I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that there is no life after death. It is causing me to become depressed

Question

And not just normal depression but that type of depression that doesn't go away. I'm 19 yrs old & I constantly think about whether there is an afterlife or not. I always subconciously believed in evolution (since like the age of 14), but I denied it so i could live in my happy bubble. Now that bubble has popped and I have no choice but to accept evolution based on the overwhelming facts in support of this theory. I am Catholic, but I'm questioning my faith not because I want to but because it doesn't seem real to me anymore. I can't force myself to believe something that I truly, deep down don't have faith in. That would be fearing and not believing. It scares me and depresses me greatly when I think that I may never see my family or friends again once I die or they die. Also I fear that the lights go out and thats it---no more feeling or thinking or anything. I'm suicidal over this. Is there even a chance of an afterlife? Can evolution correlate with Christianity? Help me please!!!!!

by the way to the person who asked why I'm suicidal if I'm scared of no life after death: it's a strange feeling. I want to live but only if there is a purpose.

There are a few things that keep me from giving up on Catholicism

1) The existence of Jesus. there is plenty of proof that he existed but was he the son of god or a crazy old carpenter who misled people?
2) The feeling of deja vu gives me hope. How could I feel like I already felt something before? Is that even possible?
3)The fact that some supernatural entitty (whether that is God i don't know) created the world. Someone must have because something can't be created by nothing.
4)I have experienced strange coincidences after prayer that realy spooked me and at the same time gave me hope.

entity******

Answer 1

Well I don't bare the answer but I have theorized in the past that when we die our bodies simply synthesizes itself which proves the theory that matter cannot be created nor destroyed but merely altered. Also I have theorized that heaven and hell may have been created before or at the same time our universe had been created thus the multiverse had been born. I may not be able to convince you but I feel that everythig in the universe so with life must come death in order to create a balance.

Answer 2

It may be due to a poor diet which is causing a chemical imbalance, past trauma, unpleasant smells and surroundings, unpleasant parents, not-good friends, or a boring getting-no-where life, and feeling as if you're not getting your way in general (which frustrates everyone). I had problems with depression and suicide due to my parents neglecting my education, including knowledge about right from wrong, and not having much interesting or helpful to do. I also got mistreated a lot at various jobs I had and bullied at school for how I was dressed and appeared before I was 14. Later I got stuck in a miserable substitute for a "normal" public high school and had next to no friends and soon after attending that school was bullied by the police off an on a few times. Other miserable things happened including being repeatedly kicked out, but God helped me beat my depression and saved me. I'm still depressed sometimes, but it's not as bad now and I always have hope. Check the link in my profile if you are interested in spiritual help, which I found has been a lasting and permanent solution heading towards perfect peace. I hope you show the link to others.

Answer 3

As far as evolution goes, PLEASE, please, read "Tornado in a Junkyard" by James Perloff. You will find a lot of help there on the subject of evolution. Of the fossils found that supposedly verify evolution, NONE show a legitimate transition from one kind to another...no evolving/transition. Can evolution explain something as common but complex in life as the human eye or even an egg? Nope.. Around the time of His death, Jesus Himself said that He was going to prepare a place for us A place for us....Heaven. Jesus also said He was the first to live, die, come back to life, and ascend to Heaven. This is exactly what Jesus did Just read the actual story of Easter and see for yourself. Jesus was the first to do this and we will do the same someday. If these things are lies, then Jesus was a lire and died for nothing. But, He did do miracles, He did die, raise from the dead, arose into Heaven, and He did it all in front of many witnesses. Jesus was proclaimed, prophesied of, long before He was ever born. His coming into being wasn't just some made up story. It was foretold of and came true. Have faith. The world may pressure you, but God won't. Read John 3:16, Psalm 23, Ephesisns 2:2-16. You will find help there. God Bless You....

Answer 4

Wow. I'm in the exact same position as you are, and have been for a long time. It sounds like you are in the middle of an "existential crisis." Look it up on a search engine like Yahoo!. Don't be afraid...just read your Bible more and pray diligently. This will not last forever. Perhaps God is testing your faith...and mine. Remember when the Israelites were wandering through the desert and God performed all those miracles for them but some still refused to believe? That's because their hearts were hardened. Ask God to undo this hardness and ask Him to give you some faith.

Answer 5

i mean this in all seriousness, please see a doctor. see your regular physician first to rule out any physical ailments that could be contributing to this depression. if everything is good physically, then ask for a recommendation for a psychiatrist or psychologist.
you should question your faith. the god of your religion does not want brain dead sheep. i think somewhere in revelations, it talks about those of a lukewarm faith being spit out. your god only wants folks that are on fire for him.
that being said, if your faith and its doctrines no longer seem real to you and you are seeing evidence that contradicts what you believe, then it is time to sit down and take a good long look at what you believe. you need to examine why you believe as you do.
you're depression over there not being an afterlife might stem from grief at losing a dearly held belief.
no one can tell you with any certainty whether or not there is an afterlife. all you have to go on is belief.
do not get entangled in trying to figure out whether one exists. figure out what you believe and if there is an afterlife in that path, then believe in it. if you figure out what you believe and there is no afterlife, then believe that.
you are going to feel upset about the idea of not seeing friends and family again. that is what makes us human and gives us a slight edge over the animals. that feeling is supposed to help us appreciate those around us more and to not waste our time on hate and anger.
if you do stop believing in an afterlife take a little time to mourn the passing of that part of your belief. take a few minutes to read this article. someone used it in a question here a few weeks back, but i think it might be of some help to you:
http://www.baltimoreethicalsociety.org/Conversion.php

