Should i believe a lie if that makes me happier?

49 Comments

I'm an atheist, so I don't believe in Heaven. However, I'm beginning to have serious doubts. I REALLY don't like the thought of death being the end. I would like for there to be a Heaven, because that would make me SO MUCH happier. At the same time, however, I think there JUST ISN'T one. So I guess my question is: should I choose the lie which would make me VERY happy, or the awful reality which obviously won't?

Please say why you think so.

Choose the lie that will make me MUCH happier. 34
Choose the AWFUL reality 45
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Comments ( 49 )
  • assh0le
    12 years ago

    If you KNOW it's a lie, you'll never truly be able to believe it.

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  • Frosties
    12 years ago | pl

    But the reality of there being no heaven isn't awful. It means you can cherish the life you do have. It makes it more precious.

    You could rephrase your question as: "Should I enjoy what I have or live in denial hoping for something I don't know is true?"

    Enjoy what you have.

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    • Jan_Zondernaam
      12 years ago

      "But the reality of there being no heaven isn't awful. It means you can cherish the life you do have. It makes it more precious."

      But what if life hasn't worked out for you? Wouldn't it be great then if there WAS an afterlife?

      "You could rephrase your question as: "Should I enjoy what I have or live in denial hoping for something I don't know is true?"

      Couldn't you do both? Enjoy what you have AND hope for an afterlife also?

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  • Blue_Velvet
    12 years ago

    You'll know if it's a lie or not when your day has come and not before.

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  • Living4Him
    12 years ago

    I know other people have said this already but I also say, You cant make yourself believe in something that you dont! Its easier to say than it is to think about though..
    Belief is in some way..not our choice. If it was, you wouldnt be asking this question. We would all be able to, without doubt, choose what we believe. We all kind of just know what we believe without thinking about it too much.
    The problem with belief is that there is no proof! Everyone wants proof and the fact is, when it comes to religion, there are alot of things that we will probably never understand or be able to prove.
    So believe what you believe! Because in reality..you really dont have much of a choice.

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    • Jan_Zondernaam
      12 years ago

      Hmm, food for thought, although I must comment on one thing:

      "So believe what you believe! Because in reality..you really dont have much of a choice."

      You've convinced me that there is indeed not much of a choice when it comes to believing. Still, some beliefs are more valid than others. Surely, through education this can be fixed?

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      • Living4Him
        12 years ago

        Well, I guess that we have to separate between Facts and Beliefs.

        Some things we will never completely understand, and that is where belief comes in.
        But before we choose what we believe, we should get all the facts and undeniable information that we can. Otherwise, we will just be believing in things and have no knowledge of what else is out there to believe. So yes, through education I think that beliefs can sometimes be changed. The only problem is that most "education" on religion is based on other peoples beliefs, rather than actual facts.

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  • hopeful_chaos
    12 years ago

    Never lie to yourself. Ever.

    There are too many people who do that for you already.

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  • misca
    12 years ago

    It's impossible to choose to believe something. You either believe or don't.

    PRETENDING to believe is not believing.

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    • Alison89
      12 years ago

      This is what I was thinking.

      Also, it's not a lie.

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      • Jan_Zondernaam
        12 years ago

        "Also, it's not a lie."

        Do you have any PROOF?

        I would really like to go to Heaven...

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        • Alison89
          12 years ago

          Whether something is true or not doesn't make it a lie. A lie is the telling of something you know is not true. If I tell you something I believe, it's not a lie.

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          • Jan_Zondernaam
            12 years ago

            But shouldn't you only believe in something if the evidence merits belief?

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            • Alison89
              12 years ago

              I can't tell people how to process information or what information to believe.

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  • [Old Memory]
    12 years ago

    Depends. If you believe in heaven, then you have to believe in hell, and we've all committed most, if not all sins.

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    • Jan_Zondernaam
      12 years ago

      I don't think anyone has sinned so badly to deserve Hell. Think about it, what crime merits INFINITE torture? Even Hitler's crimes were finite, since he died in 1945. So, I don't believe there's a Hell (not an ETERNAL one at least).

      But you could say the same thing about Heaven I guess. What compassionate action merits INFINITE bliss? Even Mandela's compassion is finite, since he will eventually die. So, I don't believe there's a Heaven either (not an ETERNAL one at least).

      Still, it would be GREAT if there was...

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      • Lynxikat
        12 years ago

        That's a pretty big statement you're saying there- that not even someone like Hitler deserves eternal torture.

        He should at the very least suffer torture a year for every single death he caused- so 11 million years should be the very minimum amount of years that he gets tortured in hell, if there really is a hell :/

        I personally think some peoples' actions are so inhumane, so disgusting and evil, they deserve nothing more than the sharp end of the Devil's pitchfork for all eternity.

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        • Jan_Zondernaam
          12 years ago

          I believe the crime should fit the punishment. Hitler lived from april 20th 1889 until april 30th 1945, so I think he should be tortured for 56 years and ten days. Any more, and the punishment doesn't fit the crime anymore.

          Sadly, however, I don't think he'll ever get punished, since I think the notions of Heaven and Hell are quite unlikely. I wish they did though...

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          • Lynxikat
            12 years ago

            When you say "the crime should fit the punishment", I think you really mean the "punishment should last as long as the person lived", since Hitler did live for fifty-six years and ten days.

