Does Atheism provide peace of mind to its adherents?

[dgirl1986]

i just spoke to a muslim who admitted me he won't speak his heart because he is afraid that if he does than god will put him to test to see if he is sincere.
i don't call it "peace of mind" i call it "living under a dictatorship".

The only religion that temporary gave me "peace of mind" was paganism...

 

[dgirl1986]

Does belief in the existence of cancer provide peace of mind to cancer-believers?

...what

 

[paarsurrey]

There are atheists who find no peace of mind and others who do. For instance, B. Russell had an existential crisis when he realized the ultimate pointlessness of the Universe and our conquers. Our highest achievements will be forever lost when the universe decays in a cloud of boring gas. It will be like nothing ever happened.
I don't see it this way. My newly acquired nihilism gives me actually a warm and cozy feeling, for some reason I cannot explain.
I also agree with Dawkins when he says that the fact that we will soon meet our final annihilation makes us the lucky ones. At least we lived, which seems, prima facie, better than not having lived at all. I am not sure it is a rational argument, but it sounds good.
So, it depends. But I agree that is not everybody's cup of tea.
Ciao
- viole

Atheism makes no claim that it gives peace of mind.
Did B.Russell or Dawkins claim that they had achieved peace of mind?
Anybody, please
Regards

 

[LuisDantas]

Atheism makes no claim that it gives peace of mind.
Did B.Russell or Dawkins claim that they had achieved peace of mind?
Anybody, please
Regards

You must realize that this line of arguing looks quite dishonest.

 

[Ouroboros]

Atheism makes no claim that it gives peace of mind.
Did B.Russell or Dawkins claim that they had achieved peace of mind?
Anybody, please
Regards

That's true. Atheism doesn't make any claim about peace of mind, however, a famous atheist Sam Harris claims meditation can.

 

[paarsurrey]

That's true. Atheism doesn't make any claim about peace of mind, however, a famous atheist Sam Harris claims meditation can.

Meditation is not a part of Atheism. Is it? Please
Regards

 

[Ouroboros]

Meditation is not a part of Atheism. Is it? Please
Regards

Agree. It doesn't, but it answers why atheists can find peace of mind from an atheistic practice.

 

[Mackerni]

I've heard atheism used as a "piece of mind" by atheists. Not atheists on this site, apparently. They tend to have arguments like, "I know I only have one life, so I'm going to live it to its fullest." "Not believing in an overseer gives me security." People who would naturally be dystheists (theists who believe God is evil) are comforted by their otherwise disbelief in God.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Atheism makes no claim that it gives peace of mind.
Did B.Russell or Dawkins claim that they had achieved peace of mind?
Anybody, please
Regards

1. Atheism makes no claims.
2. Atheists make claims. It's possible for an atheist to claim peace of mind.
3. Anyone claiming peace of mind (whether theist or atheist) is speaking in relative terms. No-one has objective peace of mind. It's a nonsense.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Meditation is not a part of Atheism. Is it? Please
Regards

Name something that IS part of atheism...heck, you don't even need to capitalise the word...

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Also, the Bible says that you shall fear God. That's not having peace either. The only religion that I suspect promotes inner peacefulness is Buddhism, and in particular the kind that's atheistic.

Meh...I agree with the thrust of your point. As I said earlier, peace of mind is a relative term anyway.
But the word 'fear' in a biblical sense doesn't quite mean 'scared' in the sense this might suggest.

 

[Revoltingest]

I've heard atheism used as a "piece of mind" by atheists. Not atheists on this site, apparently. They tend to have arguments like, "I know I only have one life, so I'm going to live it to its fullest." "Not believing in an overseer gives me security." People who would naturally be dystheists (theists who believe God is evil) are comforted by their otherwise disbelief in God.

It has given peace of mind to some atheists I know.....to the
ones who grew up with a religion which caused them distress.
Switching to atheism relieved this.
But for me, who never knew faith, atheism provides nothing.
It varies from person to person.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

It has given peace of mind to some atheists I know.....to the
ones who grew up with a religion which caused them distress.
Switching to atheism relieved this.
But for me, who never knew faith, atheism provides nothing.
It varies.

This kinda matches with what I mean by it not giving me peace of mind, but also not giving me cognitive dissonance.
The lack of that stress then provides relative peace, I guess.

 

[Parsimony]

...what

It's meant to parallel how senseless the OP is: he says that a belief which does not give peace of mind is a failed worldview, implying the beliefs which give peace of mind are the only true beliefs. Hence, if belief in cancer doesn't provide peace of mind, then by his logic, cancer doesn't exist.

 

[LuisDantas]

Meditation is not a part of Atheism. Is it? Please
Regards

That is an interesting question to ask, because it does in fact help clarify the matter.

No, meditation is not a part of atheism. Not having a belief in God nor making a point of attempting/pretending to hold one is the whole of atheism.

So atheism really "does" nothing when it comes to peace of mind except get out of the way, which is why it is advisable for peace of mind for many or most people when compared to theism.

