To religious folks: How can you find comfort in religion?

[Metabee]

I, an Athiest, sometimes wonder why people beleive in God. Is it because they beleive that their fate is already laid out for them? This is of course, ridiculous, at least for me. If our life WAS planned for us, then doesn't that mean we cannot control our own destiny? THen I thought, maybe to find comfort in death, and to beleive that bad people will goto hell. But then I thought, if they beleive that if they are good enough, they will goto heaven, then why shoul they be good? If someone REALLY, looked at heaven, ignoring that it is beleived to be the greatest place ever, then what would they see? I see hell in heaven. Think about it. You have just finished the long road of life, dedicating yourself to God and to be good, so you are at heaven. You enter. Now of course, heaven is the greatest land. But now THINK about it. You are spending ETERNITY hear. And for eternity, what do you do? Your life is over, so now you spend eternity in heaven? After a while, I beleive you would go insane, and pray to Satan, that he will take you to hell, which is almost the equivalent as heaven, only a bit more worse.

And what about resurrection? I see resurrection as absolutely TERRIFYING! We have gone through the long road of life, we worked, and worked, and had some bad times, good times, and what's this! After all this, WE MUST DO IT AGAIN?

Please post your thoughts on this matter.

[Doggy]

I'm religious - more specifically, I'm Christian. But, I don't believe in destiny or fate or whatever you might call it. I believe that God gave us free will - luckily, it would be more horrible if God controlled all the stuff that's happening here, and through all the bad stuff (war, murders, poverty etc) showed that He doesn't care a snit about us.

Second of all, haven't ever felt the feeling when something really good has happened to you tht you wished it to go on forever and ever? Well, that's what heaven will be like, only a bazillion times better.

[Metabee]

Yes, I know that, but think about it. ETERNITY. I don't find comfort in death because I think I'll goto heaven, I find comfort in death because I know, that after decades and decades, of this lond road, this fight, this journey, we call life, that at long last, my great journey is over, the fight is complete, that I no longer have to pay my bills, that I have changed the lives of those who have crossed my path, and that after all this, I can do just one thing. Rest. To know that I would have to simply think, ETERNALLY, is terrible. In death, I will rest, I will be non-existent, I will be remembered, but none of that matters. Heaven, I can't really see as good.n And I don't think I ever will find comfort in the idea of heaven. Yes, I hav been so happy I wished it would go on forever, but when it all comes down to it, I want it to end.

[FridgedSarcasma]

Alrighty. Im atheist. Do I wish I could Believe in a Heaven?...Nope....I look toward the original teachings of Buddha as my guide...After all He believe Nirvana was basically coming to realize that there was nothing after death. That...essentually you become part of the earth...I agree with that really. It all works out Scientifically and emotionally. Aint that just Dandy..!..anyways. We all have our own desires...Metabee's is to drop stone cold dead...How nice...Doggy's is to live eternity being a nice happy little person...Both seem abit to the extreme to me...

[ArmachiA]

Alrighty. Im atheist. Do I wish I could Believe in a Heaven?...Nope....I look toward the original teachings of Buddha as my guide...After all He believe Nirvana was basically coming to realize that there was nothing after death.

Then wouldn't that make you a Buddist and not an Atheist? Also, Buddists beleive in reincarnation.

[Metabee]

Alrighty. Im atheist. Do I wish I could Believe in a Heaven?...Nope....I look toward the original teachings of Buddha as my guide...After all He believe Nirvana was basically coming to realize that there was nothing after death. That...essentually you become part of the earth...I agree with that really. It all works out Scientifically and emotionally. Aint that just Dandy..!..anyways. We all have our own desires...Metabee's is to drop stone cold dead...How nice...Doggy's is to live eternity being a nice happy little person...Both seem abit to the extreme to me...

Drop stone cold dead eh? Sounds cool when ya say it that way. .... I wanna die NOW :upset:

[drummer]

I look toward the original teachings of Buddha as my guide...After all He believed Nirvana was basically coming to realize that there was nothing after death. That...essentually you become part of the earth...I agree with that really. It all works out Scientifically and emotionally.

