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I'm an Atheist and i hate it.

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nkarafo

nkarafo

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Ever since i remember, i never really believed in god. I always thought it was an absurd idea. I also thought that i'm among the "smart" ones or at least the lucky ones who are able to see through the bullshit.

But as i grow older i realize that i'm the unlucky one instead. Because i denied myself from a wonderful bed time story where god and his angels will always watch over everyone or something and that there is a deeper meaning to everything and that no matter how cruel something looks, it's always according to god's good plan and that i will live forever in some form so i won't miss anything, etc.

Instead i am now the most pessimistic person, i think there is no reason for anything to exist, yet i don't like the idea of not existing either because nothingness seems even more meaningless if that makes any sense. It doesn't help that my life has been miserable the last 6-7 years or so. So the whole "live your life to the fullest" atheist motto doesn't really work on me.

Sure, religious people have hell to worry about but that's just something to keep things interesting. That's the whole point of religion. It's interesting. It has a meaning. Nothingness has no meaning. I hate the idea of death because of it. And i actually feel very jealous of people who really believe in god without knowingly kidding themselves. I wish i could do too. But my sense and logic always tell me that existence is a stupid mystery that nobody will ever solve and at some point nobody sentient will exist to know about it.

I wonder if others have similar thoughts?
 
Life is what you make it?

I don't follow a particular religion, but I do believe in a higher power of some sort. What that is I don't know. So maybe follow your own religion and beliefs?
 
full
 
Mousnis said:
Instead i am now the most pessimistic person, i think there is no reason for anything to exist, yet i don't like the idea of not existing either because nothingness seems even more meaningless if that makes any sense. It doesn't help that my life has been miserable the last 6-7 years or so. So the whole "live your life to the fullest" atheist motto doesn't really work on me.

I wonder if others have similar thoughts?
Click to expand...
No. And seek therapy.
 
Honestly, OP, I don't think Atheism is where your problem lies, Atheism doesn't cause pessimism, sounds to me like you're projecting whatever circumstances in your life are making you miserable onto your lack of belief in a higher power.

I'd suggest that instead of focussing on Atheism or religion, you focus on whatever it is in your life that is making you unhappy and find a way to course correct that.
 
It makes it harder to relate to other people honestly. Especially as a member of an ethnic group who are, for lack of a better word, "In it" for the long haul.
 
Don't think being atheist is your problem

I burn bibles and sacrifice goats and have hella fun with my life.

In the end it doesn't matter, just have fun and do fulfilling things for your own sake along the way
 
I'm a theist, former atheist, but I'm not gonna try to convince you. That's not my style.

However, one thing that may help you is to understand that human beings are extremely tribal and social. Outside a few exceptions, we just don't do well without some sort of community or tribe.

Religion provides that sense of community for many.

If religion does not jive with your worldview, consider finding community outside of religion. There are many and the internet has made them easier to find.
 
I mean sure religion sounds comforting, but it's not gonna suddenly make you feel at ease with your life. As you say a religious people can face various crises of faith that arise in modern times, it's not always something that makes life easier.

I think you should try exploring your spiritual side maybe? If you don't like being a pessimist or what have you it's not like you would be garrunteed to feel different if you followed a religion.
 
Atheism ain't your problem, OP. You are your own problem.
These days I lean way more to Agnosticism.
 
OP, it sounds like you need therapy more than anything else. This doesn't sound like a religious issue, but an emotional and mental one.
 
Not sure "bad people will have an eternity of suffering if they don't repent" is a happier outcome that "when we die that's it".

Not saying everything about religion is bad, but having gone from an atheist to a believer, I can't say I feel significantly more or less happy. More happy about some things, less happy about some others. Life isn't exactly the happiest thing even from a religious point of view - see Ecclesiastes and its cynicism, or the chapters of the Quran advocating warfare in defense of Islam and criticizing those who fear for their lives. Life sucks for everyone, religion just gives a more universally important reason to follow a strict lifestyle and moral ethics, but I wouldn't say that's very impactful on daily happiness or one's outlook on life itself.

