re: Online blogger and dietician posts suicide note to her blog, then hangs herself

Someone kills themself and the OT jokes about it. Very inappropriate

quote:

---

There are far fewer atheists than people realize. Most non-religious folks are just unsure of what to believe or agnostic. I fall into that bucket, as do most of my friends.

Atheism is a firm belief there is no higher power. That's just as ludicrous to me as being super devout to a single religion.

---

Almost everyone, regardless of religious affiliation, is a functional atheist. If you really believe the teachings of your religion, you have no other choice than to make it your #1 priority, because it's literally the only thing that matters, according to the scriptures themselves. Almost no one lives that way, even people who are very devout.

It’s a shame what this girl did and I feel terrible for her family. It seems like she lived a life that many would be envious of, but her self absorption poisoned her mind of finding true happiness and meaning.

My neighbor became paralyzed at the age of 32 in an accident. His wife died of cancer in her 50s. He lives alone and barely gets by on his disability insurance. On the surface, this guy should be depresssd as hell and never get out of bed. But he’s the happiest person I know and spends most of his time doing stuff for others. It’s all about your attitude in life. Being happy is a choice.

quote:

---

Taking her words in the note as truth, I think she was totally self absorbed and egocentric. She was incapable of empathy.

---

The state that she was in when writing the letter isn't a good indicator or how she was as a person. She likely was incapable of empathy at that time.

When you sink to that depth, emotions are turned off. I've had two depressive episodes that were that severe, and it's really difficult for me to wrap my mind around it now when I'm in a normal state. I understand how folks that have never experienced a severe depressive episode don't understand what it's like to bottom out. Because I've bottomed out a couple of times and I still can't fathom what was going on in my head at those times, even though I lived it. It was like there was a different person there.

quote:

---

When you sink to that depth, emotions are turned off. I've had two depressive episodes that were that severe, and it's really difficult for me to wrap my mind around it now when I'm in a normal state. I understand how folks that have never experienced a severe depressive episode don't understand what it's like to bottom out. Because I've bottomed out a couple of times and I still can't fathom what was going on in my head at those times, even though I lived it. It was like there was a different person there.

---

agree

there is a lot of projection and arm chair QBing about what a stranger was feeling at the time they wrote this letter.

The truth is that unless you've experienced similar pain you really have no idea how it feels so while it sounds simple to say, "just have faith!" "just find a meaning to life!" it's just completely empty advice when you're that deep

quote:

---

I'm sorry but this makes no sense

---

How so?

Atheism is a strongly convicted belief there is no God or higher power.

I think that is just as ridiculous as saying "For sure there's a single Christian God".

Because to me, there is no way to be sure about any of it.

ETA:

And there just aren't as many Atheists as people think, because a lot of people who I know will lump non-religious people into the Atheist bucket, which is just not the case.

quote:

---

Atheism is a strongly convicted belief there is no God or higher power.

---

no. it's not

It's not a belief. It's literally the lack of belief.

And no, lack of belief is not "belief in nothing"

There's nothing strong about it. It's just refusing to follow an assertion or claim that's been made

Religion IMHO, is the wrong word. The correct word, and the social science bears this out, is a sense of MEANING. Humans seek meaning. If life has meaning, you want to preserve it and extend it. If life lacks meaning, then so what if it's lost. Which is what the excellent poster above is getting at when he speaks of Nihilism.

So the question is, How do we give our Life meaning ? And that is what each of us has a responsibility to explore. You may do it through the depth of your relationships, I may do it in prayer and contemplation. But we seek meaning by having a sense of purpose. We are in service to something greater than ourselves. The point is, we can approach it differently, as athiests or Hindus, but we have to grapple with what it is that gives our lives Meaning.

quote:

---

Religion IMHO, is the wrong word. The correct word, and the social science bears this out, is a sense of MEANING. Humans seek meaning. If life has meaning, you want to preserve it and extend it. If life lacks meaning, then so what if it's lost. Which is what the excellent poster above is getting at when he speaks of Nihilism.

So the question is, How do we give our Life meaning ? And that is what each of us has a responsibility to explore. You may do it through the depth of your relationships, I may do it in prayer and contemplation. But we seek meaning by having a sense of purpose. We are in service to something greater than ourselves. The point is, we can approach it differently, as athiests or Hindus, but we have to grapple with what it is that gives our lives Meaning.

---

Great post.

quote:

---

Being happy is a choice.

---

Do you not believe in neurochemistry?!



I think choosing joy and practicing gratitude are a conscious decision, however I don't think everyone has the same ability to do that given their neurochemistry. It's not always sink or swim. Some people have a chemical brick tied to their leg.