How does that work out both scientifically and emotionally?
Also, what exactly is Nirvana? The letting go of the spirit?

[HogwartsChaplain]

And what about resurrection? I see resurrection as absolutely TERRIFYING! We have gone through the long road of life, we worked, and worked, and had some bad times, good times, and what's this! After all this, WE MUST DO IT AGAIN?

I think you may be confusing RESURRECTION and REINCARNATION.

As I understand it, in reincarnation, your soul takes on a new body and you have an opportunity to "do life" again, until purification is achieved.

In resurrection, Christians believe that the soul and the body will rise from death. There are differences of opinion about who will rise (all, or just those entering heaven) and how it will happen.

[HogwartsChaplain]

Also, what exactly is Nirvana? The letting go of the spirit?

According to Honoring Our Neighbor's Faith, Nirvana is "the cessation of all suffering. Although Nirvana is sometimes depicted as a place (comparable to heaven) in paintings and literature, it can also be seen as the state of highest consciousness, a perfect understanding of reality." (p.16)

[Melanie]

I've lived most of my life as an atheist until recently. I can't altogether explain how or why I changed...
I seem to be attracted to Christians for one reason or another...my first boyfriend was Catholic, my second boyfriend was raised in a very fundamentalist Christian household (though he was constantly torn between atheism and Christianity), and now my current boyfriend of a year is a very devout Christian. I always wondered why I of all people, the biggest atheist out there, constantly found myself forming relationships with Christians.
I read C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia and something clicked inside of me. I had only been half-heartedly searching for God...but it seems as if he had been searching for me.
As I understand it, hell is not a place...it isn't somewhere you go...it is seperation from God.
They way I think about it is if I were to lose a family member, or my boyfriend. I imagine the torment and grief I would feel to never have that person in my life again...then I imagine that grief magnified infinitely. That is hell. That is what hell is like. I hope I'm making sense :)

As for heaven, I think C.S. Lewis put it best, and I hope this can give you an understanding as to why people take comfort in the thought of spending eternity with God:

"And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

[ArmachiA]

As I understand it, hell is not a place...it isn't somewhere you go...it is seperation from God.
They way I think about it is if I were to lose a family member, or my boyfriend. I imagine the torment and grief I would feel to never have that person in my life again...then I imagine that grief magnified infinitely. That is hell. That is what hell is like. I hope I'm making sense :)


Oddly enough, I read a book that stated pretty much that exact same thing! It said that hell was absolutely nothing except realizing that God was not there to protect you. It's just a void because you know that you have done something to turn agianst God and he'll never come for you... and you're there forever.
It's the scary to think about, eh?

[Midnightsfire]

It's just a void because you know that you have done something to turn agianst God and he'll never come for you... and you're there forever.
It's the scary to think about, eh?

Only if you believe in such.

[FridgedSarcasma]

nope Im not buddhist....like I said..atheist...but I do get some of my beliefs from buddha...and I dont believe in reincarnation in that sense....

This part goes to to Drummer: Scientifcally you die..your flesh decomposes your reintroduced into the earth some how..unless your mummified or something along those lines....Yes its far fetched...but it works...Emotionally..well..this is personal... so it works out for me...sorry I can't get off italics *beats computer* ok...ok good...anyways...I just want to add...That Buddha didnt believe in a god

Nirvana is considered to be a force...the realization that there is nothing after death but that is what Buddha originally taught..pure land buddhism..i think its what that is called...There is some nice long name for it...Ill find it later...believes that Nirvana is actually a place comparable to heaven...

[drummer]

I've never thought of Hell like being without the people you love forever. That would be terrible!
Also, nirvana as the highest state of consciousness or a place comparable to Heaven? Interesting.

[Metabee]

Oddly enough, I read a book that stated pretty much that exact same thing! It said that hell was absolutely nothing except realizing that God was not there to protect you. It's just a void because you know that you have done something to turn agianst God and he'll never come for you... and you're there forever.
It's the scary to think about, eh?


As an Athiest, I don't want God to protect me. To have God looking over me sounds like a sign of weakness.

