Verithrax

Step one could be "Stop praying and attending to church services"

girlwriter

Er...I just said that.

mike_decock

Step 12: Enjoy your new-found freedom. Relish in the diversity of life, cultures, thought, philosophy, history, science and any other subject that interests you. Think. Find new perspectives. Understand that no thought or perspective is evil, only actions have that potential. Enjoy every day as if it were your last. Life is too short to be unhappy.

Every day:
1) Laugh.
2) Learn something new.
3) Share a little laughter or knowledge with the people around you.

-Mike...

ieyeasu

Don't you think that's a little unfair? I mean, we may disagree with the world-view of theists, but to say that a) they are unhappy due to theism, or b) They don't laugh or share or learn is akin to theists saying: "Atheists are all depressed people because they hate god, and can't accept his support".

[part that makes only a little sense upon rereading]
Really, atheism is just part of one's philosophy, just as theism is. And while one's philosophy has an iterave effect on how you live, I'd say that the vast majority of theists have dis-connected from the most life altering parts of their theology. This has other effects--surely--I think that the dis-connection of thought and philosophy is a major sociatal problem--but to say that it occurs only to theists is shortsighted.
[/part that makes only a little sense upon rereading]

mike_decock

I partially agree with you, but I wasn't trying to imply that only atheists are happy, laugh, learn and share. It's in response to the notion many theists have that these things are impossible "without God".

There are many theists who are unhappy due to the theism. Especially in Christianity, where humans are defined as sinful, worthless creatures who need to be "saved", their theism can lead to a terrible cycle of self-loathing.

The other aspect I was considering is that many theists focus too much on the "next life" and don't relish "this life" as fully because of it. If you're too preoccupied with the destination, you miss out on the journey, which is really the best part.

-Mike...