Are Atheists More Depressed than Religious People?

Nick · Post by **Nick** » 2002-10-14 11:15am

http://www.secularhumanism.org/library/ ... _20_4.html

Read the article before commenting. Don't just overreact to the topic title

This is a very interesting collection of articles:
http://www.secularhumanism.org/intro/dangerous.html

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2002-10-14 11:38am

Well, in my case, I'm much happier and secure now that I've ditched Christianity. It only served as a source of fear and guilt and a roadblock to reason. Becoming an atheist was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Solid Snake · Post by **Solid Snake** » 2002-10-14 11:45am

Yeah. I'm quite happy being an atheist. I almost comitted suicide back in the old days of Christianity.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2002-10-14 12:35pm

I suppose it is theoretically possible Atheists could be more "depressed" when they think about their impending death, but its better then being airheaded by thinking something special is going to happen when you die.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2002-10-14 12:43pm

It depends on how you define depression, doesn't it? Atheists don't have the silly Christian belief in a happy-happy-land that you go after you die, but they value their own lives more, and their self-esteem is not affected by the Christian doctrine of personal worthlessness and irredeemability (hence the need for the "grace" of salvation).

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the suicide rate is much higher among religious people than atheists, and that is a key determinant of depression.

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2002-10-14 12:50pm

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the suicide rate is much higher among religious people than atheists, and that is a key determinant of depression.

Yes well one has no Rosy outlook when one considers sucided as an Atheist

After all Death is the end(Why I push for human cloning thank you very much but I'd like to be hear come the Year 3000) so sucided is an end, an absoulte end

Unlike say a religious person facing deathwhere they have a promise of somthing more

salm · Post by **salm** » 2002-10-14 12:50pm

well, i used to be a lutheran protestant, at least on the paper ( i got out of church a couple of years ago and had to pay 25 marks).

as far as i can remember i have never in my life believed in god. i once made the neighbors girl cry at the age of 4 when i claimed that there´s no god before that the woman at kindergarden had told us about satan and that everyone would go to hell if they dont stick to the bible, and my parents told me that no body has ever seen the devil and that he therefor doesnt exist. so i used that "logic" on god and the girl went home crying.

what i want to say with that is that i cant speak out of experience when i say that it doesnt make you happier if you believe in god. but i dont think that that is the fact. i´m not depressed and none of my friends who are atheist are depressed either.

and since you cant chose what to believe it doesnt really make a difference either.

Graeme Dice · Post by **Graeme Dice** » 2002-10-14 01:17pm

Durandal wrote:Well, in my case, I'm much happier and secure now that I've ditched Christianity. It only served as a source of fear and guilt and a roadblock to reason. Becoming an atheist was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

You ditched Catholicism, not Christianity. The two are so unrelated that they should really be called two separate religions.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2002-10-14 01:20pm

Graeme Dice wrote:You ditched Catholicism, not Christianity. The two are so unrelated that they should really be called two separate religions.

No, he ditched both (unless you can look over Durandal's posts and somehow conclude that he still believes in the Christian God).

Arthur_Tuxedo · Post by **Arthur_Tuxedo** » 2002-10-14 02:49pm

I've always had clinical depression, and although it has gotten worse in the time since I've become an atheist, depression is progressive, and the two are completely unrelated. In fact, sometimes when I lie awake at night, I wonder what my views and outlooks would be like if I still bought into all that religious crap, and at those times, I feel like a truly free man. So, to answer the question, no, I don't think atheism is depressing, I think it's liberating.

C.S.Strowbridge · Post by **C.S.Strowbridge** » 2002-10-14 03:05pm

When I looked at this question for the first time I thought, 'Sure Atheists are more depressed. After all, ignorance is bliss.'

Cpt_Frank · Post by **Cpt_Frank** » 2002-10-14 03:35pm

salm wrote:well, i used to be a lutheran protestant, at least on the paper ( i got out of church a couple of years ago and had to pay 25 marks).

I thank god

that my parents are atheists so that I didn't have to pay anything for I was never member of a church. Btw, you seriously have to pay to get outta that club?

I'm not depressed or something. I like my life the way it is, even though I know that after death everything's over. Hell, life actually becomes enjoyable due to the fact you've only got a limited time here!

Iceberg · Post by **Iceberg** » 2002-10-14 03:39pm

Graeme Dice wrote:
Durandal wrote:Well, in my case, I'm much happier and secure now that I've ditched Christianity. It only served as a source of fear and guilt and a roadblock to reason. Becoming an atheist was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
You ditched Catholicism, not Christianity. The two are so unrelated that they should really be called two separate religions.

Dice, I'm going to have to beat you now.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2002-10-14 04:02pm

It's OK, Iceberg. Dice seems to have this undying need to contradict anything I post dealing with Christianity. I don't think he really means it; it's just a knee-jerk reaction, at this point.

I could have easily converted to a more liberal Christian denomination, such as the methodists. Instead, I simply looked at the religion as a whole and decided its beliefs were reprehensible; Catholicism just happens to be a bit more in-your-face about your personal worthlessness, inferiority and sinfulness than the other ones.

