Religion? eh no

[pablo22]

my mum keeps pushing jesus on me lol, but i'm well and truly agnostic. .. that being said i find it difficult sometimes not having a belief, id rather have one almost just for comfort! anyone else not have a belief?

the counselor im seeing put it really well, when i told him i often worry about death and he responded by saying "well you dont remember what happen before you were born"

[swgrl09]

I feel EXACTLY the same way. I was always very much agnostic, and this came after putting truly a lot of thought into religion and what I believe. When I lost my mom to cancer this past year, I have started to lean more the atheist way. But honestly, I don't know how many times I have said to myself or somebody else "I wish I believed in something, it would make this a whole lot easier and less terrifying."

I actually just started reading a book called "Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death" by Yalom. I am not far in yet, but he is an existential therapist and talks about finding meaning in our lives because death is inevitable. I really think death would be less scary to me if I was a person who really believed that I would see my loved ones again someday, but I just don't believe that and it is very hard.

Sometimes I think people look upon those of us without beliefs as lazy or something, but you know, I have put a lot of effort into figuring out what I believe. I would give anything to have faith that there is something greater out there or that I would see my mom again one day. It really is hard to not have beliefs.

[pablo22]

oo u must tell me how that book goes! ye its difficult,, i mean i believe that we are made of energy and energy cannot be created or destroyed... and that we will nourish the ground when we die lol i dont believe we will see our loved ones either (very difficult) but i dont think we'd be aware of them when we die anyway! i think or consciousness lives on.. but not with the clarity we have when were alive.

ive looked at alot of near death experiences and alot talk about a feeling of peace and warmth :s

[Beyonderz]

I am somewhere in between spiritual and new age way of thinking. I believe the existence of a force/creator/divine power (some people call it God, some name it differently) and a single human being has the power of altering the reality, at the same time each person lives sort of their own reality (yeah I know, it sounds like matrix).
That's why for me, our way of thinking and constant worrying may actually bring ill things, because of the power of human thoughts. One lives in the reality of their own thoughts.

I also believe after this material world, one manages to get his true self in other dimensions or God knows where, and it might not be too different than a simple travel to another place. I also believe in reincarnation, which in some cases, makes it even worse, coming to this world again and not remembering anything about this person I am experiencing right now. I definitely believe there are more valuable things out there after death. But still that doesn't comfort me.

The problem here is not being sure of those things. If it was guaranteed, things would be easier of course. So this fear is not only related to being an atheist or anything. Death is still unknown to all, there might be some people who experienced things those can be considered as solid proof, but I don't know these people.

My counselor said once, my fear of death may be actually the fear of leaving the loved ones and this word behind.
I just want to live a decent life, preferably long, because when one reaches the age of 80-90, it's more easier to accept and one thinks more mature. Living a full long life, makes it more acceptable.

I sometimes had my panic attacks before, only with mere thoughts of death. Now, I try not to think about it much.
OK, I wrote too much again.

[pablo22]

haha no i like it, i like the idea of reincarnation! expect i wouldn't want to come back as anything but a human cause we **** everything over lol!

[swgrl09]

hahaha pablo, i like that response

[pablo22]

its so true though... theres only 80,000 giraffes left in the wild how sad is that! and 7 bn of us raping the planet :( makes me sad. times like this im glad im gay and cant reproduce lol