Also, religion is not what gives meaning. Philosophy and knowledge are what give meaning. Religion just includes that in its package, but it's not like atheism automatically denies life having a meaning, unless the philosophy you follow is precisely that nothing has any meaning.
 
If you're an Atheist, you then feel as though the religious people who seem to have meaning in their lives aren't provided meaning from some divine entity, but are creating meaning for themselves.

Have a dream and pursue it, there is all the meaning in the world in that.
 
Mousnis said:
Ever since i remember, i never really believed in god. I always thought it was an absurd idea. I also thought that i'm among the "smart" ones or at least the lucky ones who are able to see through the bullshit.

But as i grow older i realize that i'm the unlucky one instead. Because i denied myself from a wonderful bed time story where god and his angels will always watch over everyone or something and that there is a deeper meaning to everything and that no matter how cruel something looks, it's always according to god's good plan and that i will live forever in some form so i won't miss anything, etc.

Instead i am now the most pessimistic person, i think there is no reason for anything to exist, yet i don't like the idea of not existing either because nothingness seems even more meaningless if that makes any sense. It doesn't help that my life has been miserable the last 6-7 years or so. So the whole "live your life to the fullest" atheist motto doesn't really work on me.

Sure, religious people have hell to worry about but that's just something to keep things interesting. That's the whole point of religion. It's interesting. It has a meaning. Nothingness has no meaning. I hate the idea of death because of it. And i actually feel very jealous of people who really believe in god without knowingly kidding themselves. I wish i could do too. But my sense and logic always tell me that existence is a stupid mystery that nobody will ever solve and at some point nobody sentient will exist to know about it.

I wonder if others have similar thoughts?
Click to expand...

Yup, it's why I switched to agnostic.

It's easier to admit that you don't know what's out there, than to be so such of the nothingness.

There is something more comforting about ignorance.
 
I honestly don't understand how some people don't believe in God. I will never get it. I don't think a day passes where I don't admire this world and even the little things that sometimes I take for granted. Just think about how even the tiniest organisms have their own physiology. Even taking a biology class should leave no doubt that this universe was created.
 
Do your actions make others feel happier? If yes, you have meaning. No afterlife needed. Sure that person will die one day, but that doesn't mean making their fleeting existence more enjoyable isn't worth it.
 
It's too early to have a nervous breakdown.

Go out. Live your life to the fullest.

:)

Smellycat said:
I honestly don't understand how some people don't believe in God. I will never get it. I don't think a day passes where I don't admire this world and even the little things that sometimes I take for granted. Just think about how even the tiniest organisms have their own physiology. Even taking a biology class should leave no doubt that this universe was created.
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure you had good biology classes, then, if your takeaway was that some deity could have created all life on Earth and elsewhere, including the enormous universe.

My transformation from a theist to an atheist happened rapidly, but it was due in major part by two classes I had in high school within a year or two: biology and astronomy.

Biology was so amazing to me that instead of blindly chalking up all of the intricacies of life as some divine being's doing, I began to wonder how that would even be possible.

Then I took astronomy and my mind was blown. It was inconceivable to me to think that the entire universe was created and seemingly simulated by a God. Not only that, but it made me realize that humans are extremely egocentric. I thought it was extremely naïve to think of life on Earth as the only one in existence in the universe.

Now as an adult, every new scientific breakthrough or discovery only solidifies my atheism.
 
atheism is aboit what you don't believe not what you believe. a lot of atheists make this mistake.

there's a lot of good in this world and a lot of ways to make things better. focus on that.
 
Religion wouldn't fix the problems you have, O.P.

You need help. You need to make something of your own life.
 
Smellycat said:
I honestly don't understand how some people don't believe in God. I will never get it. I don't think a day passes where I don't admire this world and even the little things that sometimes I take for granted. Just think about how even the tiniest organisms have their own physiology. Even taking a biology class should leave no doubt that this universe was created.
Click to expand...

You don't have to believe in god to admire this world or all the living things or the universe.
 
