If you lived in a place with a low % of religious people

[Anonymous]

Paris, Tokyo, etc. All large cities I've lived in, basically.

Since I'm a research scientist, I am comforted by my knowledge that we are made from the dust of stars, our molecules have passed through multiple other life forms before belonging to us, and that we will be recycled, in the truest sense of the term, into multiple other life forms before the universe ends...if ever it does.

There is nothing more beautiful or more comforting to think that I will be USEFUL after my death. As for my conscience/soul/spirit, who knows? It's a mystery, but not a scary one for me. I don't fear death, I fear pain and suffering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which country or region, if you feel comfortable sharing?

If most people didn't believe in life after death, what were ways that people coped with suffering and mortality?

Embedded here is a false assumption that if you don't believe in life after death, you need a way of coping with suffering and mortality.

Religion makes that connection, but many people do not.

x1 million

Exactly

+1
I’m from Japan. I vaguely know some religious people (maybe a handful) but they are rare.
There’s no connection between ‘comfort in knowing about some afterlife’ with alleviating suffering.
At least I don’t think it’s intuitive for people who haven’t been told that since early childhood.
How do we cope with life being finite? I don’t know..it just doesn’t sound that depressing I guess?
On the other hand it’s scary to believe in something (life? one’s soul?) that is eternal and lasts forever and ever.
Maybe to us life is like the seasons- constantly changing, coming and going, as they should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which country or region, if you feel comfortable sharing?

If most people didn't believe in life after death, what were ways that people coped with suffering and mortality?

Embedded here is a false assumption that if you don't believe in life after death, you need a way of coping with suffering and mortality.

Religion makes that connection, but many people do not.

x1 million

Exactly

This sounds good and very healthy. As a former religious believer, I still haven't come to terms with death. Not concerned about going to hell -- but going nowhere, i.e., ceasing to exist.

+1
I’m from Japan. I vaguely know some religious people (maybe a handful) but they are rare.
There’s no connection between ‘comfort in knowing about some afterlife’ with alleviating suffering.
At least I don’t think it’s intuitive for people who haven’t been told that since early childhood.
How do we cope with life being finite? I don’t know..it just doesn’t sound that depressing I guess?
On the other hand it’s scary to believe in something (life? one’s soul?) that is eternal and lasts forever and ever.
Maybe to us life is like the seasons- constantly changing, coming and going, as they should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which country or region, if you feel comfortable sharing?

If most people didn't believe in life after death, what were ways that people coped with suffering and mortality?

Embedded here is a false assumption that if you don't believe in life after death, you need a way of coping with suffering and mortality.

Religion makes that connection, but many people do not.

x1 million

Exactly

+1
I’m from Japan. I vaguely know some religious people (maybe a handful) but they are rare.
There’s no connection between ‘comfort in knowing about some afterlife’ with alleviating suffering.
At least I don’t think it’s intuitive for people who haven’t been told that since early childhood.
How do we cope with life being finite? I don’t know..it just doesn’t sound that depressing I guess?
On the other hand it’s scary to believe in something (life? one’s soul?) that is eternal and lasts forever and ever.
Maybe to us life is like the seasons- constantly changing, coming and going, as they should.

This sounds good and very healthy. As a former religious believer, I still haven't completely come to terms with death. Not concerned about going to hell -- but going nowhere, i.e., ceasing to exist.

[Anonymous]

I've never been a religious person so I just don't get this obsession with death/afterlife. I really haven't given it all that much thought - aside from where I want my ashes scattered.

Does that really drive day-to-day life for religious people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which country or region, if you feel comfortable sharing?

If most people didn't believe in life after death, what were ways that people coped with suffering and mortality?

I'm not sure what you consider low %. I've lived abroad in European countries that had low rates of religious activity. The people I met were more philosophical about life and death. They read a lot and discussed ideas. They had a real sense of community. They listened to and played music -- a lot. They mourned their losses and accepted them as part of the circle of life. They wanted to make the most of their time here because they felt this is it, no more chances. They believed in alleviating extremes of suffering in their society, even if that meant not getting extreme highs in terms of privilege/income.

Life is beautiful. Don't squander it.

+1 I’ve generally lived in areas where what religious identity there was wasn’t necessarily tethered to actual belief. Most people I know are atheists who think like this even if they participate in the religions of their childhoods/cultures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which country or region, if you feel comfortable sharing?

If most people didn't believe in life after death, what were ways that people coped with suffering and mortality?

Embedded here is a false assumption that if you don't believe in life after death, you need a way of coping with suffering and mortality.

Religion makes that connection, but many people do not.

x1 million

Exactly

+1
I’m from Japan. I vaguely know some religious people (maybe a handful) but they are rare.
There’s no connection between ‘comfort in knowing about some afterlife’ with alleviating suffering.
At least I don’t think it’s intuitive for people who haven’t been told that since early childhood.
How do we cope with life being finite? I don’t know..it just doesn’t sound that depressing I guess?
On the other hand it’s scary to believe in something (life? one’s soul?) that is eternal and lasts forever and ever.
Maybe to us life is like the seasons- constantly changing, coming and going, as they should.

