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This may seem like a strange topic, but I wanted to share my spiritual dilemma in here.
Throughout my life, my "spirituality" has fluctuated from sort of religious to somewhat agnostic. After getting bar mitzvahed, I found that Judaism didn't really speak to me so I looked at other religions. I found that I wasn't really interested in any of them, so I accepted the fact that I could have a relationship with a higher power and not really profess beliefs in one particular religion. During times of crisis (when my father was sick...grandfather dying...relationship issues) I found that I would pray to God for guidance. I'm not sure if I ever got that guidance, but it did help to relax me a bit during these rough patches. Then, when things got better, I really didn't feel the need to pray. I married a Hindu and I used to find going to Hindu temples gave me a certain comfort that other religions couldn't. But then I'd watch the Hindus purchasing milk or bananas from the temple to give to the priests to give to some statues (Gods), it reminded me of Christianity and the offering plate. Also, I've spend a lot of time in Muslim countries and Islam just seems like another scam with the intention of controlling the population. To me, it all seemed like a big scam.
As the old saying goes, "There are no atheists in a foxhole" rings true because during times of extreme emotional stress, looking for God seems to be the workings of person so desperate for something they'll do anything. But lately I find that I've even gone away from my limited spiritually. When I think about this supernatural being listening to my prayers it almost seems comical to me now.
That's why I'm kind of scared. If I'm forced to admit that there is no God, that also means that there is no afterlife. If there's no afterlife, that means when we die, we simply cease to exist and that scares me. I often think that the only reason I've hung on to spirituality if because "I'm afraid of the dark."
To start with, not every atheist believes in no kind of afterlife.
Maybe you should investigate that approach to see if some kind of continuation is what you really believe.
If it turns out you don't, perhaps just looking into all the possibilities will help ally your fears so that you're more comfortable with the idea that there isn't one.
This may seem like a strange topic, but I wanted to share my spiritual dilemma in here.
Throughout my life, my "spirituality" has fluctuated from sort of religious to somewhat agnostic. After getting bar mitzvahed, I found that Judaism didn't really speak to me so I looked at other religions. I found that I wasn't really interested in any of them, so I accepted the fact that I could have a relationship with a higher power and not really profess beliefs in one particular religion. During times of crisis (when my father was sick...grandfather dying...relationship issues) I found that I would pray to God for guidance. I'm not sure if I ever got that guidance, but it did help to relax me a bit during these rough patches. Then, when things got better, I really didn't feel the need to pray. I married a Hindu and I used to find going to Hindu temples gave me a certain comfort that other religions couldn't. But then I'd watch the Hindus purchasing milk or bananas from the temple to give to the priests to give to some statues (Gods), it reminded me of Christianity and the offering plate. Also, I've spend a lot of time in Muslim countries and Islam just seems like another scam with the intention of controlling the population. To me, it all seemed like a big scam.
As the old saying goes, "There are no atheists in a foxhole" rings true because during times of extreme emotional stress, looking for God seems to be the workings of person so desperate for something they'll do anything. But lately I find that I've even gone away from my limited spiritually. When I think about this supernatural being listening to my prayers it almost seems comical to me now.
That's why I'm kind of scared. If I'm forced to admit that there is no God, that also means that there is no afterlife. If there's no afterlife, that means when we die, we simply cease to exist and that scares me. I often think that the only reason I've hung on to spirituality if because "I'm afraid of the dark."
Am I the only one who feels this way?
I don't, but I have seen plenty of posts from those who feel the same way. However the questions of fear of becoming an atheist and fear of losing hope of an afterlife is, as Old Cold pointed out, not the same thing. My line on this (The atheists' afterlife ) is that, if there is one, you need have no fear of having picked the wrong religion. Religion does not matter. If there is an afterlife, we all get it, as naturally as birth or death.(Boleh is Malay/Indonesian, isn't it?)
However, the probability is that there is no afterlife and that may be scary. I can only suggest that it is something to come to terms with, if it cannot be avoided, like death itself. Sam Clemens put is pretty well when he said that he did not exist before he was born and it did not inconvenience him in the slightest. He (and I) see nothing to worry about in ceasing to exist after we are dead.
I'm sorry if that's cold comfort (or none ) but ws atheists reckon that uncomfortable truths are better than comfortable lies.
That's why I'm kind of scared. If I'm forced to admit that there is no God, that also means that there is no afterlife. If there's no afterlife, that means when we die, we simply cease to exist and that scares me. I often think that the only reason I've hung on to spirituality if because "I'm afraid of the dark."
Just like it has done with everything from morality to holidays, religion has also hijacked the concept of an afterlife and convinced people that you must "believe" in order to ascend.
It's rubbish.
An afterlife is not automatically tangled up with a deity. Atheism isn't defined as a lack of belief in an afterlife, only a lack of belief in a god. Now, if you really really want a religious afterlife where you spend the rest of eternity blubbering praises to a petulant, egotistical deity, then it stands to reason that you would think you're losing something by becoming an atheist.
But for someone such as myself I don't see any reason at all why atheism means there is no chance of an afterlife. A lot of atheists do not believe in one for the same reason they don't believe in god - lack of any substantial evidence. I tend to keep my mind open on the subject. However, in our culture, the afterlife is so entwined with religions and gods as to make separating one from another rather difficult.
