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Deleted member 12723
I really hope that this thread aids in the healing of many people here. With abuse being a common background it should prove valuable.
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Atheist unite!!
- Post starter Chiqui
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Deleted member 37474
I agree with you. (My personal belief is Christian based). I was turning away because I was horrified by the way religion affects people. I have been disgusted by the murders on earth in the name of religion. And on a personal level, found it hurtful that when I stopped going to church, it is like no one from my church noticed. My whole life I have mostly felt a personal relationship with God, but questioned his existence off and on and had pulled far far away the last 6 years. Most recently, though, I have found that having a personal relationship with God is important to me and helps in healing my spirit. The part I couldn't fix on my own. And "the physical church" is not the answer. It is uniting with other people that connect with God. And reading and praying. I like to also incorporate concepts from other religions/belief systems. And the people connection that @Deadman mentioned. My cousin belongs to a church that unites all religions including atheism. I think it would be cool to belong to something like that.
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Deleted member 41318
Praying, rather organizing one's thoughts, seems pretty universal, also some kind of faith even superstition. The last mention I was surprised to find myself somewhat more prone to. Seems most of religion in the posts are ones where the membership is at a mission to spread the word which, no matter my thoughts, ought to truly find peace before attempting to arrange the minds of people they don't know. Without so much getting into it, whatever helps get through a crisis, only to open myself to the more surreptitious of buying into new age.
Upon reading the OP thought, 'this description is very much like desensitization therapy, only as a therapy this is practiced in a tank that kind of suspends one's weight in a laying down position in a chamber.......whatever else is involved I don't know.
The amount of people who succumbed to religion later in life is close to about astronomical and NRA affiliations for further sense of identification with might equals right. The humanistic viewpoint was the stronger choice in past years, but as the commander-in-chief denies global warming, a wrench is thrown into faith in man. Take Care, and find your way to better times. Thanks for sharing.
Upon reading the OP thought, 'this description is very much like desensitization therapy, only as a therapy this is practiced in a tank that kind of suspends one's weight in a laying down position in a chamber.......whatever else is involved I don't know.
The amount of people who succumbed to religion later in life is close to about astronomical and NRA affiliations for further sense of identification with might equals right. The humanistic viewpoint was the stronger choice in past years, but as the commander-in-chief denies global warming, a wrench is thrown into faith in man. Take Care, and find your way to better times. Thanks for sharing.
Tornadic Thoughts
VIP Member
Even the word pray gives me the creepy crawlies, although I know it's most often expressed with the kindest of intentions, it will be forever jaded in my mind. I guess being preyed upon by those who so strongly advised me to pray harder to be saved and such is where that connection comes in. Who was praying for the prey during the repeated acts of violation, I wonder? Gave a whole new meaning to laying their hands upon me to try to "heal" me. f*ckers.
My religious experience was actually what helped me to survive my trauma - the people in my church were very supportive. However, I ended up temporarily becoming an atheist anyway due to my analysis of theology.
When I stopped believing in God, it was a huge paradigm shift. It was really weird to adjust to the idea that God was not controlling the environment. I also went through the stages of grief. It was after all, a loss of a what I perceived as a relationship.
For you, even if you did not like God when you believed in him, it is still a major paradigm shift and could be experienced as a loss. In a similar way, it was a difficult time for me when my abuser (who was not religious) died. In a way, the world felt safer, but it still shook me to hear that he had died.
This is a really sticky, complex situation for you to unravel because not only do you no longer believe, but your previous belief was entangled in trauma. I wish I could give you more insights into your specific situation.
As far as how to adjust to the new existence without God belief, it was strange at first. I was terrified the first time I got lost driving somewhere. Usually I would have gotten comfort from praying, but there was no one to whom I could pray. I ended up getting help from some kind strangers. It was an ahh ha moment for me which led me to become a secular humanist. I decided that what I had previously perceived as God, was actually the kindness of other people.
Your experience will be totally different because God was likely something different to you.
Something that you will grapple with is how your new disbelief will affect your feelings of safety in the world. Does the world feel safer now or more dangerous to you? It may also impact the way you view and trust people - though most of us with PTSD have trust issues. You will also need to figure out how to navigate social situations when religion inevitably comes up, especially around the holidays.
I hope this was of some help. My situation was much different than yours. Feel free to ask any additional questions. Just for full disclosure, I am no longer an atheist, but I still kind of identify with atheists because becoming an atheist helped me to get in touch with my true self on some levels.
When I stopped believing in God, it was a huge paradigm shift. It was really weird to adjust to the idea that God was not controlling the environment. I also went through the stages of grief. It was after all, a loss of a what I perceived as a relationship.
For you, even if you did not like God when you believed in him, it is still a major paradigm shift and could be experienced as a loss. In a similar way, it was a difficult time for me when my abuser (who was not religious) died. In a way, the world felt safer, but it still shook me to hear that he had died.
This is a really sticky, complex situation for you to unravel because not only do you no longer believe, but your previous belief was entangled in trauma. I wish I could give you more insights into your specific situation.
As far as how to adjust to the new existence without God belief, it was strange at first. I was terrified the first time I got lost driving somewhere. Usually I would have gotten comfort from praying, but there was no one to whom I could pray. I ended up getting help from some kind strangers. It was an ahh ha moment for me which led me to become a secular humanist. I decided that what I had previously perceived as God, was actually the kindness of other people.
Your experience will be totally different because God was likely something different to you.
Something that you will grapple with is how your new disbelief will affect your feelings of safety in the world. Does the world feel safer now or more dangerous to you? It may also impact the way you view and trust people - though most of us with PTSD have trust issues. You will also need to figure out how to navigate social situations when religion inevitably comes up, especially around the holidays.
I hope this was of some help. My situation was much different than yours. Feel free to ask any additional questions. Just for full disclosure, I am no longer an atheist, but I still kind of identify with atheists because becoming an atheist helped me to get in touch with my true self on some levels.
I have a faith and it is very important and sustains me. But I do not confuse faith with religion as religion is an invention of man designed to control and manipulate every bit as politics often does with catastrophic results
lostforgottensoul
VIP Member
A bit. I grew up in a cult. Called Christanity, "god said..." but was modeled after many different well known cults I believe. Had their own "bible", beliefs, rituals, punishments.
That all aside, I am a mix. Early strict christanity, the cult, a christian yourh center, later christian influence, and now my dad, the preacher's son, strict christanity along with his side of the family, and then my own research and knowledge. I believe in science but then "god" creates science. Caused the big bang. Etc. So I am a mix of huge confusion.
Actually, the big bang theory is not support by quantum physics. The current models of the origins, or should I say non origins, of the universe make so much more sense to me. But yeah, the big band theory has pretty much been disproved by science.
Tornadic Thoughts
VIP Member
Speaking of religions in general and the followings they acquire, science tends to be one within itself, with all those peer reviewed works often being viewed similarly to the bible. At least that how it feels to me, personally, in some arenas I've been immersed in. Yes, there can be great value in some of it, but it can be taken to the same extremes and cause just as much, if not more harm, depending on who is delivering it. Belief systems can wreak a lot of havoc, regardless of the vein their in, it seems.
I'm not sure scientists view it the same way. The fastest way to gain recognition as a scientist is to dispute the orthodoxy and prove your point of view. Science is a process, not a belief system.
Tornadic Thoughts
VIP Member
Right. Which is why I carefully stated it the way I did below. Specifying if taken to extremes and depending on who is delivering it. The science itself isn't a belief system, but the way some present it, it can certainly come across in that manner.
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