+456 It's possible to be happy and not believe in a religion, amirite?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

My sister is a militant atheist, and she's the happiest person I have ever met.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

i've never heard of a militant atheist. and google's not helping much.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

An atheist that is ready to defend their beliefs to the death.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Oh. Thanks for clarifying. I'm like that too.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Please be open minded.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Please be open-minded also.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

So your opinion is that every single person on this planet is uniform in a certain way (religion). I consider myself an atheist, and I am perfectly happy with my life. So I am definitely not a human, because as you post states, it is impossible. You are correct! I am an alien named Gornuk from the planet Flobnub.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

..... are you mentally challenged?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

..... Are you extremely rude?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT SOOORRYYYYY I READ IT WRONG

by Anonymous 13 years ago

You sure dun din dun didily did. But I forgive you.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

You changed your profile pic. Your old one was better >:(

by Anonymous 13 years ago

People kept mentioning to me about how there was something "big and black" near my mouth so I changed it. This one is more recent anyways.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

You were biting like a cell phone or something, right?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

No, a chocolate pop-tart:)

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Oh lol me gets it now.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Lol I thought you were a total tool for a second, your read 'impossible'?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Your second comment

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Lol i know XD

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I hate the stereotype of atheists not believing in God because they believe no one would ever give them such an awful life. That is so far off from the average atheist... Normally, when people are distressed and upset about their lives, they turn to their respective God for comfort rather than immediately disbelieving in him.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Happiness or unhappiness isn't exclusive those with specific beliefs. It's an individual, case-by-case thing. There are unhappy atheists and theists. There are happy atheists and theists.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I was just arguing with my history teacher about this yesterday actually. :U

by Anonymous 13 years ago

which side were you on?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

The color of Vitae's post is green.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I'm on the traditional touch screen site because the other versions aren't working for me lately :/ so I couldn't see that

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Ah. I don't use the touch site, so I didn't know it didn't show colors. Sorry for being so obnoxious, :p

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Haha it's fine, I knew someone was going to say it, you were just lucky enough to get there first

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Being a happy atheist, I argued against the notion that religion is a key component of happiness.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Yeah, I totally back you on that one. That's interesting though, how did that come up in your class?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Well, we were studying Greek gods, and someone asked if the teacher thought that religion as it is today would ever fade out during one of her lectures. The teacher replied with no, her justification implying that no one can survive without spiritual/religious guidance. Questions during lectures are always welcome, so I asked why she would think that, and then debate stemmed from that question. It was fun, actually.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

of course it is! don't let anyone tell you otherwise

by Anonymous 13 years ago

You may be happy now, but you may become sad when God sends you to burn in hell for eternity.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I'm glad to see all you Christians thinking happy thoughts as well l

by Anonymous 13 years ago

From an atheist's, perspective, death is death, there's nothing after it. So if there really is a God and a Hell, then atheists like myself would probably be very happy to go to Hell instead of just rotting in the ground.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

While we're rotting our cells shrink and split into small molecules which have their own amount of energy and they would react with other molecules all over the universe. And if heaven and hell was real , I'd eventually get tired of existing.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Well, it's your soul that goes to heaven, so your body is still rotting in the ground either way.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Rotting in the ground isn't really what I meant, I was trying to say that nothing would happen to your self awareness (life), it would just be gone.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Oh my goodness, you completely changed my view of the world. For now on I will worship a God that only wants praise and if I fail to give it to him, he'll send me to Hell where I'll burn in torture forever. I'M SO MUCH HAPPIER NOW!!!!!!!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

God doesn't send people to hell, we chose it when Adam sinned against God. Last I checked there was always consequences for actions.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I'm not denying that everyone can be happy, but I think that people who don't believe that Jesus is Christ can't be happy in the same way that people who do can.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Please explain. I personally feel better as an atheist than I did as a member of the Catholic church. I feel less watched, to put it simply.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Less watched? Maybe Catholism isn't for you. I've been to quite a few masses that have been held at Catholic churches, and personally, I absolutely hate them. They're too long and boring. I also don't agree with some Catholic beliefs. I'm a Methodist. It works for me. It also helps that I found a really good church that is welcoming. The feeling I get whenever I realize how happy I am that there's someone who will always love me, and loves me so much that he gave his life for me,who has a plan just for me that I will do good things, who through I can find joy and strength , who will never abandon me or leave me alone, who will never destroy me and who forgives me if I ask, is hard to explain. I don't think I ever got this feeling until I completely believed and devoted myself. Some people call this feeling "the holy ghost".

by Anonymous 13 years ago

That entity and the constant surveillance it provides just isn't quite for me. The sense of freedom and i.e. meaninglessness that atheism provides is so //comforting//. There is no "plan." There is no meaning of life. There is no greater purpose. I'm just a collection of cells with the ability to be sentient and shape humanity somehow. Life is exclusively what I make it. It's just so great. When I believed in God I felt like I had no true free will. Of course, if you feel comfort in faith and guidance, who am I to stop you? You are a presumably good person who has found peace, and there is no possible way to disprove theism. Coexist and such. :D