Just remember that there being no gods does not mean there can't be an afterlife. Thinking in those terms is a byproduct of whatever theistic belief you once held. Time to toss all of that bathwater out of the window but keep the baby - and you'll begin to realize that deity-worship is not a requirement for an afterlife.
This may seem like a strange topic, but I wanted to share my spiritual dilemma in here.
Throughout my life, my "spirituality" has fluctuated from sort of religious to somewhat agnostic. After getting bar mitzvahed, I found that Judaism didn't really speak to me so I looked at other religions. I found that I wasn't really interested in any of them, so I accepted the fact that I could have a relationship with a higher power and not really profess beliefs in one particular religion. During times of crisis (when my father was sick...grandfather dying...relationship issues) I found that I would pray to God for guidance. I'm not sure if I ever got that guidance, but it did help to relax me a bit during these rough patches. Then, when things got better, I really didn't feel the need to pray. I married a Hindu and I used to find going to Hindu temples gave me a certain comfort that other religions couldn't. But then I'd watch the Hindus purchasing milk or bananas from the temple to give to the priests to give to some statues (Gods), it reminded me of Christianity and the offering plate. Also, I've spend a lot of time in Muslim countries and Islam just seems like another scam with the intention of controlling the population. To me, it all seemed like a big scam.
As the old saying goes, "There are no atheists in a foxhole" rings true because during times of extreme emotional stress, looking for God seems to be the workings of person so desperate for something they'll do anything. But lately I find that I've even gone away from my limited spiritually. When I think about this supernatural being listening to my prayers it almost seems comical to me now.
That's why I'm kind of scared. If I'm forced to admit that there is no God, that also means that there is no afterlife. If there's no afterlife, that means when we die, we simply cease to exist and that scares me. I often think that the only reason I've hung on to spirituality if because "I'm afraid of the dark."
Am I the only one who feels this way?
In away I do I guess.
That's silly, there is no dark. But this doesn't sound to me if you are questioning for yourself but rather stating it to others. But yes, the reason I am not anti-religion is because human are emotional beings and not addressing emotions seems silly to me. Although why would you be scared of "nothing"? if you are scared, you are scared of "something", that confuses me.
It's true that it is possible to believe in an afterlife without believing in a god.
It's also illogical, though. Most atheists apply a standard of evidence and logic to claims of the existence of a deity. Applying that same standard to claims of an afterlife leads inexorably to the conclusion that there is no such thing as an afterlife.
Yep. The evidence presented for an afterlife tends to be unpersuasive under scrutiny - like miracle and answered prayer claims. Thus I certainly consider an afterlife as unlikely as a god and therefore reserve credence - that is, I reserve belief, which makes me atheist about afterklifes and gods.
That does NOT mean denial of the possibility. I just reckon that personal gods and their holy books and religions (and I flatly DO deny those as being possibly true) are of no significance to a possible afterlife - whatever shape it may take.
Religion, once it has lost the power to frighten you into faith with hellthreat, is merely a dressed up dummy demanding Respect out of habit and tradition.
I think it's more that a dummy is demanding us to respect something that does not need you to respect it. Like someone demanding me to pay respect to a rock. Or, Kind of like one of my sons demanding that his brother pay respect to me.
But remember, respecting mother nature or the earth is very important. It doesn't need a "your great ma earth", but you better respect it or it might kill you. By accident that is.
when art, dance, and emotion leave humans, religion will leave.
I think it's more that a dummy is demanding us to respect something that does not need you to respect it. Like someone demanding me to pay respect to a rock. Or, Kind of like one of my sons demanding that his brother pay respect to me.
But remember, respecting mother nature or the earth is very important. It doesn't need a "your great ma earth", but you better respect it or it might kill you. By accident that is.
when art, dance, and emotion leave humans, religion will leave.
Yes, I get your point. For myself, one does not need religious trappings to respect mountains and killing a goat and wailing whenever the fire- mountain goes off is superstition. On the other hand, all religions that I can think of are based on dressing up a dummy that is either a human bean or a totem made by one and demanding Respect, not only from the Faithful, but from everyone else, damn' their eyes.
If there's no afterlife, that means when we die, we simply cease to exist and that scares me. I often think that the only reason I've hung on to spirituality if because "I'm afraid of the dark."
If your religious "belief" stems from your wish to deny what you suspect to be true - I think you you have already lost your belief, and are just going through the motions.
This kind of "belief" and religious practice cannot bring you true relief from your fear, it just papers it over.
It is natural to fear death, there are 3.5 billion years of evolution that tell every individual living being to do whatever it takes to stay alive. Nevertheless, life on this planet runs on death. It's the hard truth. But if you can step back from being consumed by your own fear and see the whole drama of life on this planet, and that you are part of it - I can't say that you will lose your fear of death, but you may see that the fear is just the price of existing, and we all pay it. It's the best reason there is to make the most of your life.
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) is that, if there is one, you need have no fear of having picked the wrong religion. Religion does not matter. If there is an afterlife, we all get it, as naturally as birth or death.(Boleh is Malay/Indonesian, isn't it?)
) but ws atheists reckon that uncomfortable truths are better than comfortable lies.
