Ever had a proper Existential crisis?

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An Exit-ential crisis? or No Exit? topic

As Sartre wrote, we are condemned to be free--free to believe or not. But believing (or not) does not make something so--and so there is the crisis. What ever is chosen can be unchosen--therefore nothing is permanent. Lots of fluctuation.

But this is life. One crisis after another, until the final exit. After a life of this, you will not care if you meet God--and you might not believe it anyway.

But I see a big difference between eternal suffering and temporary suffering. Eternity is a looooong time to be punished for a finite existence here on earth. Isn't there already enough suffering here on earth? I'm sorry, I just can't stand the idea of hell. It seems like an abusive thing to teach children.



Of course I’m aware that different Christians have different points of view regarding salvation. However, according to the beliefs I grew up with non-Christians would not be able to enter heaven because “every man has sinned and fallen short of the glory of god” and the consequence of that is eternal separation from god which is pretty much synonymous with torture from a biblical perspective. That seems mighty depressing to me. Don’t think I could enjoy heaven too much knowing that some of my non-Christian friends and relatives might be in constant torment. How do Christians deal with that? No Christian I’ve ever talked to seems to take it seriously enough.

Don't say it's an abusive thing to teach children, unless you also think it's abusive to teach them about how there used to be slavery in the south and death camps in Germany.

It is a really intolerable idea. Most people who take it seriously don't like it one bit. Some people don't take theology of any kind seriously, and others might take it seriously, but not think about it that much because they don't have that much emotional stamina.

I tend to like C. S. Lewis' ideas about hell -- much gentler than the stereotypical "fire and brimstone" picture of it, though still not gentle enough to be comfortable, unfortunately.


In part, because to actually take it seriously enough would drive them insane. I also grew up with that same view, but rejected it as I grew older. It both made less sense and was less in accord with scriptures than my current view.

My view doesn't involve literal torment, just separation from God (which is bad enough, since God is the source of all light, happiness, goodness, etc.). And I don't think salvation is predicated on just saying some magic words or special prayer. The parable of the sheep and goats is really enlightening on this -- there are a lot of people who say 'but I said the magic words', but don't get in, and a lot of people going 'I never even heard of you' who do.

Well slavery and death camps are not so contested as questions regarding the afterlife. From the point of view of someone outside your religion it appears abusive, even if it isn't intentional. I'm trying not to sound like some kind of militant atheist as Christianity teaches many of the same values that I hold. I just think children should be able to draw their own conclusions without being blackmailed into faith through fear. To a chronically introspective child like I was back then it was extremely traumatic.


That is true. It would probably drive me insane if I still believed it as I'm not very good at pushing all my negative thoughts into the backyard shed. I have to take things completely at face value no matter how uncomfortable they may be. This is perhaps partly why I'm depressed so much. I tend to view everything through a piercing lens of skepticism which often imposes a less than optimistic world view.


I never thought it was about 'magic words'. You're religious view is very similar to that of my father with whom I had many discussions in my teens. I tried for a couple years to give it strong consideration but Christianity never quite meshed with my perception of how the world works. It always seemed a bit contrived to me even before the serious doubts arose.

Right, I have a friend who believes that hell is brimstone and fire, but for a short period before those who go there are destroyed forever. Annihilationism is another doctrine that can be supported by those of conservative views, and that is becoming increasingly popular given the problems of hell.