Is life more satisfying as an atheist or religionist?

[Ahriman]

When I realized I had become an atheist, I experienced an overwhelming sense of emancipation from anxiety, irrational thinking and fear. Enough said! 

Religious anxiety is a real thing. I have to wonder how many people feel it, besides me.

[no one]

Life sucks, plain and simple.

[FrustratedFool]

When I realized I had become an atheist, I experienced an overwhelming sense of emancipation from anxiety, irrational thinking and fear. Enough said! 

I experienced that.

But I also experienced an increased loss of meaning, loss of special status, loss of relationships, regret over my past and wasted time, loss of God, loss of hope of morality, freewill, and an afterlife too.

Mixed bag.

[The Grand Nudger]

If a person believed in gods and they were satisfying gods, whatever that means to them personally, then it would be conceivable that they found life more satisfying than a person who wanted the same things, but didn't believe in those same gods. Then again, a person who didn't want those same things would lose nothing in that department by not believing in said gods. Similarly, a person who does believe in gods but does not want whatever that person believes they offer will gain nothing in that department over not believing in gods at all.

The whole thing is actually short-circuited by the combination of atheism and religion, which offers both sets of putative goods and contain no gods, though this seems less clear or obvious when we conflate a belief in gods with religion.

[Istvan]

Either option has the advantage of letting you compensate for inadequacy through self-righteous arrogance.

[The Architect Of Fate]

Atheism isn't about feeling good it's about being rational

[Simon Moon]

It is more satisfying as an atheist, no contest.

And no, it's not because I want to "sin".

Partial list of reasons:

When I accomplish something, I know it is all me who is responsible, not some god. And yes, the opposite is also true, if I fail at something, it is also all on me. But even then, I get to learn from my mistakes.

I no longer have to worry that friends and family won't be tortured for eternity for thought crimes.

I don't have to perform gold medal levels of mental gymnastics in order to try to shape reality to my irrational beliefs.

I love having an internal representation of reality, that has much better probabilities of mapping to reality, than irrational beliefs do.

As Matt Dillahunty says, "I want to have as many true beliefs, and as few false beliefs as possible". Working for that goal, is very satisfying.

[Angrboda]

I imagine it depends more on the person than the belief. Religion is culturally richer. The stories that came with my Hinduism were a lot more interesting than the somewhat sterile atheist literature. I've begun reading the Baghavad Gita recently and finding that it has something to say to me even though I'm no longer Hindu. And I've reanointed my Taoist studies finding much practical to be gained from Taoist practice.

[Harry Haller]

I imagine a sincere religionist that truly believes in their god and their religion would have the happiest of existences. There is much comfort to be found in the promise of religion and that is why man invented it.

The problem for me, when I was religious, was that it just wasn't believable. At that point, going through the motions of a religion you do not believe in, it becomes an exhausting burden rather than a blessing.

I miss some of the ritual and community of religious practice but I don't miss trying to make myself believe in something unbelievable or faking my belief to fit in.

I have found purpose within myself through a combination of Stoic and Taoist practice.

[brewer]

I imagine a sincere religionist that truly believes in their god and their religion would have the happiest of existences.  There is much comfort to be found in the promise of religion and that is why man invented it.  

The problem for me, when I was religious, was that it just wasn't believable.  At that point, going through the motions of a religion you do not believe in, it becomes an exhausting burden rather than a blessing.

I miss some of the ritual and community of religious practice but I don't miss trying to make myself believe in something unbelievable or faking my belief to fit in.  

I have found purpose within myself through a combination of Stoic and Taoist practice.

Hello Harry. Would you be interested in making an 'Introduction' thread so that we can get to know your better?