About atheism

[Jodin]

So, i've been a christian i suppose, for i guess most my life. I was raised christian, but it's always been my own choice to believe in god.

But the latest time i've been having a rather big identity crisis, I don't really know who I am any longer and i'm not sure what to believe anymore.
I guess i'm at a point where I can choose whether i'd like to believe in god or not.

Even though i was never a strong believer, i still liked the idea that someone was watching over me, and there was a purpose to my life. I've kinda just focused on the core of the faith, like; be nice, love your fellow man and such.
I would still continue to live by these morals even if i renounced my faith.

So my question is, should i stop "believing" in a god because it's more realistic that he actually doesn't exist, when i fear i might lose my sense of purpose and belonging.

(should i stop imagining i have an invisible friend because he doesn't exist, when this imaginary friend makes me happy?)

[Paul the Human]

You do not have to believe that a god exists in order to be nice and love your neighbor and fellow man. It's not a question of whether or not you should "stop believing", it's a question of whether or not you believe. When you look at the question "Does god exist" critically, do you believe the answer to be yes, or no. No one says you have to know for sure. It's about what you believe. It isn't a choice, so much as a state.

[Jodin]

It's a choice in what i choose to tell myself. i can choose to tell myself that there is no god, my life on earth is all there is and i'm actually all alone. Or i can choose to tell myself that i might not be alone, there might be something or someone bigger than me, that i do not understand. It might not be a belief, it's more like choosing what i accept as personal truth.

And i said in the first post that even if i gave up religion i would still keep the core i've learned from religion (loving my neighbor and so on)

[Anomalocaris]

So my question is, should i stop "believing" in a god because it's more realistic that he actually doesn't exist, when i fear i might lose my sense of purpose and belonging.

(should i stop imagining i have an invisible friend because he doesn't exist, when this imaginary friend makes me happy?)

Do you want to consume hallucinogenic drugs because it creates a imaginary world for you to be happy in?

If so, then by all means, keeping believing. If not, then why still believe?

[Paul the Human]

You can tell yourself anything you want, but that doesn't mean you actually believe it. So... it is about belief, see? Do you believe that a god exists? You can tell yourself that there probably is no god, but that won't stop you from believing that there is one... or the other way around.

Only you can answer the question of what you believe is true. I, for example, do not believe that there is a god of any kind in existence. That doesn't mean that I'm correct. It only means that I believe that I am.

[Faith No More]

So my question is, should i stop "believing" in a god because it's more realistic that he actually doesn't exist...

If you actually do feel that it's more realistic that god doesn't exist, by all means stop believing. What Paul seems to have been alluding to, however, is that you can't force yourself to believe or not. You can only interpret what you believe to be the most reasonable answer, and that reasonable answer is what you should believe in.

...when i fear i might lose my sense of purpose and belonging.

I've heard many a person that gave up religion say that they felt this at first, but eventually they were able to find their own meaning to life.

[Napoléon]

It might not be a belief, it's more like choosing what i accept as personal truth.

What 'might be' is not fact.

What you want to believe because it makes you feel good has no bearing on fact.

If you truly want to be intellectually honest with yourself, then you need to get out of thinking about what you 'want' to be the best case scenario.

Let's face it, the idea of god to many people sounds great. But scientifically it's bollocks.

It's your choice to trust in actual testable evidence or make believe.


I can imagine it's not easy to accept that there isn't a god. But I'm more content in the knowledge that this is the one and only life I get, and for that reason I'm going to live it to the best of my ability.
And even if you rather like the idea of living forever, there's nothing to suggest you do. So I would say, stop clinging onto what you want, and start thinking about what is real.

[Jodin]

I will probably never have a strong opinion one way or the other. I am by nature curious about how things work and why things are the way they are. And I don't think i will believe for certain that there is a god or that there isn't if i don't see any proof of either the existence of god or god's unexistence. This is a question i can't accept the atheisms point of view without question, because i have something to lose.

I'm sorry, i'm probably not getting across the way i want to, because English is not my main language.

My main question is still, will stop believing in god make my life better/happier in any way?

[Paul the Human]

First, let's make sure that you understand that 'atheism' is simply the state of having no belief that god(s) exist. That's all it means. If you do not believe that there is a god, you are an atheist. Period.

As for the rest... that's great. Always question and always search for truth with a skeptical and critical eye. If you aren't sure whether or not you believe that there is a god, so be it. Keep looking into 'how things work and why'. Eventually, you will come to a conclusion that god(s) either exist or don't. Or you will never reach a conclusion either way. It really doesn't matter. What matters is how you live your life and treat yourself and your fellow man.

[Napoléon]

My main question is still, will stop believing in god make my life better/happier in any way?

Well only you can answer that question. If you really think forgoing reason and rationality for ignorance will make you feel better then by all means carry on believing.