for anyone this affects

[tumblr]

i hope this is the right place to post, please move if not

if you are alone, for anyone who believes in God or 'a God', does that affect how lonely you feel (because if you have a belief, you have some 'sort' of company)

 

[Xpendable]

Yes it does. I personally don't believe in any god and I can see how religious people have a safety net with this. Not only that, I've also observed that religiousness gives you a special bond with other believers, making you part of a community that is always there.

 

[BeyondShy]

Yes it does. I personally don't believe in any god and I can see how religious people have a safety net with this. Not only that, I've also observed that religiousness gives you a special bond with other believers, making you part of a community that is always there.

Big deal.

Wouldn't you have the same bond with other atheists the same way other believers have with each other?

 

[TheRealCallie]

I believe in God and yet I came here....

Having religion doesn't give you a "safety net" at all. Having a boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife doesn't necessarily mean you won't be lonely, so why would having a God?

Yes, I pray. Yes, I talk to God. But no, I don't go to church, I'm not "righteous" or any of that honeysuckle. I don't have a community just because I believe in God. Are there communities out there for religion, sure, but that doesn't mean that you will be included or have any better luck than any other community.

 

[Xpendable]

Wouldn't you have the same bond with other atheists the same way other believers have with each other?

Atheists don't have a bond. Not for their atheism at least.

---

Having religion doesn't give you a "safety net" at all. Having a boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife doesn't necessarily mean you won't be lonely, so why would having a God?

God is omniscient and all-loving, He's always there.

Yes, I pray. Yes, I talk to God. But no, I don't go to church, I'm not "righteous" or any of that honeysuckle. I don't have a community just because I believe in God. Are there communities out there for religion, sure, but that doesn't mean that you will be included or have any better luck than any other community.

But you talk to God, you can rely on him. You can have no one else, but God doesn't go away.

 

[BeyondShy]

Yes, I pray. Yes, I talk to God. But no, I don't go to church, I'm not "righteous" or any of that honeysuckle. I don't have a community just because I believe in God. Are there communities out there for religion, sure, but that doesn't mean that you will be included or have any better luck than any other community.

But you talk to God, you can rely on him. You can have no one else, but God doesn't go away.

Apparently neither do you.

 

[TheRealCallie]

Wouldn't you have the same bond with other atheists the same way other believers have with each other?

Atheists don't have a bond. Not for their atheism at least.

---

Having religion doesn't give you a "safety net" at all. Having a boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife doesn't necessarily mean you won't be lonely, so why would having a God?

God is omniscient and all-loving, He's always there.

Yes, I pray. Yes, I talk to God. But no, I don't go to church, I'm not "righteous" or any of that honeysuckle. I don't have a community just because I believe in God. Are there communities out there for religion, sure, but that doesn't mean that you will be included or have any better luck than any other community.

But you talk to God, you can rely on him. You can have no one else, but God doesn't go away.

---

Perhaps He doesn't go away and is always there, but does that mean he talks back?
My kids never go away either, but that doesn't mean I can't still be lonely with them around....

 

[SofiasMami]

Belonging to a church, temple or mosque can certainly help alleviate feelings of loneliness because you have a ready-made community of mostly like-minded people that you likely socialize with at least once a week. I've thought about joining a church in the past when I've felt overwhelmingly lonely. (I'm a non-believer now and raising my kiddo in a completely secular household.) I've found other communities and groups to ally with now though.

-Teresa

 

[Tiina63]

I find that believing in God doesn't take away my loneliness but it does help to know that when I die, I will be reunited with the people I most want to be with instead of being on my own here. This doesn't stop me from trying hard to connect with people around me though, even when it is really difficult.

 

[Rosebolt]

No, i don't think it relieves feelings of loneliness much if at all for me. Ultimately your journey is for you only. He can give assistance here and there. So far i've had it happen twice when talking to him that some new idea suddenly popped up that i don't think i could've thought of myself at that speed. So i suppose in that sense it helps. But in the end, i'm the one that has to do the hard work, because it's my life still. To me He's like a silent father, trying to make and help you to be the best you can be, through trial and tribulation.

 

[h3donist]

When I first joined here - I admitted right away that I had an imaginary friend. I saw it as a coping mechanism to alieviate the loneliness that I was suffering. The first reply said that it was wrong and dangerous to have an imaginary friend, then told me to seek advice from a "Pastor" (think we call them Vicars here in the UK) about speaking to god.

Probably the most ironic reply ever. Isn't talking to God and pretending that he's guiding you through life pretty much the same thing?

Still, loneliness can be helped by belonging to a community - so whether that is part of a church or other religious congregation, a club, society, sports team or indeed anything where people come together with a common purpose. Despite non having much time for religion, I love when people come together and support each other - I guess that's just Humanism.

 

[Despicable Me]

Perhaps He doesn't go away and is always there, but does that mean he talks back?
My kids never go away either, but that doesn't mean I can't still be lonely with them around....

But you would be lonelier without the kids, would you not?
Then, as Xpendable is suggesting, you would probably also feel lonelier without 'God'.

You can obviously have some company and feel lonely. But that doesn't mean you could not ever feel lonelier.

Personally, I have a few people in my life, and without them I would be truly lonely. But that isn't to say I don't already feel very lonely. They are different kinds of loneliness.

 

[Rosebolt]

^ I can't speak for anyone else, but that would probably be true for me. It's kind of diffiicult to imagine though. I reckon it would be another emptiness to add to the pile.

 

[Serephina]

I think you could be sorrounded by people and still feel lonely.

 

[Despicable Me]

I think you could be sorrounded by people and still feel lonely.

Coincidentally, I've been to churches and religious gathering before and that feeling I get being among them... Such total alienation.

Yes, you can certainly feel lonely surrounded by people. But having a connection to those people does diminish some of that loneliness, while being alienated by them or their beliefs often increases it.

And so, those who believe in 'God' usually feel they have a connection with 'him' (or her, or whatever). That should decrease their loneliness to some extent. And many religious followers also should have some connection, even if minor, with other followers of the same religion. That should also lessen the impact a little.
It doesn't mean these people won't be lonely, of course, but it often does change the type of loneliness they feel, at least from my experience.

 

[TheRealCallie]

Perhaps He doesn't go away and is always there, but does that mean he talks back?
My kids never go away either, but that doesn't mean I can't still be lonely with them around....

But you would be lonelier without the kids, would you not?
Then, as Xpendable is suggesting, you would probably also feel lonelier without 'God'.

That I couldn't tell you.

Without my kids, I would have the time to go out and do stuff for myself. I'd have time for friends and family. I'd have time to have a life of my own.

As it is now, and I wouldn't give up my kids for anything, what I do, I do for them. Being a single, working mother doesn't give you much time to do anything for yourself. Hence why I came back here (partly). Adult conversation goes a long way to keep insanity at bay.

 

[Serephina]

I completely agree with you TheRealCallie,I am in the same position,I love my Son but don't really get time for much of a social life. Part of the reason I joined this site is because I really wanted to get to know other people rather than keeping myself so isolated.