To envy people who have a faith?

[RitaHayworthHair]

I'm an atheist. Absolutely science and fact based in my thoughts and approach to life.

But.

I do envy people who have faith as I'd imagine it must bring great comfort to think there is a god (of their choice obv) looking over them. That good will prevail.

AIBU?

I'm a second maybe third generation atheist. I have no envy or jealousy concerning people's faith giving them comfort or a sense of community. It's a hobby like any other. Some people find climbing mountains in extreme weather conditions brings them closer to understanding the meaning of life, the oneness of humanity, and all that jazz. Some people get it dressing up as superheroes and attending Comic Cons. The sense of communion Trekkies have when they get together is quasi-religious. It's all the same thing.

@Ragwort

I feel the same. Ive had so much support from church, its been amazing

I have a friend who is deeply religious and I envy the comfort it brings her. However another friend is religious but he is gay and he wrestles with this daily. He feels ashamed and wishes that he was straight, which I find upsetting.

I’m an atheist and have many issues with organised religion.

I just need to know I will see my loved ones again,
Lost my mum last year and my dad 18 years earlier.
I try to think they are together in spirit, that brings me great comfort.
Surely there must be something else?!
I work in a hospital and on many occasions have been by the side of dying patients who actually say they can see there deceased relatives xx

I'm not sure why non-religious people think all religious people believe wholeheartedly that every word of religious texts is true.

Quite. Atheists often think they understand religion when they have very little conception of it.

That’s not directed at you, OP. However I do think YABU because you say you’re an atheist and thus you have a belief system that you feel is ‘true’, ‘right’, or however you think of it. I think that is something to be happy about.

I do have a religious practice and some degree of faith. Religion (I’m a Christian but I respect other faiths and don’t think Christianity is the only true one or anything like that) has great meaning for me. I accept that it doesn’t for everyone. I don’t believe in life after death. I do get comfort from my faith but as pp said, it’s also a challenge. For me it’s been a tough existential struggle to get to where I am!

It only brings comfort if you don’t think about it. I was brought up as Catholic but as soon as I started to think for myself I realised what rubbish it was. Bit like when you stop believing in fairies and Santa.

I can’t profess to believe in a god to give my year structure, that’s madness!! Plenty of seasonal structure without the church. I have faith in humanity and nature.

I believe in God but I do struggle on how religions see women as a lesser person than a man. Religions have a lot to answer for, for the way women are treated, heart braking stories, the Catholic Church is one of the worst. The last Magdalene Laundry wasn’t closed until the 80’s unbelievable 😢

I don't know how I would survive without my faith! My belief in a Heavenly Father who loves me just as I am is very important to me. My husband had a near fatal car accident this morning, and believe God was there protecting him.

Catholic Church, Church of England plus many others are all Christian so all believe in the same god.

So to say Catholic is worse is wrong. Either you believe in that god or not. I don’t.

@Saxineno I hope your husband makes a quick recovery x

I personally don’t know how people get through life without God. Not the church, not religion, but God.

In the depth of despair I can feel him. When I was going through the worst part of my life, everything seemed to be falling apart, and there was nothing I could do. But I could praise Him. Sounds contradictory doesn’t it? I had nothing left but praise.

Currently I’ve recently recognised that I am depressed, due to a situation I’m in. The one thing I can hold on to is that he is here with me. I can feel Him next to me even when the waves of depression are washing over me, making me feel like I’m drowning in it. I will get through it, because He will not leave me to be on my own.

Sometimes all I have to offer is prayer. I’ve sat with people when there is nothing I can say to help. They’ve been all situations. Husband’s walked off after 30 years of marriage, suicidal, bullied, wife’s dying unexpectedly, child was killed in a road traffic accident yesterday, been given weeks to live. I have sat through all these. I have no words that will help, even I I was good with words. We sit there in silence except for the tears. But I can pray. It’s not always about seeking for a miracle. Sometimes it’s simply for peace. Sometimes my prayer is simply: “Why, Lord, why?”

