Is a lie more useful than the truth? (Religion)

Does believing in an afterlife actually help someone, even if nobody’s ever come forward to claim they saw anything on the other side?

Look, I'm an atheist. But I can't bring myself to agree with those certain types of atheists who insist that Faith is nothing but a useless distraction. I've found myself staring down the barrel of the idea of total, absolute non-existence...
The thought that when I die, everything just gets wiped clean. Like I never even existed in the first place.
I catch myself picturing that moment right before death—all my experiences, my entire life, just sitting there on the edge of this massive, cold void that’s going to erase every single trace of me without a shred of mercy. Pretty depressing, isn't it?

Even if that’s the reality, wouldn't it be better to believe there's something waiting for us after we go?
At the very least, it makes me feel better. Being able to find satisfaction in the present moment actually has a positive impact on how I live right now.
In that sense, I don't see why those stubborn, narrow-minded atheists feel the need to lecture theists about the "pointlessness" of religion.

From a philosophical standpoint, it's just that eternal tug-of-war between abstract concepts and our own direct experience...

Jacob Cooper5 said:Does believing in an afterlife actually help someone, even if nobody’s ever come forward to claim they saw anything on the other side?

Look, I'm an atheist. But I can't bring myself to agree with those certain types of atheists who insist that Faith is nothing but a useless distraction. I've found myself staring down the barrel of the idea of total, absolute non-existence...
The thought that when I die, everything just gets wiped clean. Like I never even existed in the first place.
I catch myself picturing that moment right before death—all my experiences, my entire life, just sitting there on the edge of this massive, cold void that’s going to erase every single trace of me without a shred of mercy. Pretty depressing, isn't it?

Even if that’s the reality, wouldn't it be better to believe there's something waiting for us after we go?
At the very least, it makes me feel better. Being able to find satisfaction in the present moment actually has a positive impact on how I live right now.
In that sense, I don't see why those stubborn, narrow-minded atheists feel the need to lecture theists about the "pointlessness" of religion.

From a philosophical standpoint, it's just that eternal tug-of-war between abstract concepts and our own direct experience...

On this particular point, you are correct; atheistic frameworks are essentially just concepts built upon accepted meaninglessness. Faith serves as a refuge from that vacuum... regardless of whether that sanctuary is a physical reality or merely a mental construct.

...it is undeniably a psychological advantage... though one cannot simply force oneself to believe...

feralranger said:On this particular point, you are correct; atheistic frameworks are essentially just concepts built upon accepted meaninglessness. Faith serves as a refuge from that vacuum... regardless of whether that sanctuary is a physical reality or merely a mental construct.

...it is undeniably a psychological advantage... though one cannot simply force oneself to believe...

I wouldn't go so far as to say atheistic meaning is nothing more than nonsense in the end. Look, as an atheist, I experience emotions just like you and everyone else does. I see people through my own lens, just like you see them through yours—but at the core, we're all cut from the same cloth. We can still pull together and successfully run a project to rescue kids from South Africa...

Jacob Cooper5 said:I wouldn't go so far as to say atheistic meaning is nothing more than nonsense in the end. Look, as an atheist, I experience emotions just like you and everyone else does. I see people through my own lens, just like you see them through yours—but at the core, we're all cut from the same cloth. We can still pull together and successfully run a project to rescue kids from South Africa...

...all so that we may collectively—you, me, and everyone else—eventually become nothing more than worm food. So, what exactly is the point?

feralranger said:...all so that we may collectively—you, me, and everyone else—eventually become nothing more than worm food. So, what exactly is the point?

The point is life itself.

It can actually be quite meaningful, if you look at it that way.

Sam Martinez9 said:The point is life itself.

It can actually be quite meaningful, if you look at it that way.

But, through everything we do, we’re ultimately reaching for the infinite.

feralranger said:...all so that we may collectively—you, me, and everyone else—eventually become nothing more than worm food. So, what exactly is the point?

Point or no point, it's your life—how you choose to live it is entirely up to you.

Sam Martinez9 said:The point is life itself.

It can actually be quite meaningful, if you look at it that way.

But religious folks? They just can't seem to wrap their heads around that.

Jacob Cooper5 said:Does believing in an afterlife actually help someone, even if nobody’s ever come forward to claim they saw anything on the other side?

Look, I'm an atheist. But I can't bring myself to agree with those certain types of atheists who insist that Faith is nothing but a useless distraction. I've found myself staring down the barrel of the idea of total, absolute non-existence...
The thought that when I die, everything just gets wiped clean. Like I never even existed in the first place.
I catch myself picturing that moment right before death—all my experiences, my entire life, just sitting there on the edge of this massive, cold void that’s going to erase every single trace of me without a shred of mercy. Pretty depressing, isn't it?

Even if that’s the reality, wouldn't it be better to believe there's something waiting for us after we go?
At the very least, it makes me feel better. Being able to find satisfaction in the present moment actually has a positive impact on how I live right now.
In that sense, I don't see why those stubborn, narrow-minded atheists feel the need to lecture theists about the "pointlessness" of religion.

From a philosophical standpoint, it's just that eternal tug-of-war between abstract concepts and our own direct experience...

That's a ridiculous question. If you actually know something is a fact, you can't exactly choose to believe the opposite.

Jacob Cooper5 said:Point or no point, it's your life—how you choose to live it is entirely up to you.

Regardless of the philosophical implications, the ultimate "point" is that we are all destined to become worm food—ourselves, our loved ones, everyone else under the sun...

