I'm an atheist. Does this automatically indicate that I'm depressed, but have just...?

Question

mistaken it for being happy, as I'm in SUCH denial?


Hmmmm?

Thanks for recognizing that, DesiDani...=0)

We're talking about me, Tina, not you.

Dude, I am awestruck. Now, translate it into lolcat. ;0)

Answer 1

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I like your point.

And given all the stars you have received, others have liked it as well.

Obviously, being an atheist does not automatically indicate that you are depressed. There are many atheists and many theists that are depressed, and many of each that are not.

There are, however, many atheists and theists who are in denial about being depressed.

And there still more of each that are depressed, seek help from physicians to treat their depression, and hide this fact from others - even their own family - in shame.

There are many Christians who are severely depressed. They often condemn themselves and are often condemned by other Christians for "lacking faith" or for being a "false Christian".

There are many atheists who are severely depressed who are condemned by Christians, who claim that it is because they lack God that they are depressed.

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Regardless, there is an "epidemic" of depression going on.

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Your point does demand a logical and Biblical response, though...to *explain* why Christians often speak of love, joy, and peace that they have that non-Christians do not and cannot know....which, you are obviously mocking.

I would have you read the last answer I gave to the questioner regarding "crying"...which testifies about my weeping tears SINCE becoming a Christian. I have never cried so much since becoming a Christian. Before I became a Christian, I was an atheist:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ait7CNYymZ1oY_nLjz6Uignsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071220155318AAwOw4N&show=7#profile-info-tpl32xaUaa

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The Bible is clear that God is love, and that to know God is to know love. And to love is to know God. Thus, to not know God is to not know love.

But there are different types of love. As C.S. Lewis puts it in his famous "The Four Loves", there is storge, philia, eros, and agape love:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Four_Loves

You (and others) are fully aware of eros love, storge love, and philia love. You *think* that that's all there is...and ALL people are always in pursuit of these kinds of love...

You find your "happiness" in sexual relationships, relationships with friends, and relationship with family.
Take away your lover, friends, and family...and you would become depressed. You would have no love at all.

The Bible speaks about another love, though - it is agape love, which you lack.

Being filled with the other types of loves is one thing, but experiencing agape love is another.

Perhaps you are not medically depressed.
Perhaps you are happy with your other “loves”.

But you do not know the agape love of God in Christ Jesus.

When I was 21, I was an atheist who sat down to read the Bible to prove it wrong. At that time, I was "on top" of the world - and was filled with storge, eros, and philia love. In my eyes, I had everything the world has to offer. I was the farthest thing from being depressed.

However, as I described in the answer I linked to above...it was then that I first experienced agape love. It was then, that I experienced God Himself. It was then that I realized that I had never experienced God and agape love before.

Although I was not depressed before...and neither was I in "denial" about being depressed...yet, it is true that up until that point, I did not know God...had never felt or seen His presence...and had never experienced His love.

As the heavens are above the earth, so too does knowing God...and being filled with this love...surpass all other pleasures that this world has to offer. And though you may mock or balk at this: it is infinitely better than the best sex.

So much is this true, that Paul the apostle proclaimed:
"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
-Philippians 1:21

To die for Paul...and to die for me...is to be dispatched into paradise. The ever so small *taste* of heaven that I have experienced when the Lord revealed Himself to me is but a hint of the infinitely greater "feast" I will have in heaven.

You (and others) are not in denial...you simply haven’t tasted the Lord, as it is written:

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear HIM.
The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
-Psalm 34:8-10

He is the fountain of living water (Jeremiah 17:13), and as Jesus spoke:
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
-John 7:38

And:
“Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst”
-John 4:11

And the living water He spoke of is the Holy Spirit (John 8:39).