Answer 6

i know plenty of christians who believe in evolution. also, the existence of evolution doesn't necessarily have to cancel out the idea of an afterlife, either. personally i believe all living things have some sort of spirit that either remains on the earth or goes to a certain place of afterlife once the physical body is no longer able to support it. don't just give up hope like that--you are an individual, thus you have a spirit. a spirit cannot be killed, therefore it must continue to exist long after your human body is gone.

Answer 7

Let me get this straight... you are afraid of death because there may not be an afterlife, so you are contemplating thoughts of suicide? How does that make sense?? Come now... think about it... Did it bother you at all for the millions of years before you were born? Obviously not when you die it will be exactly the same as before you were born... best to live life you have now to the fullest instead of being worried about whether or not there is an afterlife. If there is no afterlife at least you can live THIS LIFE to the fullest....

Answer 8

You are experiencing the biggest problem with religious brainwashing.

It isn't believing in fairytale gods.

It isn't denying scientific evidence.

It's the fact that when you are brainwashed into believing in religion, you are brainwashed OUT of enjoying life. You're always trying to get to "life after death," and you're trying to get there so hard that you literally let your life pass you bye.

But now you've come to the truth. There is no life after death. This is all you get.

So why are you sitting around and wasting it? Why don't you get out and LIVE?

I won't try to comfort you by telling you there's a god or an after-life, because any intelligent human being knows that there's not.

But what's wrong with that? Why would it be so bad to accept that life on Earth is all we have?

The world is a beautiful place. Why don't you open your eyes and look at it?

Answer 9

Kid your heading for A real Crash and burn. Have you ever tried to Meditate?
Focus your minds eye upon the most calm place that you can imagine,Keep the focus on that calm place and let it draw you to it. Once your in the zone ask your question and the answer will come to you like A billion voices in tune pitch and harmony answering you
Oh yee of little Faith what you hear is
us The faithful ones those who are
as one with the Father of the light Our
Creator. FEAR not child FOR their is more to You than what heaven and earth hold for you. THE MORTAL COIL SHELTERS YOUR SOUL IN KNOWLEDGE AND FAITH you need to grow so that your Mind will open! This will feed your soul. And you will awaken
and you will be able to feel the energy of every thing around you. it is and was the most PERFECT thing that happend to me in my life. I have asked a lot of
SPIRITUAL BEINGS of their first encounter with the Universal spirit
and they too had the same words in the same way spoken to them. BEFORE you put your soul on the cross by killing your self Please attempt meditation.
It gave me my life back In BOTH REALMS! Amen

Answer 10

Please get into God's word. You have the written Word of God, the Bible. Get a concordance or look up subjects on line. You are missing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jesus is God’s way to reach down to mankind with love, forgiveness, acceptance and grace. Jesus is not a religion. He is God and He is the way for man to have fellowship with God.

When we come to Jesus, we are full of the original sin nature and the sins Just look at the world and see how sinful man is. Jesus changes us when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior and repent of those sins.

Our redemption and salvation results from Jesus’ willful and sacrificial death on the cross to take our place for our sin nature and our sins. He is the only atonement possible because He is without sin. Jesus does it for us because He loves us and we are incapable of following any religion perfectly. He did follow the law perfectly.

Coming to Jesus, not religion, is what God requires for us to become forgiven, sanctified, and have the personal relationship with God that He intended from the start. Jesus is the only way to God and eternal life.

When you have this relationship with Jesus, read and learn His word, you will understand that what He tells you about eternal life is real.

The Bible is God's written Word to us.
It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit.

“Above all you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20-21. (New International Version)

Breakdown of the Bible
36 human authors inspired entirely by God over 1600 years.
66 separate books

39 Old Testament
Genesis- The creation of the world, sin, flood and birth of Israel
Exodus to Esther- History of the nation of Israel
Job to Proverbs- the books of poetry and wisdom
Isaiah to Malachi- Prophecy or foretelling of the future events to come.

27 New Testament
Matthew to John - Four Gospels representing the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ now with all authority in Heaven and earth.
Acts- Birth of the Church (The Bride of Christ)
Romans to Jude - Letters to the Churches
Revelations - The ultimate future plans for: The Church, Heaven, Hell, a New Heaven and a New Earth.

Here are some Bible Study Resources for anything you may want to look up:
http://www.Biblegateway.com
http://www.Ntgateway.com
http://www.Bible.org
http://www.bible-history.com
http://www.answersingenesis.org/