[Metabee]

I've lived most of my life as an atheist until recently. I can't altogether explain how or why I changed...
I seem to be attracted to Christians for one reason or another...my first boyfriend was Catholic, my second boyfriend was raised in a very fundamentalist Christian household (though he was constantly torn between atheism and Christianity), and now my current boyfriend of a year is a very devout Christian. I always wondered why I of all people, the biggest atheist out there, constantly found myself forming relationships with Christians.
I read C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia and something clicked inside of me. I had only been half-heartedly searching for God...but it seems as if he had been searching for me.
As I understand it, hell is not a place...it isn't somewhere you go...it is seperation from God.
They way I think about it is if I were to lose a family member, or my boyfriend. I imagine the torment and grief I would feel to never have that person in my life again...then I imagine that grief magnified infinitely. That is hell. That is what hell is like. I hope I'm making sense :)

As for heaven, I think C.S. Lewis put it best, and I hope this can give you an understanding as to why people take comfort in the thought of spending eternity with God:

"And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

Yes. I have read the Chronicles of Narnia and I love them to bits, but still, I don't want to be rxistent eternally, the idea terrifies me.

[Metabee]

I think you may be confusing RESURRECTION and REINCARNATION.

As I understand it, in reincarnation, your soul takes on a new body and you have an opportunity to "do life" again, until purification is achieved.

I don't want reincarnation either. We only get one chance at life. We must make the most out of this chance. Think of it, as the hardest test ever, and we get just one chance, there is no trying to redo it. And the strange thing is, that it matters not if we pass or fail, but it always ends the same. With oblivion. There is no prize, there is no punishment, there is obivion.

[Doggy]

The weird thing is that until resently I've never doubted for a moment that I'll go to heaven when I die. I've doubted a lot of things - does God exist etc (but only for short periods of time, never for weeks on end). But suddenly, after I was at camp I suddenly told myself for some reason - "You're going to hell when you die." And it was horrible, because I realised that there's no getting out of hell once you get in, there's no hope of "getting better and making it to somewhere else", you can't die away from it, and God isn't there to protect you.

The weeks when I thought that were some of the worst I've ever had, and I hope you'll never have to go through them. I "snapped out of it" by remembering something that this woman told me before; that she could tell that the holy spirit was near me. And I figured; what would the holy spirit want to do with a person who was going to hell; if it's there then God is with me, and then I'll be going to heaven.

[FridgedSarcasma]

I don't want reincarnation either. We only get one chance at life. We must make the most out of this chance. Think of it, as the hardest test ever, and we get just one chance, there is no trying to redo it. And the strange thing is, that it matters not if we pass or fail, but it always ends the same. With oblivion. There is no prize, there is no punishment, there is obivion. __________________ Alright...You people seriously do NOT know what your talking about. Reincarnation is just the soul traveling through a body or organism to reach Nirvana, happiness, understanding..."the whole"..whatever you want to call it. Now....to those christians that dont understand it...ITS THE SOUL! Your soul will live on in Heaven..The soul is eternal, Neverending...greatness...Moving on.....The Hindu's believe the same thing...It just travels through a vessal...Really!....Its just an alternate path to gain experience and Knowledge subconciously...what I am trying to say is this....the soul lives forever....there is hardly anything unbelieveable about reincarnation if your Christian...your body is discarded...they just do it numerous times...bottom line...ETERNAL!


((sorry if I sound cranky, but im tired and I just spent a good thirty minutes on one physic's problem of about ten...life aint goin so goood))

[roz]

Yes. I have read the Chronicles of Narnia and I love them to bits, but still, I don't want to be rxistent eternally, the idea terrifies me.

I find the idea of immortality scary. I don't want to live forever on this plane, on this earth. But I am a christian and I do believe that I am going to heaven. For some reason that isn't a scary thought at all...

Roz.

[Silk E Smooth]

I believe in God (or at least a higher power) but I don't know that I would really consider myself to be Christian. I believe in a form of "heaven" because our bodies are charged with energy...energy doesn't cease to exsist...it has to go somewhere. And I wouldn't exactly say I take comfort it in the idea, it's more just a scientific look at the possibility of an afterlife.

