Should I beleive

FranchisePlayer

I was just wondering lads do you ever feel being an athesit(I am one my self very irregular at the age of 15 was one since birth) but at Christmas I lost my to brother to Cancer and it sort of drove more even more not to believe in god but I really want to believe I'll see Tom again but I was just wondering
Have any of you had a bad experience in your life that made you think about stop being an atheist?

lostexpectation

FranchisePlayer wrote:

I was just wondering lads do you ever feel being an athesit(I am one my self very irregular at the age of 15 was one since birth) but at Christmas I lost my to brother to Cancer and it sort of drove more even more not to believe in god but I really want to believe I'll see Tom again but I was just wondering
Have any of you had a bad experience in you r life abd think about being an atheist?

what do you mean by this "I really want to believe I'll see Tom again" explain in detail.

FranchisePlayer

lostexpectation wrote:

what do you mean by this "I really want to believe I'll see Tom again" explain in detail.

Like in the sense that christians see people that have passed on and that everything I believe in as a man of science is wrong

karen3212

As I understand it, you feel it would be easier to believe you will see your borther again. Life must be very difficult for you just now, the only problem with the question as far as I am concerned is that I couldn't make my self believe anything. I think a person believes or doesn't whatever they believe. I'm not sure you can change beliefs by force. I'd say most of it, is accident.
Anyway as I see it, I am made of carbon and other molecules and atoms, and well although the sense of me will die and go forever, those molecules/atoms will be around somewhere. That's just my thinking on the subject anyway.
Sorry about your brother.

Dades

I'm fortunate enough so far not to have suffered a close loss that might test, or affirm my lack of faith. But I'd imagine it's completely understandable at a time like that to re-ask yourself the big questions.

I guess it's a bit like the red pill, blue pill choice. One will offer a degree of comfort with the help of a little self delusion, the other is less palatable but at least offers the truth and honesty to yourself.

Sorry about your bro'. Hang in there.

5uspect

FranchisePlayer wrote:

Like in the sense that christians see people that have passed on and that everything I believe in as a man of science is wrong

I think we would all like to see loved ones again. And there's no harm in hoping as much. But to say that something is absolute and you will definitely see them again is IMO wrong. You can still have hope and be scientific about the evidence of this cold materialistic world. There is nothing scientifically wrong in that. You can even go so far as to say that science cannot deal with spiritual matters (of course what spiritual means is up to the individual).

philologos

OP: regardless of what others are saying to you on this thread. If you are feeling a distinct desire to believe in something. Go ahead discover faith. You might find that it will help you combat other problems like this later on in your life.

Sangre

You also might find out that not dealing with problems directly is a bad thing.

FranchisePlayer

Yeah cheers lads for all the comments.
Before what happened to Tom I hated the mentatily of why are you not catholic? and do you think its cool not to believe in god and all that ****e but often people think that I'm an atheist because my dad is a scientist but he said to me I ever wanted to take up a faith he would support me a 100% and I hated the way parents over here would put their beliefs in their childrens heads from a very young age.
But back to me original post I have seen and heard a lot of things since my brother passed away such as Cries and even a figure of tom in his room but my scientific answer is that sometimes walls can record sounds and that my mind is playing tricks on me sometimes I don't know what to think.
Forgot to mention That Tom was also a member of Boards.ie he was Laguna

Asiaprod

FranchisePlayer wrote:

But back to me original post I have seen and heard a lot of things since my brother passed away such as Cries and even a figure of tom in his room but my scientific answer is that sometimes walls can record sounds and that my mind is playing tricks on me sometimes I don't know what to think.

Hi FranchisePlayer, really sorry to hear of your suffereing.
I would agree with the following posts

Sangre wrote:

You also might find out that not dealing with problems directly is a bad thing.

This is a fact, we all have to face our demons, we cannot run away from them, they just get bigger and hurt us more.

Jackass wrote:

regardless of what others are saying to you on this thread. If you are feeling a distinct desire to believe in something. Go ahead discover faith. You might find that it will help you combat other problems like this later on in your life.

I might have phrased it slightly differently, but what would you expect from a Buddhist:). There are many different paths out there. Just an idea. You might also post your experiences of this on the Spirituality Forum for a different take on it.

Tim Robbins

FranchisePlayer wrote:

Yeah cheers lads for all the comments.
Before what happened to Tom I hated the mentatily of why are you not catholic? and do you think its cool not to believe in god and all that ****e but often people think that I'm an atheist because my dad is a scientist but he said to me I ever wanted to take up a faith he would support me a 100% and I hated the way parents over here would put their beliefs in their childrens heads from a very young age.
But back to me original post I have seen and heard a lot of things since my brother passed away such as Cries and even a figure of tom in his room but my scientific answer is that sometimes walls can record sounds and that my mind is playing tricks on me sometimes I don't know what to think.
Forgot to mention That Tom was also a member of Boards.ie he was Laguna

That's a very tough one, Franchise Player and I sympathise with you. I am not sure anyone can tell you what or what not to believe in, it's just very personal. What works for one person won't for another. Hang in there and I hope things go ok for you. I am not a Buddhist and I am not a theist but I read this book recently and found it had some very interesting ideas in dealing with some of life's harder moments. I leant it to my Mother, (liberal Catholic) who thought the same.

