Atheists. How many of you were depressed and unhappy?

I'd never let something like religion depress me but the people who followed that religion depressed me due to their judgment and close mindedness of my friends.

Now that i'm a semi pantheist (which if your a NORMAL pantheist is pretty much the same as atheism) i'm a lot happier because I don't have to fake myself anymore or my beliefs!

Good question.

I'm not exactly sure why you think that theists (or Christians? Bible-Believers?? I don't know your assumptions here) think that there are no good things in store for the atheist in this life. Indeed, if being an atheist led to only the sad things you describe, there would probably be even fewer atheists than there are now. The Bible itself makes clear that "the rain falls on the just and the unjust" -- and I'm not saying that atheists are unjust, I'm simply pointing out that that language in the Bible simply says that these blessings of life apply to EVERYONE. And the Bible also says that ANYONE who applies the various proverbs will find a good life from them. Thus, work hard, and you will probably have a reasonably good living. Be fair to others, and you will probably be liked. Value you family and you will have a good family life. The Bible talks of the contrasts that come with the consequences of the NEXT life.....and even some of the realities of old age for those who have ignored God in their lives. Anyway, if you are asking Bible believers, I would answer that we find nothing all that surprising about your life experience. Indeed, you have every possible choice to ignore God and await whether you are right or wrong in your choices. That is how life works. By the way, Fireball's attitude should not be considered the Christian response to your post. And most of us Christians are embarrassed by anyone who exhibits self-righteousness and discourtesy (both Christian and non-Christian). I consider your question a reasonable and appropriate one.

I wasn't depressed and unhappy, just unfulfilled. I never felt like I had the whole picture.

I still think there is a God of some kind, I just don't think it's got anything to do with the Bible or any other holy book. I don't think we're meant to know about the nature of God. Or the nature of the whole scheme of things.

servatis17: Catholics are Christians, and not NEARLY the strictest ones.

Actually, most of the time in religion when I was growing up, I was quite happy. Being ignorant of facts and just happily swimming along in a fantasy can do that to you. When I first began to find out that the fairy tales I'd been told weren't true, that *did* make me unhappy. Fortunately, I got over it pretty quickly, realizing that dealing head-on with reality beats living a fairy-tale any day.

Now I'm even happier than I was back when I was ignorant :)

Peace.

There is worth in some religions. The problem is there is a much huger percentage of stuff in them that is utterly worthless.

You're damn lucky you were raised Catholic and didn't get subjected to nonsense like speaking in tongues and the rapture and flopping on the floor having convulsions.

And to servatis17, who probably WAS raised that way...don't you know that Catholics are the first Christians?

I was never a follower of any religion, and wasn't either depressed or unhappy. I understood that I was an atheist as soon as I learned what the word meant.

I felt pretty much the same ways as a Christian as I do now as an atheist. Then again, I never really lived my life through the bible, I just believed in God. So it really didn't change much except my perception of how things came to be in the world.

I was depressed as in my late teens and early 20's but I don't think religion was the cause of that. I'd have to say that I had the standard guilt and persecution complexes though.

I'll admit that I wasn't, but that was largely to do with the fact that I was 11 years old. It's hard to be depressed when you've got a normal life at 11 years old.

I was depressed, too. The thought that no one is ever good enough for God was a little too much for my young mind to handle. I nearly killed myself.

:D Then I decided that living was a better form of revenge.