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's so depressing to me that you said there is no meaning to life. I understand how you could turn that around and say "I can have the meaning of My life be whatever I want it to be", though. But you can still do that in religion. There obviously IS such a thing as free will, that's why you believe what you believ and why I believe what I believe. God GAVE everybody free will. I'm not saying you have to praise God for your free will, but please be thankful for your free will. Thank you for what you said in that last paragraph. I agree, let's stop the argument because it could go on forever and we won't know who won until we're dead.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Right, but not everyone extracts joys from imaginary creatures. Some people prefer logic and reason. Not attempting to be cruel to all Christians, just this one. When she claims atheists can't feel the same happiness as religious people, she definitely deserved it.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Thats the thing, though. Not everyone believes God is imagery. He's just as real as His creations. You can be logical and use reason and still believe in God. And you're purposely attempting to be cruel to me? That right there gives me a small idea about how happy your life really is.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Well it's cruel of you to come here and say we will never be as happy as you because we don't believe in God. You get what you deserve.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. Unlike YeahIAm, I was not intentionally being cruel.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Trust me, you didn't hurt my feelings, you just pissed me off.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Well then I'm sorry I angered you.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Rather is actually rather fun when delivered to a bigot. Anyways, when I said I was only being cruel to you, I meant that I didn't want to insult everyone's religion. Just the one that made fun of my lack of religion. Unfortunately, that is not possible.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I was not making fun of your lack of religion. I would never do that. I'm sorry if it came off that way.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Well yes not in the same way, but equally as happy.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I know that's your own personal opinion and all and that's great, but you sound like a huge dick when you say people can't be as happy without Jesus. I'm hoping it's not your intention, but you come across as condescending and downright ignoran when you imply people can't be as happy as you because they don't believe what you do.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I did not mean to say it in the way that you took it. What I was looking to say was like how McQueen said it. Sure, we can all be happy here despite our religion, but Christians believe that we will get ETERNAL happiness in heaven. There. How.was that? Did I offend anybody now?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I wasn't saying I was personally offended, that's simply how you came across, at least from where I'm standing on the other side. We understand you believe in eternal happiness, what we're saying is there is no way of absolutely knowing it, so when you say you do you sound condescending, and frankly stupid, to put it bluntly.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

By the way, I like your username.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Thank you

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I have never seen or experienced anything to make me believe that a follower of Jesus is more happy than anybody else.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Well I'm sorry for that.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I love God, and I strongly dislike the term religious. Why? When people hear religious, they automatically think rules, do's and don'ts, practices, and going to church every Sunday. Although we do those things, that is really not the whole picture. The main point of things for me and many others is the relationship with God. As we grow in that relationship with God, we yearn to do things like be baptized (to pronounce our faith to others in the church community), take communion (promise to further God's kingdom), and go to church (meet up with other believers to strengthen ourselves and eachother in our walk with the Lord). Therefore, yes you CAN be happy without religion. Its God we need, and He is all we need. He can bring us ETERNAL joy! But religious practices can help bring us closer to him, and that is why we do them. I hope this makes sense!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I'm not trying to prove you wrong, because that's impossible, but... What made you become Christian? Did you just pick up a Bible and start believing it, or did somebody bring you to it (like parents, friends, etc)?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

See, this is what I meant when Christians are happier than non-Christians. Christians will get ETERNAL happiness. Sorry I couldn't explain it very well earlier. I had to think about it. I didn't mean to pick a fight.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Ok, I guess that's true if Heaven is real. But you can't prove that, so you're not right. You're not wrong, just not right. I'm talking about here, right now, on Earth. None of that afterlife bullshit because that can't be proven.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I couldn't have said it better myself. I applaud you.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Thanks!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I hate that word as well. It has been so tainted.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

My parents intorduced me to God when I was young. During middle school I rebelled a little, but had my first intimate moment with God in 8th grade at a Christian summer camp. Then after Freshmen year I went to Puerto Rico with a group of youth from my church to do missions work (building houses and working with little kids) and that is when everyhting changed. God spoke to me I guess. There comes a point when you realize without God you just can't survive!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

See, what I have concluded over my years of being very active in church and such is that I never had a "special" moment with God unless I was in church or doing a church thing. Then I began to think that I was being brainwashed into thinking God was talking to me when he wasn't, because he's just imaginary. That's my belief; religion is just brainwashing.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

At a teen leadership event I went to last month I recieved really cool info in a seminar by a young mom who shared her testimony and taught us about the voices in our heads. I know that sounds funny, but the info we got is as follows, you might find it interesting: There are three voices in our heads: Satan, the Holy Spirit, and one called Sarks. Satan is the voice thats really general and makes you feel guilty and is futuristic. Like: "If you don't do this, then this and this is gonna happen, etc." He makes us feel shameful. The Holy Spirit is the voice that says specific things, like: Get out of bed. (Satan would be like: if you don't get out of bed then you will miss the bus and your parents will be mad and it will be your fault,etc) The Holy Spirit never contradicts scripture, and tells us things to do in small, doable specific steps. Sarks is the voice that is all about me. He wants pleasue and ease for us, like: oh, you were out late last night and deserve to sleep in, dont worry about school, just get some rest. I know this all probably seems REALLY weird to you so I don't blame you if you think I am completely crazy :D

