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Christopher Hitchens would be laughing at you through his oxygen mask right now if he were still alive.
The "no atheists in a foxhole" cliche is an enduring one. I wonder how a theist would explain the fact the I left Christianity directly FROM a foxhole. A rather large one. If the "comfort" of faith had actually been comfort, I wouldn't have left in the first place.
The irony is that I have found the difficulties of life much less stressful as an atheist. No energy need be spent frantically explaining away all the cognitive dissonance. Life just is what it is rather than this thing that's always at odds with this ancient book and these traditions and all this dogma. In the Real World people suffer and die for any reason or for no particular reason and there is no god who fails to protect them or who moves in mysterious ways. Now I can just deal with it and move on. Much simpler.
To be honest, I think that most atheists will convert to Christianity sooner or later, especially when they are elderly, deadly sick or know they will die soon. I mean why would an atheist risk of not going to kingdom of heaven?
And another person re-invents the simplistic and illogical bet of Pascal's Wager...
Pascal's Wager (also known as Pascal's Gambit) is a discredited argument in apologetic philosophy which was devised by the seventeenth-century Frenchphilosopher, mathematician, and physicist, Blaise Pascal. It posits that there's more to be gained from wagering on the existence of God than from atheism, and that a rational person should live as though God exists, even though the truth of the matter cannot actually be known.
To be honest, I think that most atheists will convert to Christianity sooner or later, especially when they are elderly, deadly sick or know they will die soon. I mean why would an atheist risk of not going to kingdom of heaven?
You use the word "think" like you actually know what it means and that you can actually do it. You don't "think" you just replay the fear and rubbish of your theist programming in your mind under the false premise that qualifies as reasoning.
As a theist I still know what unhappiness is--having to deal with it every day on some level. Belief in God doesn't free one from the perils of life, but for some it becomes like a balm to sooth the wounds. I've developed a coping mechanism by imagining what it will be like in the afterlife. There, I will have everything that I missed out on here in this miserable life. Doesn't matter whether it's true or not, the point is that if there is even a fraction of a chance it is possible, and who's to say there isn't a chance, then why not daydream about it and use it like an opiate to deaden the pain of this existence when things cannot be changed here.
As a theist I still know what unhappiness is--having to deal with it every day on some level. Belief in God doesn't free one from the perils of life, but for some it becomes like a balm to sooth the wounds. I've developed a coping mechanism by imagining what it will be like in the afterlife. There, I will have everything that I missed out on here in this miserable life. Doesn't matter whether it's true or not, the point is that if there is even a fraction of a chance it is possible, and who's to say there isn't a chance, then why not daydream about it and use it like an opiate to deaden the pain of this existence when things cannot be changed here.
You gotta do what you gotta do to get through the day, thrillobyte. But many coping mechanisms work short term but not long term. What you're describing is no different than, say, self-medicating with alcohol. Calms anxiety but screws up your sleep, ruins your liver and if you have the addiction gene, tends to draw you in deeper and deeper, so that you're more and more dysfunctional.
It's also like those cool new ads on TV, where parents see their kids tripping on drugs and choose not to notice: "Denial -- it's a drug, too".
Theist or not, pretend solutions ultimately are nowhere near as useful as getting to the root of the problem and dealing with it there.
As a theist I still know what unhappiness is--having to deal with it every day on some level. Belief in God doesn't free one from the perils of life, but for some it becomes like a balm to sooth the wounds. I've developed a coping mechanism by imagining what it will be like in the afterlife. There, I will have everything that I missed out on here in this miserable life. Doesn't matter whether it's true or not, the point is that if there is even a fraction of a chance it is possible, and who's to say there isn't a chance, then why not daydream about it and use it like an opiate to deaden the pain of this existence when things cannot be changed here.
I sort of understand how one could take this approach, but for me there are two things that make it untenable.
First, it bothers me to consciously lie to myself. To choose to believe in the lack of any objective evidence, simply because it makes me feel better seems dishonest, and doesn't sit well with me. It kind of reminds me of my father-in-law, who after having multiple heart attacks and pleuresy, still smokes because he is sure it isn't really going to kill him. He can tell himself any story he has to, as long as it doesn't mean quitting.