There are hundreds of religions and philosophies on life, find one that works for you, or just come to some thoughts yourself and leave it at that. That's what I'm hearing, not that you're an atheist. I'm hearing you don't like the stereotypical angels on clouds and devils with pitchfolks of organised Abrahamic religions, and who can blame you, those religions are psychotic in my opinion - they despise the human condition and seek to punish people simply for being born in it. But look take a look at other belief systems, ones that aren't so cut and dry, even some of the versions of Christianity et all are way more abstract and personal than the big hitters.
 
I agree completely. I've said before if there was a button to press to become religious, I would press it. (Turns out people actually have no free will on the matter and it's not a choice). That's why I would never convert anyone. If I had kids, I would tell them the bedtime story.
 
Smellycat said:
I honestly don't understand how some people don't believe in God. I will never get it. I don't think a day passes where I don't admire this world and even the little things that sometimes I take for granted. Just think about how even the tiniest organisms have their own physiology. Even taking a biology class should leave no doubt that this universe was created.
Click to expand...

Why would the universe have been created? What authority do we have to claim that the universe is intelligent or that it is the creation of an intelligent being (or in the case of God, non-being is more like it, although that doesn't mean non-existence)? That is making the huge assumption that we are more important than the rest of the universe because we are smart and we think things work like we do. The universe clearly does not have human common sense anyway, just take a look at quantum physics.

You can feel things are beautiful, meaningful and created, but how do you go about proving it is a universal truth?
 
Fancy Clown said:
I think the problem is that you're a nihilist, not because you're an atheist
Click to expand...
Does anything but nihilism make logical sense as an atheist? I feel like assigning meaning to anything in a godless worldview is sort of skirting around the reality of the situation. It's sort of a way to delude yourself into living what you believe to be a meaningful life to avoid insanity or constant depression.

I'm a Christian myself and I'm long past the point of debating these topics but I think about alternatives a lot and to me nihilism is the only alternative that makes sense if no god exists.
 
Kor of Memory said:
Yup, it's why I switched to agnostic.

It's easier to admit that you don't know what's out there, than to be so such of the nothingness.

There is something more comforting about ignorance.
Click to expand...
I also think there is something much more humbling as well about Agnosticism. The admittance of one's own uncertainty/ignorance works fucking wonders for mental sanity/clarity.
 
Smellycat said:
I honestly don't understand how some people don't believe in God. I will never get it. I don't think a day passes where I don't admire this world and even the little things that sometimes I take for granted. Just think about how even the tiniest organisms have their own physiology. Even taking a biology class should leave no doubt that this universe was created.
Click to expand...

it leaves a ton of doubt, actually. who or what created the creator? that process has to be vastly more complicated than a single cell organism.
 
Every time I have a passing thought that life has no meaning, I get myself a sausage pizza and an IPA to go with it. Stupid as it sounds, it's pretty hard for me to think that life is meaningless if I'm able to enjoy something like that.

Yes, I realize this is pretty silly, but it really is something that makes me feel better. I've found solace in the realization that there's quite a bit to enjoy while I'm still here, even if I legitimately don't know what happens after my time has passed. Maybe something, maybe nothing. I don't know. I just try to make the most of it while I'm still around. That's what I think anyways.
 
I'm atheist, agnostic at best, and the problems you describe are not because you're an atheist and lack the belief in a god.

You can't go and think "oh if I believes god existed I would be happier", because

1) You don't believe in god, so clearly there wasn't going to be a path set for you to think a way you simply aren't going to think

2) There are millions of people who believe in god who suffer the same type of issues you do. Having a belief in a god doesn't mean you're cured of the concept of death, meaning of life, periods of existential crisis.

You're blaming your issues on a lack of faith because it's the easiest thing to put blame on and pretend that if the inverse were true, you wouldn't be suffering from your current feelings.
 
HStallion said:
OP have you heard about our Dark Lord Cthulhu? He might be just what you need.
Click to expand...
I'm interested.