[majo]

First of all, I believe in God. I don't, however, believe that our fate is already planned out. God did give us free will, after all. If everything were planned out, it would mean that all the horrible things that happen in the world would be planned out too, part of God's plan. That's not true. Human beings cause things like war to exist because of their own choices.

As far as death is concerned, I do believe that heaven exists (hell too, but i'm dealing with heaven right now.) Metabee, you talk about how heaven would be horrible, because you're spending eternity there. We cannot even begin to imagine what heaven is like, but I'm pretty sure it would not be boring. Like I said, I don't have a clue what it's like, but I'm hoping to find out when I die.

I have been told before that my faith is no more than a "teddy bear", something to hold onto when things get scary. I'm willing to accept that there is a possibility that that is true. Maybe there is nothing after death, maybe there's no God. My experience so far, though, has lead me to believe that there is a God.

[PhoenixUK]

As an Athiest, I don't want God to protect me. To have God looking over me sounds like a sign of weakness.

That's the point of Christianity - the fact that we are weak and that we need God to help us. Part of believing in God is admitting that we are weak, and need God's help, which can be a hard thing for a lot of people in today's society.

Personally, I find comfort in God because if I have troubles in my life (and I have plenty) I can pray and that helps me, like confessing stuff to a good friend. It helps get stuff off your chest.

About the resurection thing, this is my understanding:

Resurrection: when someone is brought back from the dead, as Jesus was. This is not connected with the afterlife. A religious believer might describe someone who has regained conciousness after being medically dead as 'resurrected'.

Rising from the dead: This is what religions that believe that when you die you go onto a new life would believe in. It's the belief that, after you die, your soul only is bought back to life and leaves your body, to carry onto a new life.

Reincarnation: The belief that, after you die, you are reborn into the world until you can break the cycle.

[ultimate sacrifice]

Metabee, I find no comfort in Religion. Religion does not have the power to redeem my soul and bring me back into relationship with the Omnipotent Creator.

Religion can be a crutch, a system to lean on. With all of the rituals and Holy days and the like. Religion does not bring mankind back into relationship with the Lord of all. Christ does. The reason that he came to this earth was to break down those barriers. He refused to be a political messiah and free the Jews from the Romans, he is the mediator, the perfect sacrifce for all mankind for all time.

Participating in organized religion is a way that Christians can have fellowship with one another and encourage one another and bind together.

A person can believe in God, accept Christ as his son and the messiah and not participate in organized religion. And hopefully people who believe in Christ as the son of God and the messiah do not judge, persecute or exclude fellowship with those who do not believe the same. You see, it is much more important to walk the walk and fullfill the two most important commandments, (according to Christ)...1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and 2) Love your neighbor as yourself.

Please note that Jesus did not qualify the second commandment...He DID NOT say to love your white, educated, male, clean, polite, heterosexual, "Christian" neighbor as your self. He said to Love Your Neighbor as Yourself!

Now let me tell you, that is the hardest thing to do and it takes all of my strength and discipline to do that in so many cases. However, I strive to achieve those two things. It will be a life long struggle and I have failed miserably many times. Thankfully, because of Christs sacrifice on the cross and his victory over death in the resurrection, I can receive forgiveness and live to try again in fellowship with the living God.

I could not survive without my faith and the knowledge that I am able to approach the Throne of Grace and go to the Father/Creator/Higher Power, what ever you wish to call him. I can do that at any moment of the day or night because of the grace that I have received in Christ.

It has nothing to do with religion. It has everything to do with faith and the recognition that I am made in the image of God and that I am incomplete without him. And...It is comforting to know that he desires fellowship with me, his creation. That's why he created Adam. He needed someone he could fellowship with, the animals and the rest of the creation were not enough.

It's easy to look at people and to dismiss religion and say that we don't want any part of it because of what we humans do to one another and to our world. If we are going to look to people as our standard for "Religion", then we will always find a problem and we will always be disapointed. We must dig deep and discover the living God, he is all around us, just waiting to be asked to come in.

Now, there will be many that disagree with me. However, it is important to respectfully disagree and live my life in a way that exemplifies the love of God. I can only tell you what God says as written in the Bible. Many dismiss that and that is their choice. The one thing that God never does is to impose on our Free Will. He desires that we choose him. He did not create us to be slaves, we have the choice.