            Fifty-six years and ten days of torture isn't punishment enough for the murder of six million men, women and children who did nothing wrong but practice a certain religion, five million more for not fitting Hitler's view of a "perfect" race, and possibly more if you're counting the civilians and soldiers who were killed by the Nazis.

            There ARE people evil enough that deserve nothing but an eternity of torture, and Adolf Hitler was one of them.

            You believe that the "crime fits the punishment"- so fifty-six years is enough torture for someone who killed eleven million people just because they were different? People who have done far lesser crimes have been sentenced to prison for far longer than that.

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            • Jan_Zondernaam
              12 years ago

              "When you say "the crime should fit the punishment", I think you really mean the "punishment should last as long as the person lived", since Hitler did live for fifty-six years and ten days."

              Yes. I think these two things are mutually exchangeable.

              "Fifty-six years and ten days of torture isn't punishment enough for the murder of six million men, women and children who did nothing wrong but practice a certain religion, five million more for not fitting Hitler's view of a "perfect" race, and possibly more if you're counting the civilians and soldiers who were killed by the Nazis."

              What is or isn't enough is very, very subjective. Personally, I do think 56 years IS EXACTLY enough. Anyway, the Christian and Islamic idea of eternal punishment is CERTAINLY bogus in my view.

              "There ARE people evil enough that deserve nothing but an eternity of torture, and Adolf Hitler was one of them."

              People like Hitler certainly deserve an EXTREMELY harsh punishment, no doubt about it. Not an ETERNAL punishment though, since his crimes weren't eternal either.

              You believe that the "crime fits the punishment"- so fifty-six years is enough torture for someone who killed eleven million people just because they were different?

              Yes, torture is potentially A LOT worse than killing.

              "People who have done far lesser crimes have been sentenced to prison for far longer than that."

              I know. But imprisonment is COMPLETELY different from torture.

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      • [Old Memory]
        12 years ago

        I'm not sure if there is or isn't. I do believe "INFINITE" torture is too much. Even people such as Hitler shou;ldn't have that long a punishment, because if such a plce like heaven was real, I'm sure if he was surrounded by love, he would turn in to a nicer person and regret what he had done.

        I agree with everything that you said, though.

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  • Just_feed_me_Troll_Meat
    12 years ago

    I dont understand why people cant just accept that you didnt exist before you were alive, you then existed for whatever amount of time you did, and then you die and thats it. Why the hell are we so arrogant that we think we should last forever?

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  • 1000yrVampireKing
    11 years ago

    No one really knows what happens after death.

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  • Emma27
    11 years ago

    Ahh but you are going to defeat yourself here. You admit that you don't believe so why force yourself to just for 'comfort'?

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  • [Old Memory]
    11 years ago

    Don't listen to theists or atheists. They both claim to know something that they can't possibly know. Neither side knows whether or not there is a god or what happens to consciousness after a body dies. The only "awful reality" you might want to accept is that you don't know. I don't think that's so bad though.

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    • Dad
      11 years ago

      aisnota, I'm wanting to reply to a more recent topic of yours, but I did want to clear up your misconception about atheists.

      Atheists do NOT claim that NO god exists, or no ever after.
      Atheists claim that there is a lack of evidence in any deity.
      That is all.

      Since its quite obvious that there IS a lack of evidence in any god (even you yourself agree to this) Then quite obviously we ALL should be atheists, intelligently and rationally speaking.

      Therefore, I hope you agree that you SHOULD listen to the atheists as they are the only ones telling the truth.

      Note: It would not be wise for you to debate this with me, as I'll just end up writing a page back to you, and it seems like such a waste of time, if you are what you state you are as intelligent.
      Preferably agreeing would help though ;)

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  • la_la_la_la
    12 years ago

    Hiya,

    You can't make yourself believe something if you don't. I wish all sorts of things could happen, but I know they never will.

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    • Jan_Zondernaam
      12 years ago

      Good response, thanks!

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  • Lynxikat
    12 years ago

    By believing a "lie", you're pretty much denying reality.

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    • Jan_Zondernaam
      12 years ago

      Yes, but what if that would make me happier?

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      • Lynxikat
        12 years ago

        You shouldn't believe in a lie and deny reality just because it "makes you happier".

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        • Jan_Zondernaam
          12 years ago

          Why exactly? Isn't happiness life's ultimate goal?

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          • Lynxikat
            12 years ago

            Happiness in REALITY is life's ultimate goal. Happiness while living in a lie isn't real happiness- it's ignoring the truth.

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  • Rhuarc
    12 years ago

    I deny reality and replace it with my own. Fuck the world and fuck all of IT'S lies.

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  • weinereater
    12 years ago

    You cannot change what you believe. I dont know if there is some supreme being or not but I highly doubt it. Nobody knows for sure, but all the facts point towards there not being one. I however want more than anything for there to be a god, but no matter how much I want something it does not and cannot effect my belief. I dont think you can choose what to believe.

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    • Jan_Zondernaam
      12 years ago

      Great response. Thanks!

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  • TerryVie
    12 years ago

    I understand your dilemna. If that involves that ultimately your existance will be futile. I hope for clinical immortality during my life time.
    Ya, people may say thats unlikely or i won't be able to afford it, but HEY, thats my straw. And to me, a hell of a lot more likely than heaven.

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