This sounds good and very healthy. As a former religious believer, I still haven't completely come to terms with death. Not concerned about going to hell -- but going nowhere, i.e., ceasing to exist.

What about it concerns you, in particular? There are threads on this that might be helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which country or region, if you feel comfortable sharing?

If most people didn't believe in life after death, what were ways that people coped with suffering and mortality?

Embedded here is a false assumption that if you don't believe in life after death, you need a way of coping with suffering and mortality.

Religion makes that connection, but many people do not.

x1 million

Exactly

+1
I’m from Japan. I vaguely know some religious people (maybe a handful) but they are rare.
There’s no connection between ‘comfort in knowing about some afterlife’ with alleviating suffering.
At least I don’t think it’s intuitive for people who haven’t been told that since early childhood.
How do we cope with life being finite? I don’t know..it just doesn’t sound that depressing I guess?
On the other hand it’s scary to believe in something (life? one’s soul?) that is eternal and lasts forever and ever.
Maybe to us life is like the seasons- constantly changing, coming and going, as they should.

This sounds good and very healthy. As a former religious believer, I still haven't completely come to terms with death. Not concerned about going to hell -- but going nowhere, i.e., ceasing to exist.

What about it concerns you, in particular? There are threads on this that might be helpful.

Maybe concern isn't the word. Maybe it's coming to terms with the fact that everything, including me, goes away, not to be remembered. and even if it is remembered (Let's say, if I'm Abraham Lincoln) I'm not there in any form to know about it.

Yes, I have family who will likely, hopefully, survive me, but they will go away too, at some point. Yes. I have done some good things, that will survive me, but ......

Yes, I can and do enjoy the moment, but the moment ends and disappears.

Thinking you'll die and go to heaven and "look down" at the goings on here or see your family again is comforting but crazy. Thinking that you just disappear, for me is not easy to come to terms with. So I try to enjoy the moment and make the most of my good life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which country or region, if you feel comfortable sharing?

If most people didn't believe in life after death, what were ways that people coped with suffering and mortality?

Denmark and the Scandinavian countries in general, have a low percentage of believers. They also have low crime and a social safety net and a high suicide rate.

Well, people do believe, just do not do religion
They cope with suffering and mortality the same way as everyone else

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which country or region, if you feel comfortable sharing?

If most people didn't believe in life after death, what were ways that people coped with suffering and mortality?

Denmark and the Scandinavian countries in general, have a low percentage of believers. They also have low crime and a social safety net and a high suicide rate.

Well, people do believe, just do not do religion
They cope with suffering and mortality the same way as everyone else

DP. How do you know? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

I lived in a former eastern bloc country where very few people were religious. They coped the same way people from my hippy west coast town did; were “spiritual” but not religious, got into kooky stuff like crystals, tarot, and astrology. My experience has been that people do not actually just accept death and mortality and the same human impulses just crop up in new ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I lived in a former eastern bloc country where very few people were religious. They coped the same way people from my hippy west coast town did; were “spiritual” but not religious, got into kooky stuff like crystals, tarot, and astrology. My experience has been that people do not actually just accept death and mortality and the same human impulses just crop up in new ways.

Thanks for sharing. I don't think that what you describe is common in many mostly secular countries.

Did most people in that country believe in an afterlife?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which country or region, if you feel comfortable sharing?

If most people didn't believe in life after death, what were ways that people coped with suffering and mortality?

Denmark and the Scandinavian countries in general, have a low percentage of believers. They also have low crime and a social safety net and a high suicide rate.

Well, people do believe, just do not do religion
They cope with suffering and mortality the same way as everyone else

That is true of some people, who feel that there's something "out there" and/or don't think life ends with mortal death, but they don't believe all the stuff that comes with organized religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I lived in a former eastern bloc country where very few people were religious. They coped the same way people from my hippy west coast town did; were “spiritual” but not religious, got into kooky stuff like crystals, tarot, and astrology. My experience has been that people do not actually just accept death and mortality and the same human impulses just crop up in new ways.

Thanks for sharing. I don't think that what you describe is common in many mostly secular countries.

Did most people in that country believe in an afterlife?

I think it’s incredibly common in secular countries, what makes you say that? And yes people I knew and discussed it with said they believed in their spirit living on in some form.

[Anonymous]

Organized religion historically has been about keeping people sedated about the fact that their day-to-day life sucks. Promising the suffering or low quality of life will all be worth it in the end and they will be rewarded justly. Basically a daydream to think about when life is a struggle. And of course, a power dynamic that keeps certain groups in power and others not.

Point being, I don't think people are participating because they find answers to mortality and suffering. Lots of people do not need organized religion to contemplate suffering and mortality and find a purpose in this life.