[Sizzorhandz]

As an INFP growing up , church was important to me, knowing that god existed and that he loved me. then I bacame not sure, I mean why should humans have souls with afterlifes when all we are is evolved aimals? Losing my faith in the church and my sprituality has really bothered me, cause what is the point in liveing when your only going to die and dissappere, it's not like I'm gonna leave children behind, guys avoid me like the black plague. Can someone help me, I'm not really looknig for God but rather a reason for living to be an old senile bitch.

[fiasco]

You have friends, don't you? Are you close with your family?
What are your favorite hobbies?

Don't see it as life is pointless because you eventually die and "just disappear". You should take this as an opportunity to finally live just to live -- and not in anticipation of what may or may not happen after that. It's great to be alive, and now that you believe this one life is all you have, why not cherish it?

Perhaps you could find meaning working with charity, or disadvantaged youth. Maybe even just striving to put out as much positive energy as you can in order to create a better future for those who will come after you. Just because you might just "die and disappear" doesn't mean you can't leave a mark on the world.

[Persephone]

There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. - Mimi from Rent

Pretty much sums up how I see life without a God. It's my only shot. I'm going to make this good. My dream is to retire early, become close to nature, and eventually, give all I've got to the its conservation; the greatest love of my life. I don't feel lost, and I think I have a mission in life. You can always create your own meaning in life, and when you die, you're not nothing. The particles that make up your body has been around since the beginning of time, and they will go back to nature. It ain't so bleak if you look at it like that :) Eventually, you'll end up in a star- again.

[GroovyShamrock]

As an INFP growing up , church was important to me, knowing that god existed and that he loved me. then I bacame not sure, I mean why should humans have souls with afterlifes when all we are is evolved aimals? Losing my faith in the church and my sprituality has really bothered me, cause what is the point in liveing when your only to die and dissappere, it's not like I'm gonna leave children behind, guys avoid me like the black plague. Can someone help me, I'm not really looknig for God but rather a reason for living to be an old senile bitch.

I can kind of relate to what you said; I grew up as a pastor's son, I was steeped in religion as a child. At one point I questioned everything and gave it all up for a while. It's a process every person from a religious background should go through, I think - but it doesn't mean you have to give everything up.

Even if you do give up going to church, it doesn't mean that you're not spiritual anymore.
Being an evolved animal and having a soul isn't incompatible: there's an animal side and a more "elevated" side to every human being; both sides have to be embraced in some way, a balance is to be found.

I'm not an atheist myself, but I flirted with the idea for a while, and a lot of my friends are - it's not because you don't believe in a higher power that you've no reason for living.

I hope you'll manage to deal with this issue - existential questions are always a burden! =)
Take care

[Gracie]

Hmmm. In a sense, I can identify with everything you have just said - I've gone through something very similar myself lately. I was very religious from the ages of about 16 to just last year, but I've gone through a very questioning phase in the last 6 months or so. I now consider myself agnostic, so I haven't entirely lost my faith, but I'm certainly not so sure of it any more either.

On the point of us being nothing more than evolved animals - I'm not so sure about that, personally. I think cognisence and the capacity to choose between right and wrong constitutes a very marked difference between human beings and other forms of life. While you could potentially argue that certain other species display a level of intelligence comparative to, say, a small child, there is no doubt that we are in a league of our own as far as life forms are concerned. To me - this does suggest that we are different in some way, distinguished from other creatures.

And I remember debating with someone on the subject before, and I made the point that there is a difference between being clinically alive, and being "alive" as we would commonly understand the term. Take someone who is clinically braindead, for example. Their internal organs and physiognomy may be functioning as per usual, in a manner which suggest they are in perfect health, breathing, etc. and yet still be dead, or remaining in a vegetative state. This suggests to me that there is more to being alive than the purely physical, and I at least would understand this difference as being a soul of some kind.

Now, I'm more than open to correction on that, but it's just a thought.

As for something to live for, not having children, etc. - look, any of us could say that. And you cannot say for certain that you will not have children unless you have already decided not to. You don't know who you're going to meet or what's going to happen. With men - well, pessimism with them tends to be self-fulfilling. A huge part of the image we project to others is the way we see ourselves, and if you are determined that you're not worth looking at, loving, etc. then that self-doubt will come across in your dealings with men, and that can be incredibly off-putting. There's many fish in the sea, and I for one think there's someone for everyone.

And there's many kinds of legacy people can leave behind them besides children, they're not you're only option for making a difference in the world. Mother Teresa never had children, but you can't say she didn't leave a mark

[dan4ster]

I can understand the concept of losing faith; I went through a similar period myself. It's difficult and I still wrestle with the thorny questions of existence every day, but I have come to some kind of peace. Nowadays, I believe in some greater, higher power that caused the universe, but whether humans can communicate with it is an entirely different question. On a whole, questioning your beliefs is an important part of rational human existence. The process might seem rough now, and it is, but one way or another you will find your way, whatever it may be.

As for feeling you have no reason to exist, try to imagine what impact you had, have and will have on other people. I know it sounds like "It's a Wonderful Life," but there is some truth to that movie.

[Sizzorhandz]

Thanks for the advice, it gave me something to think about.

[cardinalfire]

Perhaps if you don't want to believe in a god, believe in people , good people. I also seem to believe that there is a god of some sort, even though everything that is bad in the world seems to be evidence for the contrary. The way I see it is that there are so many beautiful things in life which out weigh the bad. Art, music, charity, education, the holidays like christmas, having a laugh with friends, the first time I kissed a girl, or when I met my step sisters. I also see things that happen in the behaviour of others which I feel comes from some divine source, that extends beyond the here and now, even if I have trouble getting to that place. Maybe because of my sensing side, I find god in what happens around me. I just know that there is a god, it's hard to explain, because it's very personal, I know what is right and wrong, and to me that comes from a source I call god. I'm sure it's not male or female, though I see it as male because that is the way that my tiny 'dot on the human map' mind understands the omninopotence of it.

I believe if I were to see god my head would cave in lol, like the dogma movie.

[Lucem]

Do you appreciate your own experiences?

That's what you want to ask yourself. Is happiness, sadness, joy, suffering, pain and pleasure important to you? Why do you live? Do you live merely because you don't want to die? What would be the point of that? You have to live because you want to live or else your life will be an empty shell. Fear cannot drive wants.

Find a reason to live, I'm sure you will find it. This world is a wonderful place, endless possibilities with boundless beauties.

[Sizzorhandz]

I've been thinking alot lately, I think that my beliefs are centering in a central life force ,that everything is connected.
My grampa passed recently, I was holding his hand as he died, it really screwd with me. I did get good news, I got accepted to the college that I applied to in Michigan for Smalll Business Management\Entreprenurship. I want to be able to move to Florida when I graduate and sell the things that I make on the beach. I'm selling my stuff now at a store in my home town, check it out at NaturalVibez . com