What advice would you give to god-believers who might wish to escape from their fantasy beliefs?

Question

How can they successfully turn their lives around and accept the foundations of reality-based belief?

Answer 1

Don't lose your nerve. As a one-time person of faith, I can attest that the transition phase can be painful. It's a kind of withdrawal. You'll be filled with doubts and even depressed for a time, but you'll come through to the other side and be happier for it. Follow the truth where it leads you--out of the darkness of fearful superstition into the light of compassion and reason. Most of all, remember that religion does not equal morality. You can live a moral, useful, and fulfilling life as a nontheist. The truth will set you free.

Answer 2

If someone BELIEVES something it becomes real for them and is no longer a fantasy. As to the question--someone wanting to change their beliefs in a fundamental way should do a lot of reading, soul searching, and talk to others about their experiences. People change what they believe everyday. That is perfectly okay! "Reality based belief" doesn't compute for me, however. The reason being, what someone believes in doesn't necessarily have to be based in reality. That is up to each person to decide--and that's okay too! Good question.

Answer 3

i don't see why everyone here equates believing in God with being stupid or devoid of reason.
not everyone who believes in God is a Christian, let alone a fundamental one.
Einstein, for example, believed in God. he was also a scientist and not an idiot (also not a Christian, no surprise there really)

to those, and i do acknowledge this is the majority, who have taken the "final lobotomy" and refuse to acknowledge truth and fact... just think. stop listening to what everybody else tells you and just listen to urself and your own conscience.
if God truly exists, it's when you are alone you are most likely to find Him/Her, not in some church or from letter in the mail.
it is clear that science is truth and fact, and so being truly so-called religion must conform with science or it really is just superstition.

but let's just get the distinction clear.
not all religious people are dumb. not all atheists are smart.
people really are just people - and God can fall anywhere in that category, fact or fiction. [ I believe He/She does exist somewhere, but i'm completely open to the idea He/She isn't, upon sufficient empirical evidence ]
really when it comes down to it, everyone's opinion of "truth" is different; "truth" is and always will be relative.

Answer 4

I will tell them- Don't do that. It takes many life times to be in the place you are now. It can be late but not never, in the God's world.

If you are wishing to escape, you will land in a too late situation. And these realities that you are perceiving are only, till the time you are living in your this body. They have no significance after you die.

Answer 5

Question and THINK!

Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear.
Thomas Jefferson

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.
Buddha

Answer 6

The conquering of fear is the beginning of wisdom.
— Bertrand Russell

Fear believes -- courage doubts. Fear falls upon the earth and prays -- courage stands erect and thinks. Fear is barbarism -- courage is civilization. Fear believes in witchcraft, in devils and in ghosts. Fear is religion, courage is science.
— Robert G. Ingersoll

Skepticism is the first step toward truth.
— Diderot

Religion is based, I think, primarily and mainly upon fear. It is partly the terror of the unknown, and partly the wish to feel that you have a kind of elder brother who will stand by you in all your troubles and disputes. Fear is the basis of the whole thing - fear of the mysterious, fear of defeat, fear of death. Fear is the parent of cruelty, and therefore it is no wonder if cruelty and religion have gone hand-in-hand.
— Bertrand Russell (1927)

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.
— Galileo Galilei

Where all think alike, none thinks very much.
— Walter Lippman

The man who has no mind of his own lends it to the priests.
— George Meredith, (1828-1909)

Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
— Thomas Jefferson

Think for yourself!

Answer 7

THINK.

Then THINK some more.

But seriously, you can't expect people to abandon a "higher power" unless you can offer them a suitable substitute to help quell their fears and give them strength. Even though WE know this stuff comes from inside, they are too FRIGHTENED of the unknown to ever imagine they themselves could be the source of the courage and strength that they routinely ascribe to god.

If only they knew that their perceived "divine gifts" are actually all self-generated.

Answer 8

God could show to a non-bealiever a style of issues to teach that he's who he's. the element this is somewhat substantial although is which you comprehend that this is God's timing and not yours. you additionally can see the desirable oppertunity for God to teach somebody who he's, yet God did not take that danger you observed. Why? because of the fact God has a extra advantageous way. additionally, that is not merely as much as God to teach him that he's real yet for the guy to settle for it. i could teach you that sky is blue and in case you do not different than it then i won't be able to do something. Like with God, He could teach the guy who he's yet whilst the guy would not settle for then God can not do something. not because of the fact He won't be able to yet whilst He does something extra else then he will rigidity the guy to work out who he's. And God would not artwork by utilizing rigidity yet by utilizing Love. So its a partnership God will teach if the guy is keen, God could additionally teach the guy by utilizing a dream and the guy could settle for who God is. Their are a style of techniques God works.

Answer 9

Are you trying to say God and Christianity is a fantasy?

It really is easy to critisize something you have little or no experience with. It disgusts me that atheists go around trying to tear people from their beliefs and try to get people back to "reality". What the hell does an atheist have in life? Themselves? Sounds a little selfish to me. If not just them, a family...friends? This is all fine and dandy, but people can only take us so far in life.

There are kind atheists, those who do not wish to critisize people for their faith. I've spoken to some and even they said its easier to believe. At least Christians have something to comfort them whenever the world in turn craps on them and people abaondon them.

Christianity is a reality to millions around the world. Don't forget it.

Answer 10

A little at a time ... it took me twenty years and the good aspects of god - belief as you put it are still valued in spite of my disbelief.