Melissa Stewart6 said:But, through everything we do, we’re ultimately reaching for the infinite.

I think that’s an illusion. Everything in a person's life is finite; everything eventually reaches its conclusion. A single day, a career, a week, even the years spent in elementary school, high school, college, friendships, and even marriages—it's all strictly bound by time.

And it isn't just about the end point; everything is in a constant state of flux while it's happening. Nothing stays static, and nothing lasts forever.

Personally, I find the idea of an infinite life to be rather meaningless. But then again, that's just my perspective and how I feel. Of course, others are free to think and feel quite differently.

Sam Martinez9 said:I think that’s an illusion. Everything in a person's life is finite; everything eventually reaches its conclusion. A single day, a career, a week, even the years spent in elementary school, high school, college, friendships, and even marriages—it's all strictly bound by time.

And it isn't just about the end point; everything is in a constant state of flux while it's happening. Nothing stays static, and nothing lasts forever.

Personally, I find the idea of an infinite life to be rather meaningless. But then again, that's just my perspective and how I feel. Of course, others are free to think and feel quite differently.

But if everything truly is finite, then there has to be something else out there—something permanent and eternal.
That’s why almost every tradition ever recorded points toward some kind of spiritual existence or an unseen order.

Jacob Cooper5 said:But religious folks? They just can't seem to wrap their heads around that.

I honestly don't get it; it seems pretty straightforward to me.

I won't bore you by repeating myself, but everything has an expiration date—that's just how life works, and there's a certain logic to it. It actually makes the experience more enjoyable.

Take a great dinner party with close friends, for instance—you savor the meal and the conversation precisely because you know the night eventually has to end.

Or a solid book—you immerse yourself in those three hundred pages, enjoying every chapter even though you know you'll eventually reach the final page.

I could go on with examples like that all day if I wanted to.

Melissa Stewart6 said:But if everything truly is finite, then there has to be something else out there—something permanent and eternal.
That’s why almost every tradition ever recorded points toward some kind of spiritual existence or an unseen order.

But why?

feralranger said:Regardless of the philosophical implications, the ultimate "point" is that we are all destined to become worm food—ourselves, our loved ones, everyone else under the sun...

But let’s say you actually believe there's something waiting for you on the other side... how much does that change your outlook on life?

Jacob Cooper5 said:But let’s say you actually believe there's something waiting for you on the other side... how much does that change your outlook on life?

...well, I suppose one should consult the theists on that matter... though, frankly, it provides a certain sense of purpose to existence... because from an atheist's standpoint, life is essentially devoid of meaning—unless, of course, you find profound fulfillment in the idea that you, along with everyone you hold dear, are merely destined to become worm food, which serves as the rather grim 'grand finale' for us all.

feralranger said:...well, I suppose one should consult the theists on that matter... though, frankly, it provides a certain sense of purpose to existence... because from an atheist's standpoint, life is essentially devoid of meaning—unless, of course, you find profound fulfillment in the idea that you, along with everyone you hold dear, are merely destined to become worm food, which serves as the rather grim 'grand finale' for us all.

Meaning is found in what actually happens to you before the worms get a chance.

I’m an atheist, and that is my perspective.

Life isn't defined solely by its conclusion; life is the entire duration of the experience. And at the end of the day, the finish line looks exactly the same for believers and atheists alike—we all die. The religious won't be sticking around among us forever.

feralranger said:...well, I suppose one should consult the theists on that matter... though, frankly, it provides a certain sense of purpose to existence... because from an atheist's standpoint, life is essentially devoid of meaning—unless, of course, you find profound fulfillment in the idea that you, along with everyone you hold dear, are merely destined to become worm food, which serves as the rather grim 'grand finale' for us all.

What's the actual difference between the day-to-day lives of a believer and a non-believer?

Jacob Cooper5 said:Does believing in an afterlife actually help someone, even if nobody’s ever come forward to claim they saw anything on the other side?

Look, I'm an atheist. But I can't bring myself to agree with those certain types of atheists who insist that Faith is nothing but a useless distraction. I've found myself staring down the barrel of the idea of total, absolute non-existence...
The thought that when I die, everything just gets wiped clean. Like I never even existed in the first place.
I catch myself picturing that moment right before death—all my experiences, my entire life, just sitting there on the edge of this massive, cold void that’s going to erase every single trace of me without a shred of mercy. Pretty depressing, isn't it?

Even if that’s the reality, wouldn't it be better to believe there's something waiting for us after we go?
At the very least, it makes me feel better. Being able to find satisfaction in the present moment actually has a positive impact on how I live right now.
In that sense, I don't see why those stubborn, narrow-minded atheists feel the need to lecture theists about the "pointlessness" of religion.

From a philosophical standpoint, it's just that eternal tug-of-war between abstract concepts and our own direct experience...

It helps, sure, but answering the question in the title really depends on whether you think there's any truth to be found in faith.

On another note, I've been thinking lately that atheism might sometimes stem from over-fetishizing the analytical part of the brain—that tendency to break everything down into smaller and smaller pieces until you lose sight of the big picture and ignore basic intuition.

Jacob Cooper5 said:What's the actual difference between the day-to-day lives of a believer and a non-believer?

...it all comes down to one's perspective...

...for a person who spends their life behaving more like a common animal, there likely isn't any meaningful difference at all compared to the beast itself... which remains blissfully unaware of its ultimate fate...