October 14, 2018 at 3:29 am by Dragonfly.)
@Abbadon_ire
I don't know how to reply in-line when quotes are threaded this deeply, so I'll just try here.
"Be warned. Believers who you know will actively exploit that. It is just one more shitty thing believers do."
Yes, I am very vulnerable right now. Thankfully, other than a few close secular friends, nobody else knows. Theists would LOVE this anxiety. It's the God-shaped vacuum and all of that.
As far as recommending stuff that helped you get through the existential crisis, I would love to hear it.
No, I don't believe in Hell, so your conclusion on this subject is incorrect.
This is so true. An example of this is that when I was a child I was terrified of the Rapture taking place and my being left behind while my whole family was taken to Heaven. If I was separated from my mom longer than expected, I'd start to become more and more terrified that the Rapture had happened. Now I'm in a relationship with an atheist man. However, when he takes longer than expected, I get this fear that the Rapture has happened. It makes ZERO sense. Even if I believed in the Rapture, as an atheist he wouldn't be raptured, so it's an example of not believing in something but having the fear persist.
I don't believe in Hell. Frankly, your comments sound a lot like those from Christians who tell atheists that they really DO believe in God but are just angry with him or rejecting him. If you're atheist, you know there's simply no way to reply to belief that's absurd or that you know isn't true. That's how I feel about your statements that state that I must really believe in Hell. You don't get it, so why should anyone waste their time trying to get you to understand?
You know, I chose the title of this thread carefully, yet you still missed the "can you help?" part.
Regarding your comment about atheism not being some kind of panacea, you've got to be kidding! There's no relief in the realization that what I've believed in my whole life and the decisions I've made because of that belief was wrong all along. There's no relief in the realization that I'm not immortal nor is any other loved one in my life. Life would be much easier if I could still believe in God. The delusion was a comfort sometimes. However, once you realize Santa isn't real, you can't force yourself to believe again.
You said, "Why try to force yourself into being something you're not?" There are many stupid assumptions built into this question. Again, there's no force: I simply don't believe anymore. I find no credible evidence for a belief in God, which means I am an atheist. Get it?
It really sounds like you're trolling or you simply want to kick someone who is vulnerable. I asked for HELP, not to have some fuckwit try to argue that I'm really still a believer. Please quit hijacking my thread.
I don't know how to reply in-line when quotes are threaded this deeply, so I'll just try here.
"Be warned. Believers who you know will actively exploit that. It is just one more shitty thing believers do."
Yes, I am very vulnerable right now. Thankfully, other than a few close secular friends, nobody else knows. Theists would LOVE this anxiety. It's the God-shaped vacuum and all of that.
As far as recommending stuff that helped you get through the existential crisis, I would love to hear it.
(October 13, 2018 at 6:17 pm)CarveTheFive Wrote: If you’re afraid of hell you must believe in hell and if you believe in hell youre not an atheist.
No, I don't believe in Hell, so your conclusion on this subject is incorrect.
(October 13, 2018 at 6:33 pm)vulcanlogician Wrote:(October 13, 2018 at 6:17 pm)CarveTheFive Wrote: If you’re afraid of hell you must believe in hell and if you believe in hell youre not an atheist.
I'd like to dispute this remark. Just because you've come to a logical conclusion about God's nonexistence doesn't mean you can immediately erase years of indoctrination... stuff that's engrained... often at an emotional level.
If you find out that a romantic partner (with whom you were seriously involved) is a backstabbing, two-timing bitch, you don't then immediately overcome all the feelings/hopes/dreams that were associated with her. It's a process. (Especially considering the tactics some religious organizations use to instill such beliefs in the first place.)
This is so true. An example of this is that when I was a child I was terrified of the Rapture taking place and my being left behind while my whole family was taken to Heaven. If I was separated from my mom longer than expected, I'd start to become more and more terrified that the Rapture had happened. Now I'm in a relationship with an atheist man. However, when he takes longer than expected, I get this fear that the Rapture has happened. It makes ZERO sense. Even if I believed in the Rapture, as an atheist he wouldn't be raptured, so it's an example of not believing in something but having the fear persist.
(October 13, 2018 at 6:59 pm)CarveTheFive Wrote: I’m not in the school of we control our beliefs
If you believe in hell why torture yourself trying to pretend you don’t?
Maybe part of your brain can believe and another part doesn’t...
All I know is I’m not afraid of things I don’t believe in. That certainly includes hell.
But on the other hand I don’t think atheism is some kind of panacea. Why try to force yourself into being something you’re not?
I don't believe in Hell. Frankly, your comments sound a lot like those from Christians who tell atheists that they really DO believe in God but are just angry with him or rejecting him. If you're atheist, you know there's simply no way to reply to belief that's absurd or that you know isn't true. That's how I feel about your statements that state that I must really believe in Hell. You don't get it, so why should anyone waste their time trying to get you to understand?
You know, I chose the title of this thread carefully, yet you still missed the "can you help?" part.
Regarding your comment about atheism not being some kind of panacea, you've got to be kidding! There's no relief in the realization that what I've believed in my whole life and the decisions I've made because of that belief was wrong all along. There's no relief in the realization that I'm not immortal nor is any other loved one in my life. Life would be much easier if I could still believe in God. The delusion was a comfort sometimes. However, once you realize Santa isn't real, you can't force yourself to believe again.
You said, "Why try to force yourself into being something you're not?" There are many stupid assumptions built into this question. Again, there's no force: I simply don't believe anymore. I find no credible evidence for a belief in God, which means I am an atheist. Get it?
It really sounds like you're trolling or you simply want to kick someone who is vulnerable. I asked for HELP, not to have some fuckwit try to argue that I'm really still a believer. Please quit hijacking my thread.
I said to the sun, tell me about the Big Bang.
The sun said, 'It hurts to become.'
~Andrea Gibson
The sun said, 'It hurts to become.'
~Andrea Gibson