The other part is that it is, frankly, dangerous to the rest of us. Once someone is invested in ignoring cognitive dissonance, and accustomed to believing something without objective evidence, they are very easily manipulated. Religion has long been a lever used to direct the masses.
With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil — that takes religion. Steven Weinberg
By voluntarily choosing to maintain this cognitive dissonance, the believer puts himself in the position to be manipulated by religious authority. Examples in history are almost countless, ranging from, "God wants you to send me money", to "Suffer not a witch to live", or maybe "Negros are under the curse of Ham, so slavery is a righteous institution", to "White Englishman are the real Jews, the others are just imposters". History, even the Bible, is littered with people honestly seeking god, who kill, maim, and torture out of the kindness of their heart.
It doesn't really bother me is someone needs the comfort of a god, but there is a lot of baggage that often comes with those beliefs that is detrimental to society, and in extreme cases, hazardous to my health.
As a theist I still know what unhappiness is--having to deal with it every day on some level. Belief in God doesn't free one from the perils of life, but for some it becomes like a balm to sooth the wounds. I've developed a coping mechanism by imagining what it will be like in the afterlife. There, I will have everything that I missed out on here in this miserable life. Doesn't matter whether it's true or not, the point is that if there is even a fraction of a chance it is possible, and who's to say there isn't a chance, then why not daydream about it and use it like an opiate to deaden the pain of this existence when things cannot be changed here.
We all know what unhappiness is............ that's just one of the many things we all experience in life.
You have beliefs that to me are absurd beyond comprehension, specifically all the fantasies of religion, a clear con game.
To seek comfort or solace in such a fantasy is betrayal to one's own true self, and it's something I can't or won't do to myself, for my own sanity, for my own personal values, for to do is self betrayal and cowardice.
And no, pascal's wager won't factor in to "convert" me when it gets down to the nitty gritty, as I've been there, and the absolute last thing on my mind was to grovel to some imaginary deity for anything.
why not daydream about it and use it like an opiate to deaden the pain of this existence when things cannot be changed here.
I know many would find my coping mechanism objectionable eg weak minded, cowardly, etc. but I look at it like someone who has lost a spouse in old age and finds solace, even satisfaction in looking back on memories of their dear departed. Some who take the "don't be such a coward" approach would likely advise this person to go find someone and start a new life, not always practical nor even desirable. Looking forward to a new life, even in an afterworld, is not so much different than looking back at an old one, if one is advanced enough in years that "reinventing" themselves is just not possible.
Arguing from the particular to the general is a fallacy. Just because some poor old sod is burying themselves in a myth to cushion the last miserable years of a miserable life does not mean that this is a recommended course of action for the rest of us, far less that it supports your contention that the generality of atheists are going to convert on their deathbeds. Which, I might have to remind you (drifting along from one attempt to score a tactical point to another is the frequent method of theist apologetic argument ) is the origin on this particular line of discussion.
As a theist I still know what unhappiness is--having to deal with it every day on some level. Belief in God doesn't free one from the perils of life, but for some it becomes like a balm to sooth the wounds. I've developed a coping mechanism by imagining what it will be like in the afterlife. There, I will have everything that I missed out on here in this miserable life. Doesn't matter whether it's true or not, the point is that if there is even a fraction of a chance it is possible, and who's to say there isn't a chance, then why not daydream about it and use it like an opiate to deaden the pain of this existence when things cannot be changed here.
Well, I am an optimist and think things *can* be changed. It can be very difficult to do, but using anything to *deaden* the pain doesn't give you any chance to do this.
It may be that you do need to treat your depression first, but once treated, perhaps there is something you can change. Your whole life may not be changed, but trying to change a single thing might help.
I don't know what your situation is though so this might be totally off. I just think for me, pain is at least living and I would rather live than simply exist.
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) is the origin on this particular line of discussion.