In this country people think they know Christianity. They know “religion”. Familiarity breeds contempt as the expression goes and this is where it shows. Following Christ is not about sitting in a stuffy church building repeating liturgy. It’s not about doing ostentatious acts of goodness or intolerance, banging on about it whenever possible or giving 10% of money to the Church.

Following Christ means acknowledging Jesus as Christ and believing He, 2000 years ago, died for you personally so that you could come close to God, and now is alive today. That is the only thing that is needed to be a Christian.

When I die I will be with Him. That excites me actually. Death doesn’t frighten me. I have chosen to be with Him. If you don’t believe in Him, then you have chosen to be without Him. That’s your choice. Only thing is: God is good. All good things come from Him. If you’ve chosen to be without Him, then He respects that, but that means you won’t have anything good. That is hell, the removal of all things good.

I know that some people will be reading and thinking it’s a load of rubbish. That’s your choice. But make it a choice rather than drifting along with the thought that it doesn’t matter or assuming what you heard in RE lessons at school is what it’s about. It’s easier to drift along with what you’ve always thought than make an informed decision.

@witchend could that sense of strength not just be your inner self? Why does it have to be a god?

It could be my inner self. but actually my inner self isn't very strong on its own.
Turn it round: Why couldn't it be God?

God is not provable, or disprovable. That is what faith is about.

I do not begrudge people their faith, if it helps them and gives them support. But I cannot share their beliefs and don’t need to. I can see no reason to believe in any kind of god, and will take that hard truth over faith any day.

I was brought up Catholic, so didn’t get to make a choice until I was a teen. Then I had questions and my parents couldn’t answer them. I still believed but felt less and less connected. The more I’ve learnt about other faiths made me realise that religion is a man made institution that came about before we had scientific explanations for being and it was a great mechanism to help control communities. There is so much good in humanity without living in fear of some god.

My faith is very comforting. Calming. The ritual of it, knowing I am sitting in a place people have sat for generations, repeating the words of Psalms and hymns. It calms my soul. I have been away from it at times in my life but it always pulls me back. I am lucky.

Turn it back to you @Witchend. You are the strength, you are the one in control. Empower yourself and give yourself some credit.

@Knitwit99 I feel that calm by the sea or mountains. I love feeling so small while nature carries on. No god required.

Really interesting thread, and it’s offered some real food for thought.
I have always very much felt that there is no god at all, but after a few years of having lost my parents, and some very cherished friends, I have found myself searching. I’m not sure what for, maybe a bit of hope? Spiritual reassurance?
I think life can be lonely and I feel almost as if, if I had a belief it would offer me comfort, peace, support...
I don’t really know.
I do feel a bit unfulfilled in some way.
I am grieving and I do find death quite hard to let go of. By that I mean, I know of some people who whilst obviously being saddened by death, see it as a very natural event and it doesn’t consume them, they sort of acknowledge it, and move on. I struggle with that so have often wished I could find solace in a divine power.

I am a Christian and regular church goer who also has a background in the sciences. Genesis is not incompatible with evolution.

What keeps me connected to my faith is how it brought a message of social justice and peace to a very cruel world. Hearing about its teachings on a regular basis reminds me to be kinder person and helps keeps the little things in perspective. The sense of community is also lovely.

*Saxineno

So sorry to hear about your husband hope he makes a full recovery, my thoughts are with you*

Jesus died 2000 years ago for all our sins just stinks of collective guilt and blackmail, which is way religions operate guilt and reward.

He didn't die for me or anyone else, there is little historical evendence to support he even said existed contrary to what Christian scholars believe.

@chocolatedaim I’m sort for your loss. I know how you feel. I lost my DM 5 years ago. She was such a big part of my life. She took me to church every Sunday, sent me to Catholic schools and on her death bed I arranged for a priest to visit to give her the last rites because it was important to her. But it was also at the moment of her death that it became absolutely clear to me what faith was for. Death is so final, it helps to have that comfort of heaven. If that helps people then fine but I think that if the effort that goes in to church and faith went into the wider community regardless of faith, the world would be a better place.