Has religiosity helped anyone?

[Mopey]

I feel a lot less lonely when I try to dwell into my faith. Its not even the notion of heaven or being tried, just the thought of some kind of divine companionship that gives me solace.

I feel pretty lonely otherwise, not that I don't have friends, but I have trouble socialising in that I cant stop speaking at times, and it disturbs me, as if Im not in control of myself and say what comes to my mind without really listening to other people. Some people like me for some things despite this, but I don't appreciate myself as a person with the way I behave.

 

[GeorgeJL]

For me spirituality gives me comfort. I astral projected last night and had an out of body experience. So I know that there is life beyond the physical.

 

[Quinlor]

Well my religion says tha suicide is forbidden. Then if I die for my own hands the church and priest will pray for my relatives not for me.
In others words, I going to hell!

 

[Raggas]

It helped a long time ago. I grew out of it. Jesus no longer comforts me, but I still believe in him.

 

[Pickles79]

It does help knowing someone is always there. I believe in Jesus and I like to hope he would forgive me if I ctb. My mom told me I'd go to hell if I do. So I can only hope.

 

[whatever1111]

it helped me destroy my life

 

[Jenna]

When I hit my absolute low I felt he comforted me more. The suffering didn't change but I didn't feel alone anymore. I don't believe it to be the unpardonable sin. That is just my opinion.

 

[silentsinger]

I am not religious but I'm hoping in a few days or so that when I pass I will be reunited with two people who I loved to bits. One being my mom, she was so special.

 

[Jen Erik]

Its not even the notion of heaven or being tried, just the thought of some kind of divine companionship that gives me solace.

Yeah, I can relate to this.

I don't participate in organized religion but I talk to 'god' a lot and it must provide some sort of reward or sense of comfort to me, because I keep on doing it.

 

[silentsinger]

Maybe it is down to religious teaching that I have a strong desire to share my love with people before i go. Love and empathy are things that I sometimes find there are not enough of in life.

 

[EddieAllenPoe]

Anymore, I would describe my faith as being a lot like a radio tuner. What I'm currently focused on believing depends on what I feel like tuning into. I've explored EVERYTHING. I mean everything. I love it all. Joel Osteen. Sadghuru. "The Law of Attraction". I'll listen to Catholic priests, Rabbis... Scientologists... Thich Naht Hanh or the Dalai Lama... Alan Watts. You name it, I've probably heard it. I even love listening to atheists like Christopher Hitchen's or Sam Harris debunk religion.

Do I believe everything I hear? No. Honestly, I couldn't tell you what I believe. It changes. But I love thinking about it. I guess you could say it's gotten me through a few days by keeping me entertained.

 

[dyingtodie]

Sing it @silentsinger! I agree completely, and feel likewise.

As a Krishna I think it is very important to be here to chant the holy names as I think this activity has a purifying effect on consciousness in a non-local or rather hyper-local way.

It helps me to chant mantra and is probably the foundation of my mental health. I haven't bought into the whole religion though and stories etc though I do find so far that they fit nicely with my psychedelic near death experiences...and really when I chant to Krishna...it's my way of honoring, thanking the beautiful divine realms I have been to in this life. I recommend to anyone dead set on ending their life to ingest a strong dose of psychedelics (safe, natural ones preferably, like 5 Grams of Mushrooms) - think of it as your last meal. You may just encounter something that allows you to live. But then, you may find your experience to be very incompatible with our broken society and life will prove further inconvenient and painful.

I've heard of studies of people meditating in mass in a public square and there being a strong correlation in the reduction of crime in the area.

 

[Identity]

It can help, that's been proven by many people, especially those who say that 'they found Jesus' and 'Jesus saved them'.

But if you're already 100% convinced that there is no such thing as a god or any type of spirits, then I am pretty sure you won't suddenly be able to force yourself to believe in them. At least that's what I've tried before and it never worked.

 

[Crystal Labeija]

Religiosity is why I ended up here. Growing up gay in a Muslim environment invites all sorts of emotional and physical abuse. I hate it when people say that religion can save you from suicide. Religion is the reason why I want to commit suicide. It fucked me up so badly.

 

[TAW122]

No I don't. Instead, I find comfort in the things that I can observe, prove (circumstantial or concrete, but usually concrete), and test. In other words, logic, reasoning, and science. This doesn't mean that I don't have emotions or seek some spirituality or mysticism in some way, I just don't believe in a "god". I do put some things or some people on a pedestal (in the past), but nowadays, I just appreciate what they have done for me (emotionally, spiritually) in the past and that alone is sufficient.

 

[NOT]

I feel like if there is a real God that makes sence to people, mainstream religion and mainstream science would hide him from us.

 

[Alan James]

I have never understood how faith in a man flying on a cloud who knows how to create magic can help me with something.

 

[NOT]

You cant seem to separate humans from this ideas.
It doesnt matter if you live in developed society or third world country.
I guess life is so hard and meaningless that people become delusional sooner or later.

 

[felix987671]

Being medically pretty hopeless, I met pastors and a spiritual woman. But I cant sense any sense.

 

[Going Home]

These days spiritually helps when people judge me as being lazy, stupid, try to silence me and convince me I'm worthless.

Some posters on this site put up some encouraging videos that help me to hold on.

 

[Ambie]

Well it hasnt necessarily helped me, but it has stopped me from committing suicide because of my fear of the afterlife is so strong. It has forced me to find new coping mechanisms instead of my thoughts going straight to -> suicide every time things go wrong

 

[been_there]

Religion's certainly well practiced at fear. All those huge atmospheric buildings and stories of fire and brimstone.

Though if it works for you that's all good.

 

[seekingoblivion]

It helped fuck me up

 

[deathenvoy]

I ma giving Christianity and faith in God one last shot. If it won't work, well... N is waiting.

 

[Scribble Fan]

Losing my faith is what finally triggered my depression.

Beforehand I thought everything would be OK as long as I prayed, repented, and went to heaven with my loved ones to spend an eternity in paradise. It helped me get through the hellscape this world is. Afterwards, there was nothing. No bliss, no feeling of protection, just anxiety, sadness, and mortality angst. It didn't help I was raised in an Evangelical way (luckily my churches weren't overtly toxic so I came out unscathed) so once my spirituality was gone the entire foundation of my life view went with it.

It's bizzare how personal everything became, how sensitive I grew. It was almost like my childhood abuse became visceral now that I knew it mattered, now that it was all I had. This existence had weight now, I hated it. Couldn't everyone see this is all we get? Why spend energy on destroying? What right do they have? At the same time, everything was purposeless. A timer on life meant in the end it's all futility.

Another suprise was I always felt guilty over being abused so now I couldn't repent to escape self blame and self hatred. No wonder I cracked, crushed under all my realizations.

The only spiritual relic I keep is a vague suspicion of reincarnation. It holds me from suicide because if I just pop out again after intentionally dying, what was the point of that then? I'm still pretty certain I'll get to enjoy a glorious amount of void when I pass though.