Originally posted by The big EH
i'm a hardcore athiest and i, i'm terrified of the thought of dying and there being nothing that i cant function, thas why i hope there is something else, i hope that god exists so much, but every inch of me sees no logical way how that is possible, i cant believe in him, i sorta wish i could but its just a gut feeling i cant deny, its eaing me alive. i wanna know, how do you believe in god and heaven and hell, and how athiests cope with the thought of death. death is just something i've never been able to cope with i cried like a baby when my mom explained the concept cause i started thinking about the blackness, nobody i've ever talked to has ever understood this, the way i think about death scares the absolute shit out of me.
I think, inherently, all man affirm the reality of a transcendent creator, even atheists; it is my view, that man either embrace the notion and take measures to seek understanding--perhaps a relationship?--despite the philosophical tug-of-war; not all truth is appealing, and so others reject what they naturally affirm and seek other more appealing truth. For instance, being held accountable/judged before a transcendent creator: some people--despite being apprehensive about the thought--humble themselves and remain open minded; other people simply--as I said before--seek other more appealing truth. Such people feel, in some cases, threatened by the thought of a transcendent creator; but most, I imagine, reject a transcendent creator out of selfishness and/or pride. This is not all inclusive, of course. Some people reject a transcendent creator in light of a dramatic experience, i.e., losing a loved one; but these people most certainly always focus their anger towards God, not the situation itself. Even in the worst of conditions, these men and women affirm the existence of a transcendent creator. Emotions and self-imposed philosophy are tools that atheists use to validate their thinking process. Professing that a "lack of evidence" lead persons away from faith, is just a scapegoat; they are running away from something that they cannot deny (for reasons stated in this response).
My advice to you, if you'll entertain such, is to remain open minded. Purchase research material on all subjects; everything! Give a fair inquiry to religious study, and be honest. Study evolution and molecular biology, moreover. Research subjects on the internet, but use caution. Numerous websites DO NOT CONTAIN A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND LACK SPONSORSHIP! There are reasons for this; find another source of information. In any case, subjects about god, science, theology, prophecy, and history are incredibly complex, and they require a great amount of effort to study, depending on how far you wish to seek. I just hope, whatever you decision amounts to in the end, is one that you have confidence in, because you know that you studied honestly (and let the evidence speak for itself, not emotion).