I have made mine, you asked about How can you find comfort in Religion, I am telling you from my own perspective. I do not have the power to forgive sin, to sanctify a person, nor to judge...that is only God's right and privilage. What others decide is between them and the Holy One. I choose to try to love all of God's creation. (And like I said, I often fall down on that one!)

I wish you well on your life journey. God is good, what people do in the name of God, does not necessarily mean that it was his intention.

Peace :)

[drummer]

That's the point of Christianity - the fact that we are weak and that we need God to help us. Part of believing in God is admitting that we are weak, and need God's help, which can be a hard thing for a lot of people in today's society.


Everyone has days where we are in need of help or protection.

I really think that is the whole reason for society - to look after and care for others.

[Melanie]

Imagine being in a situation of immense despair and loneliness. You have exhausted every other option available and are unable to bring yourself out of whatever mess you've gotten into.
Imagine being really truly alone. No one else to help you. No friends, no family, no one.

Who do you turn to? Do you turn to yourself? You have already tried everything that you can.
Do you give into the despair and accept it?
Do you keep trying everything you have already done, over and over, too stubborn to ask for help?

I think this is how most people feel when they take comfort in a religion, or God, or any other deity or faith.
They know that, as humans, they aren't all powerful, they don't have all the answers, and they won't always have the power to help themselves. So who does?
That's where God, or Allah, or Krishna, Hecate, Kali, etc. come into play.

So what if, when we die, we find out there is no God, or whatever other deity we believed in our entire lives? Do we really lose anything? I don't think so. And who's going to be there once we're dead to say "I told you so"?

And what if some day there is undeniable proof that no God exists, or any other deity exists. What then?

"I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia."

I believe this is why people take comfort...or at least it's why I take comfort. Because I feel that at my absolute lowest, I don't have to be alone. I will have someone to turn to, someone who can give me advice, when I have no friends or family to go to. Is that weakness? Are you being weak when you ask your friends for advice, or when you seek guidance from family members or teachers?

P.S.--ultimate sacrifice, your post was superb and very well said :)

[ultimate sacrifice]

Melanie,

Your post reminded me of an old Andre Crouch song...

"If heaven never was pormised to me, Neither God's promise to reign eternally, it's been worth having the Lord in my life...Living in a world of darkness, but he brought me the light." That's an old contemporary Gospel song from the mid 70's. So, it's a paraphrase from my memory, which is getting older by the minute!

[Metabee]

I don't beleave what you say, that humans are weak, just look at what we have done. WE are the greatest creatures on the earth. A matter of fact, when it all comes down to it, we don't need a God. For although we are the GREATEST creatures, in intellect, and stuff like that, it is ANIMALS, that are the strongest creatures emotion wise. I mean, look at the absolute HELL animals go thru. Us humans treat them heartlessly. And yet the amazing thing is, LOOK AT THEM. I would worship a squirrel rather than the greatest MAN that ever lived. For they must go thru hell, and look at the tiny little things us humans cry and whine about, while it is an everyday thing for animals. And the amazing thing is, that animals DON'T HAVE A GOD! So if animals can survive without God, then surely we can!

[Melanie]

Metabee, no one said you had to believe what we say. You asked us about our opinions and beliefs and we have given them to you. Remember, this is not a debate forum. You asked us a question and we answered, we never said you had to believe the same things we do.

[ultimate sacrifice]

Actually, animals do have a God. The Creator of Heaven and Earth is the God of all, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one. God did not create animals with a free will. He did create mankind in his image with a free will. Animals are God's creation just as the earth and the "firmament there in." (book of Psalms)

You see, whether we believe in God or not...HE IS. And our belief or acknowledgement of him does not define his existence. It's such a complex concept to grasp, I agree. The Apostle Paul states that one day "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." (Philipians 2:10) Mankind is invited by the creator to participate in fellowship with him and experience eternity with him. We do not have to accept the invitation. We have choice.

True, humans have accomplished great things, yet we have perpetuated horrible things as well. Our Free Will allows us to do that. We are defined by our choices. Unfortunately, we have made some incredibly horrific ones through the ages.