And “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” -Galatians 5:22

Many so-called “Christians” lack these fruit.
But the Bible says that the “fruit” makes evident what kind of “tree” they are.
That is, “Christians” who lack these fruit, do not have the Holy Spirit, thus are not “born-again” (As Jesus explains and describes in John, chapter 3), and thus are not true “Christians”.
It is these “false” Christians that I mocked when I was an atheist...because I perceived that I had more of their so-called “fruit” than they!
It is these “false” Christians that you mock.

But trust me...you ARE missing out.

And so, I invite you to the “vine and fig tree” (Zechariah 3:10)...the life in Christ...to be filled and overflowing with the fountain of living water...filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit – even abounding agape love, everlasting joy (no matter what your circumstance in life), and complete peace with God (knowing that even if you died today, you’d simply enter into paradise).

This is the free gift that God offer’s to you...that is, by His GRACE....through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Come!

You are invited:

Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.
Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David.
Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,
A leader and commander for the people.
Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,
And nations who do not know you shall run to you,
Because of the LORD your God,
And the Holy One of Israel;
For He has glorified you."
Seek the LORD while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,For He will abundantly pardon.
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
"For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the LORD for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."
Isaiah 55

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Answer 2

What evidence do you have that consciousness can't be explained by materialism? Every credible source I've ever seen seems to point in the opposite direction. The simple experimental proof that it is a product of the brain is lobotomy. Remove a persons brain and they die. Partially remove the brain and you can reduce mental factions one by one. If consciousness was independent of the brain then a lack of blood to the brain shouldn't interrupt consciousness, but anyone whose ever been knocked out by a sleeper hold will tell you that's exactly what happens. We can also show the evolution of the brain from simpler life forms. Consciousness isn't the result of something external magically being tapped into by the brain, it's the result of having to deal with a larger amount of signals resulting from external stimuli. As more photo receptor cells develop, and more nerve endings evolve the brain needs to grow and become more complicated to process things. Your idea of consciousness would fly in the face of how things evolve.

Answer 3

No. I suspect that you are genuinely happy.

Belief does not equate to happiness. Unbelief does not equate to depression. The Bible and history are full of examples of people who started following God and went through hard times and people who have lived happy lives without following God. (Belief does enable a person to go through the hard times with joy, but that's the answer to a different question...)

God is real. He created us with a built-in need for him. Some of us are better than others at squelching that need. It is certainly possible to live a long and happy life with the need fully squelched. While we have our lives under control - we are healthy, we have enough money, we are busy at work - it's easy to think we don't need God. In fact, God has nothing to offer someone who doesn't recognize their need for him.

Eventually, though, we all come to recognize our need for God. It might be when our world falls apart - a loved one dies, we get the "C" word from the doctor, etc. For many, it might not be until after death. Of course, then it will be too late.

Answer 4

Hey ... aren't you the depressed atheist who posted a video message on YouTube begging the media to leave Britney Spears' sister alone? That was hilarious! Get some help.

Answer 5

For women depression is anger turned inward on our selves, you might need to see a doctor, if it doesn't pass. Depression hits every walk of life, it doesn't matter what you believe. It's things that happen or don't happen in our lives that make us depressed. Been their done that.

Answer 6

It depends.

Depression is simply a mood change.

Moods come and go, much of the time without regard for belief or non-belief systems.

Answer 7

Oh hai. Yes if u r athiest then u be depressed srsly i m sorry but u must take Ceiling Cat into ur heart and he not eated u

Answer 8

I've been told it means you believe in God you just don't want to admit it. Maybe if you would admit it you would really be happy and not just think your happy. I still don't believe though.

Answer 9

But bettie, you don't know the Joy of Jesus. You may not think you're depressed now, but that's only because you don't know what it's like to be in the grace and love of God! You can't identify darkness until you've seen light!

Answer 10

Yes, obviously we as atheists are depressed and are only fooling ourselves into thinking that we're not. Oh, the denial!

ha ha.

Answer 11

Not sure what you're really asking. I too am an atheist, and I am not depressed.