The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living (Paperback)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Happiness-Handbook-Living/dp/0340750154/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/202-2785858-8991848?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181038108&sr=8-1

philologos

Asiaprod wrote:

I might have phrased it slightly differently, but what would you expect from a Buddhist:). There are many different paths out there. Just an idea. You might also post your experiences of this on the Spirituality Forum for a different take on it.

I didn't say exclusively Christian, I said go discover faith. Which could mean any faith. Of course I would be most interested if she chose the path of Christianity but, I wasn't trying to force anyone

Asiaprod

Jakkass wrote:

I didn't say exclusively Christian, I said go discover faith. Which could mean any faith. Of course I would be most interested if she chose the path of Christianity but, I wasn't trying to force anyone

No problem. I was not clear enough. I was pointing at the term regardless as it is so often misunderstood:)

JC 2K3

You have to stand back and think "will believing in God really make me happier".

Also, remember that Tom does still exist. His body may be gone, but what is a body but a vessel for a conscious mind? What you interpreted as Tom is all in your own head. You can still "talk to him" in your head in moments of reflection, you need not have to pray or believe in anything to do this. You need not believe that his "spirit" or "soul" still exists to have deep and meaningful thoughts about him.

Tar.Aldarion

No, nothing has made me want to reconsider not having a faith. I think it is nonsense, my friends or family dying won't change that. Sure I'd like there to be a nice cloudly afterlife but that's all it is, a want, that you feel more in times of need. I suspect the tug will get stronger as people get older and nearer death, as it would when somebody you love dies.
Good luck.

philologos

Asiaprod wrote:

No problem. I was not clear enough. I was pointing at the term regardless as it is so often misunderstood:)

Sorry Asiaprod, now that I think of it, it was quite an assumption.

Fanny Cradock

JC 2K3 wrote:

You have to stand back and think "will believing in God really make me happier".

That's hardly a valid consideration when discussing faith. We're not talking about buying a new car or going on a holiday, after all.

Franchise Player, as suggested, it may be a good time to explore your questions. I'm not going to start quoting scripture and at the same time produce a lump of wood claiming it's a piece of the 'True' Cross ala Ned Flanders. However, I would encourage you to consider the possibility that Christianity need not be synonymous with Catholicism.

JC 2K3

Fanny Cradock wrote:

That's hardly a valid consideration when discussing faith. We're not talking about buying a new car or going on a holiday, after all.

In this case, it is a valid consideration, especially if you read my whole post and noted the context of that statement.

Essentially what the OP seems to be looking for is comfort, hope and to be at peace with himself.

This can be achieved through personal reflection, rememberence of his brother, rememberence of the impact his brother had on his life and remembering that although gone in body, his brother "lives" on as the memories he imprinted in the minds of those whom he knew.

None of which requires a God, and I think you'll find my comment valid in this context.

Fanny Cradock

Then I feel you misunderstand the core principle of many faiths. Speaking in broad terms about Christianity, the main object of it is not to be happy, rather it's to enter into a relationship with Jesus. That relationship in itself brings comfort and strength, but not necessarily happiness. Indeed, it's very possible that the result would be quite the opposite at times. I would like to think that the benefits of such a relationship far outweigh the hardships, though.

Yes, it is very possible that the OP will find solace within himself. I'm not arguing that fact. I merely suggested that with such profound questions regarding belief, it may be a good time to explore other options. As a Christian, I would be touting my own faith in the sincere belief that FranchisePlayer would find the answers he is looking for there. Again, just to reiterate, there is an ocean's depth to Gods love, something not always evident in some churches. Finding the right one is key to growing in it (this is where I should be taking more of my own advice). I digress...

We are not going to agree on this, and I don't want to drag this thread off it's course, so I think I'll leave it there.

Dades

Fanny Cradock wrote:

We are not going to agree on this, and I don't want to drag this thread off it's course, so I think I'll leave it there.

There is a bigger discussion there (new thread?), but it's right to leave it at that here. We don't need FranchisePlayer's original sentiments getting lost in another spirited, but tangental debate.

lostexpectation

FranchisePlayer wrote:

But back to me original post I have seen and heard a lot of things since my brother passed away such as Cries and even a figure of tom in his room but my scientific answer is that sometimes walls can record sounds and that my mind is playing tricks on me sometimes I don't know what to think.
Forgot to mention That Tom was also a member of Boards.ie he was Laguna

Laguna

if you've been brought up an atheist what makes you link those experiences to religion or god, are they not sort of memories...?, its the cliched answer to say laguna will be remembered but that is significant.