[Benzo]

Human beings are physicallly weak but we have intelligence that makes us the strongest. Unfortunately, wisdom is more rare and that is why we do so many horrific things.

Back to first Metabee post. I think that if the resurrection exists, it is out of our reach to really know what it is. I would expect that place has no sense of time, that it would be like an extraordinary feeling that never ends and since there is no sense of time, it would be like becoming a living sun of hapiness.

I find comfort in praying, like I realise that my little life is nothing in that big universe. It helps me to put things into perspective. It helps me to be at peace with myself and it fills me with serenity (Eng?) and love. I think God exists, it's just that I don't fit in any religion. I might be worng, but praying has this effect on me, so I keep praying or I should say, I should pray more....

[Pastor Potter]

I'm a Christian because I'm aware of failure and deficiency in my life. I'm not aware of all of it, but I'm aware of enough of it to be devastated and I don't think I could make it in life if I didn't know that God loved me and forgave me. That He forgave me of my sins and failures and deficiencies and that He loved me so that my relationship with Him is not based on performance, but on His kindness.
As an Athiest, I don't want God to protect me. To have God looking over me sounds like a sign of weakness.I know this isn't a debate thread, but that is a blatent contradiction. You believe that having God look over your shoulder is a sign of weakness, but then you say you don't believe in God. Hmm. Personally I have no problem with weakness. Weakness is a very natural state of humanity. We all die and there is nothing we can do about it. I can see how if you are an atheist, weakness is something to be feared, but to me it's the exact opposite. My weakness is a constant reminder to me that God is in control and that is reasurring because He is a heck of a lot better at His job than I am at mine.

[LewsTherin]

Well, I do not find comfort in religion, you can never find comfort in a religion. Religion is a killer, something that makes you cold, uncaring, and bitter. You live by rules that slowly break you. I do not consider myself religious, because Christianity is not a religion.

I find comfort in God. I find comfort in the knowledge that no matter how badly I mess up, He still has a way to turn it all around and make something good out of it. I find comfort in the knowledge that He loves me, not because of my personality or the good stuff I do or how I look, but simply because of who I am. I find comfort in the knowledge that I can put my future in His hands, and in so doing, know that my future is in far better hands than my own. I find comfort in God because I know that He has my best intrests at heart and that through Him I can become a better person.

Metabee asked the question: why would we want to do it all again? Firstly, that's not ressurection, that's reincarnation. We are not going to do it all again, we are simply going to continue what we started. Heaven starts here on Earth. As for what we'll do in Heaven; I dunno, but I don't believe we're going to sit around and play harps for all eternity. I think we'll work, study, pretty much everything we do here but with one difference: Heaven will be what the Earth should have been (remember that God refers to a New Earth). As for eternity: time will cease to exist and hence will have no meaning. There will be no past, present or future. When God named himself in the OT he said; "I am." That pretty much sums it up. He is, and in Heaven, everything will simply be.

[Trilhas]

No matter what science says or doesn't say, everything had to start with something and that something is God. God isn't just the Cretor, He is the Sustainer. He's what keeps you alive. According to Islam, our lives have indeed been mapped out for us, but we can greatly alter them by our deeds. Good deeds can ward off misfortunes, bad deeds can cause misfortunes. I agree that religion is like a comfort, a support a helping hand when the whole world has turned away from you. I, myself, have learned to relate all my problems and wishes to God, because He is the only One who can answer my prayers. To know that there is someone who is always there for you, no matter who you are, where you are or what you are is a real comfort.

[Tarawyn]

I'm not religious anymore, but I understand how people find comfort in it, because at times I find myself missing some of that comfort. It's a comfort to that you're really here, know who you are and why you're here, know that you matter, and know that someone is looking out for you. With me, I don't think it was losing religion that made me lose those comforts, but growing up. I still have some of them, though, when I'm at my lowest. I only see it when I want to see it, but if God isn't supporting me, than the people right here and right now are.

