Do You Prefer Fact Or Fiction?

[nailit]

After 55 years on this earth I prefer fact.
As much as it pains me, as much as it upsets me, I prefer facts over faith.
A few weeks ago I was nearly suicidal. Still prefer facts to 'faith'. If I had ended my life then, I would have been dead, end off, no atheist in foxhole here.
Just dont understand this religious preoccupation with living forever....
I honesty just dont get it?
What the hell are you going to to FOREVER?
It would be like watching a game of football that went on forever...there wouldnt be a point,

[Peter Pedant]

Oh, visions of Heaven and Hell
I forgot mystics ( Juliana of Norwich and Teresa of Avila to name two - Ignatious Loyola too )
they tell us of Heaven and Hell

we live in a non mystic age - forgot them.
Muslims dont ignore them- they have some pretty out of it Mystics

[nailit]

The 'First Cause' seems to be anti-pork, anti-shell fish, anti-wearing garments made of 2 different materials,
And yet pro stoning rebellious teenagers to death, pro ordering rape victims made to marry their rapists, pro genocide.

Just never heard this stuff preached as a christian.
Cant think why not.
Its Biblical right?

[eve1974]

I’m
Sorry that you recently felt so low nailit. All of us on here are so glad that you didn’t carry out what you contemplated.

AB wldnt be the same without your contentiousness !


In response to your orig post tho .... I don’t think all Christians (or any religion) are “preoccupied”. With living forever.

I seldom think about it ... altho I do believe in eternal life in heaven / hell after death.

For me it’s just a nice comforting thought in the back of my mind.

[nailit]

//In response to your orig post tho .... I don’t think all Christians (or any religion) are “preoccupied”. With living forever//
Good for you. You dont think about what the Bible says.
That those you love, who are unbelievers, are burning in hell?
Its a pretty nasty doctrine. You may want to disscuss it with your pastor.


//For me it’s just a nice comforting thought in the back of my mind//
Yeah. It is.
I like to think that I can wake up and speak to my mum again like I have done for the past few years.
It isnt going to happen though and I have to get used to it.
Still a nice comforting thought. Doesnt make it true though.

[nailit]

I *WANT* things to be true.
Because I WANT things to be true doesnt mean they are.

[nailit]

I *WANT* there to be a God that loves me.
I *WANT* there to be a purpose in life.

Theres neither.
After 55 years of searching, if there was a purpose or God Im sure that I would have found it...

[eve1974]

//That those you love, who are unbelievers, are burning in hell? //

I don’t ever dwell on that ....

Because

I have no control over that outcome - everyone’s religious choice is their very own ...

If I dwelt on it it wld make me desp unhappy but not change one iota

[eve1974]

//After 55 years of searching, if there was a purpose or God Im sure that I would have found it...//

Just because you haven’t found it doesn’t mean others haven’t for themselves.

Your atheism is your choice.... our beliefs are ours.

[naomi24]

Eve, //I don’t think all Christians (or any religion) are “preoccupied”. With living forever.//

But they believe they will - and that's the carrot that keeps them following. Without that God would be redundant.

[nailit]

//Just because you haven’t found it doesn’t mean others haven’t for themselves//
So 55 yrs of seeking means nothing then??
55 yrs of enquiring and seeking and questioning means nothing?
But You have the truth?
I didnt start out an an atheist, I started out as a believer.....

[nailit]

/// eve1974
//That those you love, who are unbelievers, are burning in hell? //
I don’t ever dwell on that ....///

Why not?
How on Earth could I be 'happy' in heaven knowing that my loved ones are burning in hell?
How could I be happy seeing my mum and dad been tortured in an everlasting inferno while I am i sort of 'paradise'?
Sick, to say the least...

[Atheist]

Nailit; I think you're tormenting yourself because you have a human conscience and you care about others and about what intellectual integrity means. Don't beat yourself up about it. The religious here seem to be either oblivious to any doubt and not willing to accept doubt from others, or too easily comforted to want to think about any other view that might make them uncomfortable. They both should be treated with understanding; after all, life is a difficult place to be. Nailit, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

[nailit]

LOL athiest....
I do actually feel for the religiously inclined.

[nailit]

leaving the Liberals aside, the fundies do seem to have emotional/psych problems.

[Atheist]

Nailit. When you are gone, what would you like your remaing loved ones to do? Kill themselves, or keep up the good fight of living and surviving. I don't know if you've got kids, but what would you prefer that they do?

[nailit]

Atheist...
I would prefer that my son (I have only one off-spring that I know off) live his life fully and be happy. Couldnt give a damn about reproducing or carrying on the family name etc.
Couldnt care less what happens to my family name or the human race.
Let nature take care of itself..

[nailit]

Unlike the religionist,
I see my life as a speck in time and totally meaningless.
My life, like yours and millions of others, means nothing in the great scheme of things.
The universe doesnt care about you anymore than it cares about the fish that you ate recently.
Its only human vanity that believes otherwise.

[Atheist]

Nailit, and I expect your son would prefer that you didn't top yourself. If your dad topped himself that might mean he might do the same if he thinks he is a chip off the old block. You being strong will inspire him to be strong.
Set a good example.
Excuse me for intruding into your private realm that only you understands.
:-)

[nailit]

My dad didnt top himself.
Ive said before that I have had several friends who have topped themselves though.

[fiveleaves]

I see my life as a speck in time and totally meaningless.
My life, like yours and millions of others, means nothing in the great scheme of things.

This is desperately sad, totally bleak and nihilistic as well as being completely untrue.
All lives matter! Your life is of infinite value to God and what you do with it matters.
One of the biggest lies any person can be told is their life is meaningless. Dont believe that garbage. Have hope and turn towards the light.