Kaako said:
I also think there is something much more humbling as well about Agnosticism. The admittance of one's own uncertainty/ignorance works fucking wonders for mental sanity/clarity.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's something i try to convince myself into. But still, i can't help not feel like nothingness is the most likely truth...
 
Religion is a personal matter, treat it as such. What I mean is, don't make the mistake of thinking that religion is about everything that people talk about when they talk about religion. It isn't. Religion is about believing in something, anything, no matter what it is, that gives you that extra kick to live your life differently. Find meaning in your life, no matter where. The nice thing about God is that he's nowhere and everywhere, so you can apply him everywhere. Or you can apply him nowhere. It's up to you. Trying to make your beliefs conform to others will not make you happy, as I'm sure you've realized.

If you don't find meaning in your life, try doing something meaningful. Do something different to make a difference. Get out of your own head and try to see how your experience differs from other people's. It's those differences that give your individual life meaning, because they're yours alone. They wouldn't exist without you.
 
tumblr_inline_od3m5xzOPQ1sppt0x_540.png


The_Darkest_Red said:
Does anything but nihilism make logical sense as an atheist? I feel like assigning meaning to anything in a godless worldview is sort of skirting around the reality of the situation. It's sort of a way to delude yourself into living what you believe to be a meaningful life to avoid insanity or constant depression.

I'm a Christian myself and I'm long past the point of debating these topics but I think about alternatives a lot and to me nihilism is the only alternative that makes sense if no god exists.
Click to expand...

You say delude, I say create context
 
I used to think like you OP. I used to feel "left out". But then I realized I'm okay with it. My belief is that we as humans can't handle the fact that there are some things we are simply not meant to understand, so we conjure up meaning for ourselves to feel better about the things that scare us, the great unknown. OP live life to it's fullest and realize that you don't need to have the answers. Don't overthink this. The fact is you have no idea. None of us do. Why beat yourself up about that? Living life is a gift, don't squander it. Stay interested. Appreciate the things / people / world around you. Whatever happens in the end, well it's going to happen regardless, so fuck it.
 
The_Darkest_Red said:
Does anything but nihilism make logical sense as an atheist? I feel like assigning meaning to anything in a godless worldview is sort of skirting around the reality of the situation. It's sort of a way to delude yourself into living what you believe to be a meaningful life to avoid insanity or constant depression.

I'm a Christian myself and I'm long past the point of debating these topics but I think about alternatives a lot and to me nihilism is the only alternative that makes sense if no god exists.
Click to expand...

Why? There can be no greater meaning in the universe but that doesn't mean we must deny our irrationality and emotions. We are not wired to seek to document the how and why of how everything works and why it works, but to find a way to be happy. Obviously doing this can make people happy but that is beside my point. If I find happiness in browsing GAF everyday, why should I be bothered about a potential God that wouldn't make reality seem more or less important to me?
 
Ignorance is bliss..


As an atheist all that shit makes me feel better. I can handle things being shit cause that's just how it happened, but when people tell me things are this way because God has a plan, well that's a shitty fucking plan and a lazy answer to the world's problems.



"oh you know cancer, rape, bombing children in their homes, god's plan bro, don't sweat it"

...
 
Mousnis said:
Ever since i remember, i never really believed in god. I always thought it was an absurd idea. I also thought that i'm among the "smart" ones or at least the lucky ones who are able to see through the bullshit.

But as i grow older i realize that i'm the unlucky one instead. Because i denied myself from a wonderful bed time story where god and his angels will always watch over everyone or something and that there is a deeper meaning to everything and that no matter how cruel something looks, it's always according to god's good plan and that i will live forever in some form so i won't miss anything, etc.

Instead i am now the most pessimistic person, i think there is no reason for anything to exist, yet i don't like the idea of not existing either because nothingness seems even more meaningless if that makes any sense. It doesn't help that my life has been miserable the last 6-7 years or so. So the whole "live your life to the fullest" atheist motto doesn't really work on me.