Graeme Dice · Post by **Graeme Dice** » 2002-10-14 04:19pm

Durandal wrote:It's OK, Iceberg. Dice seems to have this undying need to contradict anything I post dealing with Christianity. I don't think he really means it; it's just a knee-jerk reaction, at this point.

No, I really do mean it. Catholicism is polytheistic paganism inside a monotheistic Christian wrapper. It's close to Christianity, but only because the central tenets are the same. Can you really tell me that a saint isn't treated like another god when they can be prayed to and can perform their own miracles?

What I do think is that you need to get over yourself when it comes to religion.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2002-10-14 04:31pm

Heh, you'd be amazed at how many skillful evasions I heard back in high school for that.

"So, we've got three gods, right? Father, Son, Holy Spirit?"

"NO! We believe in ONE God! It's just that that one god has three parts, each of which are God."

"So ... if they're all God, then there are three gods, right?"

<continue ad infinitum>

But, Catholicism and other branches of Christianity share the main tenets. Catholicism does qualify as Christianity, but it assimilated a lot of pagan practices and beliefs to get where it is.

Iceberg · Post by **Iceberg** » 2002-10-14 04:43pm

Graeme Dice wrote:No, I really do mean it. Catholicism is polytheistic paganism inside a monotheistic Christian wrapper.

Don't bother asking me. I've only been Catholic my entire life, what the hell would I know? Nobody ever bothers asking a Catholic what the church teaches, because obviously the poor idiots can't read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is available at pretty much any Catholic parish or diocesan office.[/sarcasm]

It's close to Christianity, but only because the central tenets are the same. Can you really tell me that a saint isn't treated like another god when they can be prayed to and can perform their own miracles?

"prayers" to the saints are ALWAYS phrased, "Saint [insert name here], pray for us," not "Saint [insert name here], do this for us." We ask the saints in Heaven to intercede with God on our behalf, not to do God's work for him. Which even a cursory examination would reveal.

Example:

Hail Mary, Full of Grace
The Lord is with Thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.

The first part comes directly from the Gospel of Luke, the second part is a request for intercession, not a plea for direct action. Nothing more, nothing less.

What I do think is that you need to get over yourself when it comes to religion.

I think that about roughly 99% of the human race, regardless of their religion or lack thereof.

EDIT: Yes, I've grown extremely bitter about people who regurgitate idiotic lies as truth just because they can't bother to do any fucking research.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2002-10-14 05:40pm

I dont think Athiests are more or less depressed than anyone else.
Ive had my share of depression and its had nothing to do with a belief
in a higher power. Also, a lot of depression is based in chemical problem in the body.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2002-10-14 06:33pm

Why would praying to a saint make a difference? Either what you want is part of God's "Divine Plan," or it isn't. If what you're praying for isn't in God's Divine Plan, he won't give it to you. If it is in the Divine Plan, you'll get it anyway, regardless of whether or not you pray.

Iceberg · Post by **Iceberg** » 2002-10-14 07:25pm

Well, I've become fairly convinced that the Divine Plan is more like a Divine Outline that God threw together about five minutes before the game started some 20 billion years ago, and He's pretty much winging it as He goes along.

Shadow WarChief · Post by **Shadow WarChief** » 2002-10-14 08:10pm

I have a small question for those who don't think Catholocism is christianity:

Are you saying that in November 27, 1095, there were no christians in Europe?

Just put the date in a goole search and see what you get back...

salm · Post by **salm** » 2002-10-14 08:23pm

Shadow WarChief wrote:I have a small question for those who don't think Catholocism is christianity:

Are you saying that in November 27, 1095, there were no christians in Europe?

Just put the date in a goole search and see what you get back...

i think that the point is that catholics are christians but not all cristians are catholics.

Shadow WarChief · Post by **Shadow WarChief** » 2002-10-14 08:27pm

salm wrote:
Shadow WarChief wrote:I have a small question for those who don't think Catholocism is christianity:

Are you saying that in November 27, 1095, there were no christians in Europe?

Just put the date in a goole search and see what you get back...
i think that the point is that catholics are christians but not all cristians are catholics.

That's not the issue that GraemeDice brought up

You ditched Catholicism, not Christianity. The two are so unrelated that they should really be called two separate religions.

Arthur_Tuxedo · Post by **Arthur_Tuxedo** » 2002-10-14 09:10pm

Also, a lot of depression is based in chemical problem in the body.

If it's clinical, then it's 100% chemical and 0% mental. That's the worst thing is when you have every reason to be jumping for joy, and yet are down in the dumps.

Post by **Steve** » 2002-10-14 09:50pm

Iceberg wrote:Well, I've become fairly convinced that the Divine Plan is more like a Divine Outline that God threw together about five minutes before the game started some 20 billion years ago, and He's pretty much winging it as He goes along.

So.... God is essentially a high school-college student who was ill-prepared for his class exam?