[TMRiddle_Peeler]

Yes, I know that, but think about it. ETERNITY. I don't find comfort in death because I think I'll goto heaven, I find comfort in death because I know, that after decades and decades, of this lond road, this fight, this journey, we call life, that at long last, my great journey is over, the fight is complete, that I no longer have to pay my bills, that I have changed the lives of those who have crossed my path, and that after all this, I can do just one thing. Rest. To know that I would have to simply think, ETERNALLY, is terrible.

Ah, that's basically the opposite of me :)
I'm terrified of dying and I totally wish I could go on living forever. If there was a way to have eternal life in this world I would take it, in an instant. The world is so incredible and awe-inspiring there's no way I could ever fit everything I want to do and see into a single lifetime. I've seen eternity and it's absolutely insane. And I totally see how it can be frightening, but right now I'm just way more scared of dying.

[FlyingPhoenix]

I'm a christian and I do believe in god but not for comfort or because I did believe in eternity of life, what I don't do.
I do it because Its like I Know I'm not alone as If something let say god is there and he wouldn't let me alone. I mean in your heart alone. See Its like If I'm down I can't fall deeper because someone is catching me. Give me enough strength to go my way. I'm not selfish enough to think Its my own will what does this.
About Dead I do believe at the end of my days I will sleep in and maybe I dream or I don't dream but I will for sure never again wake up again.
Thats why I don't have fears from the dead I mean I go every day to sleep and its somehow something really nice thing to do.

[CicadaInvasion]

I don't find comfort. I find hope. Hope that there is somthing better. Comfort is not always attainable. Hope is available in every situation.

[Lincoln]

Wow, a lot of this thread makes me really sad.

I was going to comment on various things, but I imagine people would get upset and this section's not for debates so I'll refrain.

Suffice it to say that I find comfort in religion for various reasons, but that's not why I'm religious. Frankly, I believe my religion to be true and it wouldn't matter if it weren't very comforting. I find comfort in the knowledge that I'll be able to spend eternity with the ones I love, learning and growing spiritually. I find comfort in the thought that the things I do in this life have meaning. I find comfort in knowing why I'm here. However, I don't do it for that. I do it because I believe it's true, and I'm just thankful that the truth is comforting and that I have a loving Heavenly Father.

[Pegasus]

I just read the first post. I think I prefer the Spirit Division because it's not a battleground, it's just a place where we can talk and learn about each other. So here is my answer:
This isn't home. Home is in heaven. We came to earth to get a body and to be tested, and when our time here is over, we go home. My brother is there, as are all my family members back to Adam and Eve. There is no greater blessing than to be able to live forever with your family. It's not by any means boring, either--there's plenty of work to be done on the other side, and we'll be free from all the tribulations of this life.
Edit: Wow, I just read Lincoln's comment above mine. I couldn't have said it better.

[LunaGoldstein]

Well there's more than one religion than Christianity out there, with different traditions, expectations, rituals, and views of God. Don't bash all religion on the basis of just one religion.

In Judiasm I think a lot of that comfort comes from traditions and rituals, knowing that you have a connection with people the world over, and also connecting you to your past and roots. At least that's what I got out of my upbringing, even if we're not a strictly religious family (ie we don't keep kosher) we do follow certain traditions that give a sense of structure. But no matter what your religion is, there IS a sense of comfort derived from the belief in a higher power, no matter what the manifestation. It seems like alot of this hostility towards religion stems from looking at abstract concepts in concrete, human terms. If there is an eternal life after death in some form, I doubt that we'll have our "human" mind, if that makes any sense. There are so many things that the human brain can't really wrap it's head around, and that's not being cynical or insulting are intelligence, it's just fact that our brains have limitations.

[Pegasus]

Our brains definitely have limitations. That's a good point. I believe that the resurrected body--the one we will have for eternity-- is much more "advanced", for lack of a better word.

[Writing_Goddess]

I don't really have a religion. I'm one of those people who doesn't fit into any of the boxes atheism included. There are days I believe in God and then there are days where I depise religion with a passion for all the terrible wars it has caused throughout history. I'm actually beginning to think Buddism might be the religon for me. I'm starting to slide towards it. Buddism seems like such a peaceful religion. I also believe in reincarnation. Reincarnation is not a bad thing in my eyes. Life is not something to be feared. I love my life. I think the world is a beautiful place. In my eyes, when I die, I will come back. It is my choice. I don't know if God exists. I don't know why I believe in reincarnation.
I get more comfort out of believing the soul is eternal than believing the world was created by a god.

