This is what I think God is

[Jackalope]

I love it when some of the best posters respond to oblivious newbs. Feels like a shark tank.

rawr.

[J a c k]

I love it when some of the best posters respond to oblivious newbs. Feels like a shark tank.

rawr.

I swear I was going to add that in that in there. Rawr, yes.

[gwhendri]

OK I'm going to man up here. I think I believe this way because I can't handle this shitty meaningless world without it. I will share something personal. I was a pretty strong atheist until I had a  psychosis that gave me a heavy dose of religion. I just can't seem to shake it no matter how hard I try.

[Cato]

If you truly are psychotic, pondering the existence of god is likely the least of your concerns.

[brewer]

Describe your psychotic break and explain what that has to do with religion. Are you saying religion (an organized fantasy delusion, god just a fantasy delusion) was your cure?

[gwhendri]

Describe your psychotic break and explain what that has to do with religion. Are you saying religion (an organized fantasy delusion, god just a fantasy delusion) was your cure?

Well I just experienced some things that I think were kind of improbable. Things that don't follow standard statistical procedure. I started to believe things were more than just coincidences and that they were following a different type of probability. I started to believe in synchronicity and I still experience it while I am on my medication. I really don't want to go into what happened specifically because it is personal to me. Anyways it was a psychosis with religious delusions. I have read research saying that people like Moses were suffering from this illness.

In the middle stages I started to feel real enlightened like I was the Buddha or something. I was reading some pretty interesting New Age Stuff and it made sense to me and I became really enlightened feeling like a Buddha again for a few days. In the later stages I began Hallucinating different types of beings and was shortly sent to the hospital to receive medication.

Anyways after having this happen to me I really just can't shake off my belief in God. If this occurred to you maybe you would think differently as well.
Scientists call this insanity, but New Age religions call this a spiritual awakening. Anyways it was really disturbing.

[J a c k]

Ok. Now I'll bite, because now you're being honest. I like real talk.

I'm sorry you have an illness and have to be on meds. On the other hand, I'm glad science provided those meds for you. Thing is, your experiences do not prove there is a god. I think they might prove your illness. I believed in a god at one point in my life and I believe I was delusional due to ptsd. So, I'm not trying to insult you. I just think there are explanations and not knowing does not equal proof of a deity.

[gwhendri]

Describe your psychotic break and explain what that has to do with religion. Are you saying religion (an organized fantasy delusion, god just a fantasy delusion) was your cure?

Well I just experienced some things that I think were kind of improbable. Things that don't follow standard statistical procedure. I started to believe things were more than just coincidences and that they were following a different type of probability. I started to believe in synchronicity and I still experience it while I am on my medication. I really don't want to go into what happened specifically because it is personal to me. Anyways it was a psychosis with religious delusions. I have read research saying that people like Moses were suffering from this illness.

In the middle stages I started to feel real enlightened like I was the Buddha or something. I was reading some pretty interesting New Age Stuff and it made sense to me and I became really enlightened feeling like a Buddha again for a few days. In the later stages I began Hallucinating different types of beings and was shortly sent to the hospital to receive medication.

Anyways after having this happen to me I really just can't shake off my belief in God. If this occurred to you maybe you would think differently as well.
Scientists call this insanity, but New Age religions call this a spiritual awakening. Anyways it was really disturbing.

Ok. Now I'll bite, because now you're being honest. I like real talk.

I'm sorry you have an illness and have to be on meds. On the other hand, I'm glad science provided those meds for you. Thing is, your experiences do not prove there is a god. I think they might prove your illness. I believed in a god at one point in my life and I believe I was delusional due to ptsd. So, I'm not trying to insult you. I just think there are explanations and not knowing does not equal proof of a deity.

Yes, thank you for being considerate and helpful. I think this kind of talk is what I need to recover further.

[brewer]

Thank you for being open. You can tell us as much or as little as you want, it's your decision, your life. Very glad you/others recognized that you needed help and were hospitalized. There are some that are not that fortunate, they don't receive help.

I hope that you are still receiving therapy, more than just medication. Medication alone is usually not a solution.

This helps explain your particular beliefs up to this point (at least to me). What you went through is unique to you but in general is not uncommon. Your beliefs more than likely will change as time passes. You need to continue to talk to your treatment professionals about what is going on with your thought process. I'm now more willing to listen to them here. What I or others say may or may not help you. Talking here can be a positive outlet but is no substitute for a treatment professional.

Best Wishes.

[gwhendri]

Thank you for being open. You can tell us as much or as little as you want, it's your decision, your life. Very glad you/others recognized that you needed help and were hospitalized. There are some that are not that fortunate, they don't receive help.

I hope that you are still receiving therapy, more than just medication. Medication alone is usually not a solution.

This helps explain your particular beliefs up to this point (at least to me). What you went through is unique to you but in general is not uncommon. Your beliefs more than likely will change as time passes. You need to continue to talk to your treatment professionals about what is going on with your thought process. I'm now more willing to listen to them here. What I or others say may or may not help you. Talking here can be a positive outlet but is no substitute for a treatment professional.

Best Wishes

Ok I appreciate your opinion. I'll tell you why I posted here. I told my psychiatrist that same opening statement and he agreed with me and said I should right a book. I posted to see what an Atheist would think. I think that is wrong that he is feeding my ego like that.
Anyways I will not right some stupid book, but I will hold onto my beliefs and keep them to myself from now on.
I will keep them for these reasons...
They make me feel better
It's really all I have
And lastly Atheism is boring