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

[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.

I'd say SOME people respond this way - people who feel that there's something "out there" and/or don't think life ends with mortal death. Still, they don't believe all the stuff that comes with organized religion.

But others seem to be born with an inability to "believe" even if they are indoctrinated into a religion while young. We've heard from some of these people here on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

+1 Although I do think that some people buy into organized religion because it makes them feel good and gives them hope -- not because their lives suck.

[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?

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.

I am from one of those countries

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

We are very similar in background, and thinking.

When my daughter was 3, we had three quick deaths to deal with and explain to her. So I said, the universe is made up of things like we can see and touch (matter) and energy, like the sun's rays. I said that when we stop being matter, we become energy, and the energy is everywhere around us, so the energy of all the people and animals we lose, surround us every day. She was perfectly content with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

We are very similar in background, and thinking.

When my daughter was 3, we had three quick deaths to deal with and explain to her. So I said, the universe is made up of things like we can see and touch (matter) and energy, like the sun's rays. I said that when we stop being matter, we become energy, and the energy is everywhere around us, so the energy of all the people and animals we lose, surround us every day. She was perfectly content with that.

Beautiful way of expressing the cycle of life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

We are very similar in background, and thinking.

When my daughter was 3, we had three quick deaths to deal with and explain to her. So I said, the universe is made up of things like we can see and touch (matter) and energy, like the sun's rays. I said that when we stop being matter, we become energy, and the energy is everywhere around us, so the energy of all the people and animals we lose, surround us every day. She was perfectly content with that.

DP. Thank you for sharing--this is a wonderful way to express this.

[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.

You seem to be conflating atheism with progressive values in general. There are plenty of progressive people of faith, you just can’t hear them above the shouting from the MAGAs.

Also, reading and music are universal and not the province of atheists, that’s just silly. Lots of us have lived in Europe for extended periods (including me) and your characterization is a bit Pollyanna-ish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

We are very similar in background, and thinking.

When my daughter was 3, we had three quick deaths to deal with and explain to her. So I said, the universe is made up of things like we can see and touch (matter) and energy, like the sun's rays. I said that when we stop being matter, we become energy, and the energy is everywhere around us, so the energy of all the people and animals we lose, surround us every day. She was perfectly content with that.

DP. Thank you for sharing--this is a wonderful way to express this.

Returning to dust is staying as matter, not converting to energy. Your carbon and other chemicals will nourish lots of microbes and micorrhizae, and maybe the odd plant or grass over your grave, which is a good thing, but you’re still matter. If you think people are matter, then you would think plants and fungi are matter too. I’m not sure how it works with cremation, but ashes are still matter not energy. The idea that on dying you become “energy” like the sun’s rays seems a bit like an article of faith, to be honest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

We are very similar in background, and thinking.

When my daughter was 3, we had three quick deaths to deal with and explain to her. So I said, the universe is made up of things like we can see and touch (matter) and energy, like the sun's rays. I said that when we stop being matter, we become energy, and the energy is everywhere around us, so the energy of all the people and animals we lose, surround us every day. She was perfectly content with that.

DP. Thank you for sharing--this is a wonderful way to express this.

Returning to dust is staying as matter, not converting to energy. Your carbon and other chemicals will nourish lots of microbes and micorrhizae, and maybe the odd plant or grass over your grave, which is a good thing, but you’re still matter. If you think people are matter, then you would think plants and fungi are matter too. I’m not sure how it works with cremation, but ashes are still matter not energy. The idea that on dying you become “energy” like the sun’s rays seems a bit like an article of faith, to be honest.

When you're explaining death to your 3 year old, feel free to split hairs.

[Anonymous]

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?

Soviet Union, Denmark, UAE.

[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.

I think the suicide rate is because of their cold, dark winters. Suicide peaks at the end of winter and beginning of spring in the US. Among close family and friends I can think of 4 suicides off the top of my head, and 3 of them were in March and April, those 3 all lived in northern states.

[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.

I think the suicide rate is because of their cold, dark winters. Suicide peaks at the end of winter and beginning of spring in the US. Among close family and friends I can think of 4 suicides off the top of my head, and 3 of them were in March and April, those 3 all lived in northern states.

Likely that the suicide rate is tied to not being religious only because such people do not fear dying. They believe it's just the end to life, not the beinging of an eternal life in hell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Washington, DC. I think most people cope by being mean to each other.

Seriously. OP, you must not be around DC. Most here are anti-religion.

[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?

Soviet Union, Denmark, UAE.

Most people in the UAE are Muslims, BTW.

[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?

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.

You seem to be conflating atheism with progressive values in general. There are plenty of progressive people of faith, you just can’t hear them above the shouting from the MAGAs.

Also, reading and music are universal and not the province of atheists, that’s just silly. Lots of us have lived in Europe for extended periods (including me) and your characterization is a bit Pollyanna-ish.

You sure are reading a lot into the above that isn't there. Nowhere does it say that reading and music are the province of atheists and you are silly to have decided that's what was being said. OP asked how do people who aren't religious cope with the vicissitudes of life. And that's one way. Being philosophical is one way. That doesn't preclude religious people doing the same. Duh.