Sure, religious people have hell to worry about but that's just something to keep things interesting. That's the whole point of religion. It's interesting. It has a meaning. Nothingness has no meaning. I hate the idea of death because of it. And i actually feel very jealous of people who really believe in god without knowingly kidding themselves. I wish i could do too. But my sense and logic always tell me that existence is a stupid mystery that nobody will ever solve and at some point nobody sentient will exist to know about it.

I wonder if others have similar thoughts?
Click to expand...

I'm actually the exact opposite.

I've never been a believer (even as a kid, I just kinda went along with it until becoming firmly atheist), and have never even remotely felt like I wanted to be because it might provide some comfort or purpose.

But am I a pessimist? No way. I'm perhaps painfully optimistic. I enjoy every day, and tend to assume everything will work out for the best, because frankly, it mostly does. I'm alive in the most prosperous, safe, and free time in human history, at the cusp of incredible growth in just about every area. What's not to love?

The universe and our little corner of it is full of amazing things, and we're here and alive to see it all play out, and that's fucking cool as shit.
 
So become Agnostic, like me. It basically states that you don't believe in a God the way most religions state, but that we can't be sure nothing is out there because we can't know everything.

Read Darwin's work, he was what moved me to being agnostic.
 
The_Darkest_Red said:
Does anything but nihilism make logical sense as an atheist? I feel like assigning meaning to anything in a godless worldview is sort of skirting around the reality of the situation. It's sort of a way to delude yourself into living what you believe to be a meaningful life to avoid insanity or constant depression.

I'm a Christian myself and I'm long past the point of debating these topics but I think about alternatives a lot and to me nihilism is the only alternative that makes sense if no god exists.
Click to expand...
If you see logic as the highest authority sure but that is far from the same as atheism. Humans delude themselves all the time and we hardly act logical.
Smellycat said:
I honestly don't understand how some people don't believe in God. I will never get it. I don't think a day passes where I don't admire this world and even the little things that sometimes I take for granted. Just think about how even the tiniest organisms have their own physiology. Even taking a biology class should leave no doubt that this universe was created.
Click to expand...
by looking at the ugly side? By not thinking we're a special snowflake? By not seeking an easy answer?
Deadly Cyclone said:
So become Agnostic, like me. It basically states that you don't believe in a God the way most religions state, but that we can't be sure nothing is out there because we can't know everything.

Read Darwin's work, he was what moved me to being agnostic.
Click to expand...
I used to be agnostic but I eventually felt like that's chickening out on coming to a conclusion between theism and atheism. Like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
Kaako said:
I also think there is something much more humbling as well about Agnosticism. The admittance of one's own uncertainty/ignorance works fucking wonders for mental sanity/clarity.
Click to expand...

I came about the decision for 2 reasons.

1) I had a role model in high school who was a very intelligent man. He would explain to us all the different creation myths of the world, and go on about how there is no proof and that we should make up our own minds and use faith if we felt we needed to, etc...

Anyway, he was a regular old christian, and when I asked him about it, he said that it was his choice, and he chose that as it was an easier path to live by.

2) I had a friend who was a die-hard athiest in high school, who would regularly get into arguments with the more religious folk. He would swear at them and yell "There is literally no proof of what you believe in. How can you believe in something with zero proof."

In a moment of epiphany, I said to him, "How is that different from you. You have literally zero proof that there isn't anything greater than us out there." He simply responded, "I don't need any."


Those two things made me realize that sometimes it's okay to not have the answers. As long as you respect yourself and you respect everyone else's choices, things will be okay.
 
Smellycat said:
I honestly don't understand how some people don't believe in God. I will never get it. I don't think a day passes where I don't admire this world and even the little things that sometimes I take for granted. Just think about how even the tiniest organisms have their own physiology. Even taking a biology class should leave no doubt that this universe was created.
Click to expand...
Just wanted to say that I have the exact same perspective but don't believe in a creator. The world is an amazing place, and even the most simplest of things have depth and complexity.

So OP, it's not your atheism that's the problem. There's so much the universe has to offer, you just have to know where to look for it.

If you need to find religion or therapy or friends, then that may be the way to go. Don't continue to live miserably, a change needs to happen.
 
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