At least, if we are talking about Abrahamic-styled theism as opposed to Dharmic-style. There is a world of difference between being raised to fear the capricious, arguably tyranical, sadistic and insane God that might throw the kafir to Hell or finding inspiration in the image of Tara / Balder / Shakti / Amaterasu / whatever. Or even in Jesus or Allah, although I could still hardly consider advising people to seriously consider such an imminently corrupted and corruptible concepting of God as that of the Christian Bible or of the Qur'an.

To a very large extent, it is Christianity and Islam that make atheism necessary, both as an concept and most of all as a practice (more of an outspoken activity really). Have you ever realized that? Accepted that to any degree?

So no, meditation and other activities or stances that are conducive to peace of mind are not "part of atheism", even conceivably. But they sure as Tartarus are enabled by atheism to the point of making outspoken, combative atheism very much advisable for any largely Christian or Muslim communities that find peace of mind at all desirable. "We" fix your damage, quite literally.

Disagreeing with that is, quite frankly, naive at the very best.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Meditation is not a part of Atheism. Is it? Please
Regards

Meditation can be a way of finding peace of mind, but it doesn't require a belief in God. Fortunately.

 

[viole]

Atheism makes no claim that it gives peace of mind.

Again, it depends. Some might find it suboptimal risking to spend eternity in hell. Or even heaven.

Anyway, a theist is not in much better shape, even if god existed, if she thinks about it. Chances are, she is believing in the wrong god.

Did B.Russell or Dawkins claim that they had achieved peace of mind?

I have no clue. Dawkins does not give the impression of being desperate or depressed.

For what concern me, i confidently claim that I have peace of mind. Not necessarily because of my strong atheism, but not in spite of it, either. The existence or absence of God does not seem to influence my mental states. Maybe, I am a little more at peace since I deconverted. Perhaps.

It all boils down to the following question: do you give priority to what gives you peace of mind or to what is true?

Ciao

- viole

 

[Ouroboros]

Meh...I agree with the thrust of your point. As I said earlier, peace of mind is a relative term anyway.
But the word 'fear' in a biblical sense doesn't quite mean 'scared' in the sense this might suggest.

Except in Mt 10:28 "Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
And Lk 12:5 "But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him."
Sounds like threats, and suggests to not be afraid of regular people, but be afraid of God in the form of fear because he can not just kill you, but also torture your soul for eternity.

When I was a Christian, I was always bothered by the thoughts that God might send me to Hell, that I had not pleased him or that I had sinned somehow in a way that I couldn't remedy. I was never in peace in my mind, soul, or thought in all those 30 years. But, when I turned atheist, I could finally let go of those fears and my mind was liberated. That's what I consider peace of mind in my case.

 

[paarsurrey]

That is an interesting question to ask, because it does in fact help clarify the matter.
No, meditation is not a part of atheism. Not having a belief in God nor making a point of attempting/pretending to hold one is the whole of atheism.
So atheism really "does" nothing when it comes to peace of mind except get out of the way, which is why it is advisable for peace of mind for many or most people when compared to theism.
At least, if we are talking about Abrahamic-styled theism as opposed to Dharmic-style. There is a world of difference between being raised to fear the capricious, arguably tyranical, sadistic and insane God that might throw the kafir to Hell or finding inspiration in the image of Tara / Balder / Shakti / Amaterasu / whatever. Or even in Jesus or Allah, although I could still hardly consider advising people to seriously consider such an imminently corrupted and corruptible concepting of God as that of the Christian Bible or of the Qur'an.
To a very large extent, it is Christianity and Islam that make atheism necessary, both as an concept and most of all as a practice (more of an outspoken activity really). Have you ever realized that? Accepted that to any degree?
So no, meditation and other activities or stances that are conducive to peace of mind are not "part of atheism", even conceivably. But they sure as Tartarus are enabled by atheism to the point of making outspoken, combative atheism very much advisable for any largely Christian or Muslim communities that find peace of mind at all desirable. "We" fix your damage, quite literally.
Disagreeing with that is, quite frankly, naive at the very best.

First of all one has wrongly understood G-d of Quran.
Secondly Quranic heaven and hell are wrongly understood.
Quran does not mention of any Abrahamic religions of that Islam is a branch. Quran is inclusive of what are said to be non-Abrahamic religions.
Quran does not accept Trinity as a truthful concept of Christianity.
Meditation is part of all the revealed religions, the forms of meditation could be different, but the essence is the same.
Atheism does not claim to give peace of mind, it cannot rationally claim it, it is a negative world view and its existence is dependent on belief in G-d. If G-d exists then only Atheism could, if there is no God, there is no Atheism. Atheism is hollowness, one could only believe in it rationally if one does no believe in existence of one's own self.
Atheism may only superficially relieve one's stress, it does not cure the real human problems.
Regards

 

[Ouroboros]

If G-d exists then only Atheism could, if there is no God, there is no Atheism.

Sorry, but that doesn't follow. It's non-sequitur.

People don't believe in Santa Claus. That doesn't mean Santa Claus must exist for the non-believers in Santa Claus to exist. God can be non-existent and atheists exist, because that would just mean that they're right!