If I'm wrong than I wrong. I've given up trying to find out what is right and what is wrong. No one really knows. My sister is a devout Christan and drives me crazy alot of the time. She's naive and young. She looks to religion to fullfill the lack of friends she has in her life.

[Rapunzel]

"How can you find comfort in religion?"
Have you ever been loved by somebody? I'm not talking about physical desire. Loved by your mother, or father, grandparents, spouse, child. Pure love. I assume most emotions are universal and have been experienced by pretty much everybody, so I think everyone knows what it feels like to be loved.
The greatest comfort I find in my religion is the love of God. Sometimes in hard times, sometimes in happy times, and sometimes just on a normal day when I don't expect it, I feel the love of God. It's a very powerful, very wonderful feeling, and there's no questioning what it is or where it comes from. My religion gives me that understanding of who God is, and how He communicates with us, and makes it possible for me to identify that feeling.

[danfan4ever]

I find comfort through religon because since i believe, I'm going to Heaven. And I try to live my life "good" because it is the right thing to do as a Christian. You are suppose to stand out as a Christian and you don't want to do that by doing 'bad' things...

[kjr99044]

You cannot find comfort in just hearing that God exists. Religion is not just something you do/say on weekends, it is a part of who you are -- it is what you do all day every day. Being honest, compassionate, tempering justice with mercy and forgiveness, doing good deeds, advocating education and healthy habits, and so forth.

God is not a God of confusion, but a God of order, and He does not tell one man one thing and another man another. He does not make every man the leader. He has a pattern of calling prophets -- good men who He trusts, to teach those who will believe and listen, so they can become as good as prophets. God organizes his people into bodies to hear his truth, and also he testifies to men's heart and mind the truth of the word by the power of the Holy Ghost (also called the Holy Spirit).

Religion is not just about feeling comfort. It is about helping others and learning what brings the most fulfillment and joy in life -- and I can honestly say I have had no greater joy and happiness than when I have lived by the principles God taught -- because those principles are designed by an all-wise God to increase people's happiness, peace, prosperity, joy, and potential.


Comfort comes thus: I know that God has a plan for me.

[Ilse]

You cannot find comfort in just hearing that God exists. Religion is not just something you do/say on weekends, it is a part of who you are -- it is what you do all day every day. Being honest, compassionate, tempering justice with mercy and forgiveness, doing good deeds, advocating education and healthy habits, and so forth.

God is not a God of confusion, but a God of order, and He does not tell one man one thing and another man another. He does not make every man the leader. He has a pattern of calling prophets -- good men who He trusts, to teach those who will believe and listen, so they can become as good as prophets. God organizes his people into bodies to hear his truth, and also he testifies to men's heart and mind the truth of the word by the power of the Holy Ghost (also called the Holy Spirit).

Religion is not just about feeling comfort. It is about helping others and learning what brings the most fulfillment and joy in life -- and I can honestly say I have had no greater joy and happiness than when I have lived by the principles God taught -- because those principles are designed by an all-wise God to increase people's happiness, peace, prosperity, joy, and potential.


Comfort comes thus: I know that God has a plan for me.


I don't believe in God the way you do. I have a different religion, but I do agree with most of the things you say about helping people. And I believe that when you have respect for the whole planet (people, animals, nature) you can make a difference. Everyone makes mistakes, but everyone can learn from them, and some people will never change, but when we all try to do our best, no matter what religion, age etc. the world can be a better place.
I don't see myself as a person who will do great things as a president or something, but I do believe I can make a change in my own little world of friends and people. And I think that can be just as important because when a lot of people change and help in little things, big things can be accomplished.
That comforts me.

A different example; when I don't feel good I can look out the window and watch the sky, listen to the birds outside and feel the wind in my hair. That can help me too.

I'll probably sound as a saint again with my little "respect talk", which I'm absolutely not, but it can really help me.