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Although once you think about it, you do here those voices amirite? I never realized it before but I realize now I give in to Sarks a lot. So hearing this lady tell us this info was super weird because I was like whoa: she just told me all my thoughts!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I don't but then... which voice is our own?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Nothing you can do makes you a Christian. A Christian is anyone who realizes they are a sinner and deserve to burn in hell and asks for forgiveness of their sins so they do not have to go to hell but can spend eternity with Christ. Our duty as Christians is to share this truth with the rest of the world so they can spend eternity with God. (We obviously are not doing our job effectively)Everything Christian's do now: reading our Bible, praying, assembling together at church, witnessing etc. is all preparation for the life after death. Sure there is no "solid" proof but that's what faith is

by Anonymous 13 years ago

What I don't understand is why you would want to waste your life preparing for a life in Heaven if it's not proven that it even exist!! I rather not fritter away my life when I don't even know what's going to happen in the end. I'm living for the moment, not trying to please a god that sends the people he "loves" to burn in hell.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

"fritter" away my life ? please girl, even if every word in the Bible wasn't true ( it is) my life would still be put aweswomeness. I wouldn't want to live my life any other way regardless of the outcome... and read my post again. God doesn't send anyone to hell we CHOSE it!! I believe that is the biggest mguided misconception on the earth today! When Adam ate the fruit we were all damned. You choose wether or not to stay damned.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

You're right, faith is believing in something without proof. That's why I'm unfaithful.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

no faith is the evdence of things not seen.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Which basically translates to "there is no evidence." Things that cannot be seen are far from evidence.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I totally agree with this post. I'm an atheist, and I personally believe that being so makes me happier than if I followed a religion. In my opinion, there can be no God/no God worth worshiping. If a god can cause so much suffering, like earthquakes, hurricanes, physical and mental disorders, among other stuff, then why would we worship them? IMO, they would be sadistic and not worthy of praise. Another reason I'm atheist, is there are no rules. I know many religions have many rules on what you can or cannot do, and I know I'd hate that. Of course I have to listen to my parents and abide by the law, etc, etc, but moral choices, like whether I swear, eat meat or not and what I say are all up to me and I can choose to change them anytime I want. And finally: I find that a lot of conflict comes from religion. We all have different beliefs, but some people think it's morally okay to try to force religion on someone and tell them they'll go to Hell or something if they don't follow specific religion. In terms of Heaven and Hell....in my opinion you are definitely wrong if you think only followers of your religion go to Heaven.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

God DOESN'T cause suffering, but he makes good things come out of them. And who do you think goes to Heaven (if it's real)?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Hmm....I don't really believe a Heaven exists. Mainly because it's always been said that 'good' people go to Heaven, but there are no truly 'good' people. We've all 'sinned', in some way or another. No one is perfect, and anyways, what we think makes a 'good person' varies from one person to another (:

by Anonymous 13 years ago

You're absolutely right that no one is perfect and that we all sin. Because of this, we don't go to heaven. You're right about that too. BUT, that's why God gave us Jesus and that's why he died. He died for US and our sins. He died for YOU. So, if you believe in Him, you can go to heaven.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Why would God give us free will when he knew we were going to sin, then send his "son" to "save us" but only the people who believe that Jesus is the son of God go to heaven? It's like "Yeah, I saved you because I love you, but if you don't believe I'm the son of God you're going to burn forever in hell. BUT I LOVE YOU." Bullshit.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I am deistic. I think religion has nothing to do with your happiness. As long as you are doing what you want to do, that is what determines your happiness.I tried christianity out for four years and it made no difference to me, my actions in life did.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

How did you "try" Christianity? Just curious. Not looking to start an argument.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I was rasied as a Christian. Once I was old enough, I made the decision to be saved and baptised. I, by my own choice, lived the Christian life like God wants us to. But then, I developed more knowledge of life and decided I would be deistic becuase it sets in more with my personal beliefs.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Knowledge of life? Wha do you mean by that?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Like, experienced more bad and good things. Seen religion at it's best and worst. Lived longer to meet new people to open me up to more ideas.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's all a matter of personal preference. My religion brings me happiness for many reasons. My church is a fun vibrant community-its got dozens of choirs and music groups, book clubs, bible study and discussion groups, and community service fellowships. The congregation is super nice and the clergy are very interesting knowledgeable people who've written many highly regarded books on theology, philosophy, and christian life. I also love how traditions and rituals connect me with a rich ancient heritage. Most of all, I enjoy spending Sundays surrounded by close freinds, joyful music, and fresh flowers. But you don't need a religion or a belief in a God to do any of that really. You could just as easily be happy without it.

by Anonymous 13 years ago