Is atheism a liberating and good experience?

[Aractus]

And Daniel, I don't expect to "change" people, but when an opportunity for advice or support presents itself (in real life or the internet) and is given and is summarily dismissed, I accept that someone wants to remain as they are, at least at that moment.

Well that's because he isn't seeking advice, he's asking if other people have experienced what he has experienced. You're the one who saw it as an invitation to "give advice".

[LastPoet]

How much of one's intelligence does one has to sacrifice for such vaunted "Christian happiness"?

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PS- I was replying to FNM.

[Aractus]

I understand, and believe me, I am just as frustrated with his dismissals of every idea put forth. My point was that he seems to me to be unrealistically intent on receiving a magic recipe for living happily without god, rather than being intent on staying depressed.

Yep, he thinks he knows it all as I pointed out right at the beginning. This is something very typical of his age and certainly not unique to the OP and certainly I don't mean it as an insult just an observation.

[Faith No More]

How much of one's intelligence does one has to sacrifice for such vaunted "Christian happiness"?

If one is seeking "Christian happiness," one probably does not have intelligence to sacrifice.

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Yep, he thinks he knows it all as I pointed out right at the beginning. This is something very typical of his age and certainly not unique to the OP and certainly I don't mean it as an insult just an observation.

I think it is more typical of the human condition, not just a certain age.

[Aractus]

Possibly, but to an extent I was like that at his age.

[thesummerqueen]

I understand, and believe me, I am just as frustrated with his dismissals of every idea put forth. My point was that he seems to me to be unrealistically intent on receiving a magic recipe for living happily without god, rather than being intent on staying depressed.

Yep, he thinks he knows it all as I pointed out right at the beginning. This is something very typical of his age and certainly not unique to the OP and certainly I don't mean it as an insult just an observation.

Implying advice.

[Edwardo Piet]

IMO atheism is a liberating experience while you are having a transformation. After that atheism is just obvious to me but I'm still agnostic about it of course.

[naimless]

I was just looking for someone who had a similar experience to me as opposed to the experience Dawkins had.

I have found somebody who can relate to what I was talking about on a music forum instead.

Indeed the more I discuss atheism with atheists, the more I realise I do not share the same perceptions as atheists so have stopped attaching myself to the label.

[pocaracas]

Atheists are a very diverse scattered bunch of people.
The only requirement to belong to such a group is: no belief in any divinity.

Most probably didn't go through what you're going through.... but some have, or are still going through it... it may be worth waiting out for them...

[naimless]

I appreciate that... but then I don't label myself anti-santa or anti-leprechaun and discuss how much I don't believe in them and I feel the same way about them as the concepts of god I learnt as a child.

Indeed, I think agnosticism can be no belief in any divinity as well. So I'll choose that if I need to but I'll remain as "other" for now.